Aroused tortoise won't eat

[kroz]

Hi,

I've had two Testudo graeca nabeulensis, one male and one female, for about two years now. They've been doing very well until now, being active, eating, and growing.

They live in a home-made terrarium with a solid divider in the middle, separating the tortoises.

The male has recently started to show significant interest in the female. When they walk outside the terrarium together, he slams her shell and mounts her.

I don't want the female to start laying eggs yet, so I haven't let them complete the mating. That seems to make the male crazy. The female is fine, eating and going about her business as usual.

The male hasn't eaten in a week now, I've tried with all sorts of plants and vegetables. All he does, for hours every day, is trying to dig through the terrarium separator (which is made of wood, so he'll never succeed). It's very noisy, and I'm getting worried for him since he won't eat.

I'd like some opinions from you.

Do you think he's not eating because he wants to mate?

Should the male calm down if I let him mate? Or will he keep trying to mate "forever" even if successful?

 

[Yvonne G]

I've never kept my tortoises apart, so I don't know the answer to your question, however, I do know that in some species, the males are smaller and lighter than the females. Some of my box turtle males actually seem "skinny." Procreation is a very strong pull on a tortoise. It doesn't seem unreasonable for me to think he'd rather get to that female than eat. Is it possible for you to set him up away from the female so he isn't aware of her?

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

I've never kept my tortoises apart, so I don't know the answer to your question, however, I do know that in some species, the males are smaller and lighter than the females. Some of my box turtle males actually seem "skinny." Procreation is a very strong pull on a tortoise. It doesn't seem unreasonable for me to think he'd rather get to that female than eat. Is it possible for you to set him up away from the female so he isn't aware of her?

Yes...kroz should put them in seperate rooms, maybe even opposite ends of the house...if he can smell her, he'll stay "exited" (a dude's got to do what a dude's got to do! )

---

I've never kept my tortoises apart, so I don't know the answer to your question, however, I do know that in some species, the males are smaller and lighter than the females. Some of my box turtle males actually seem "skinny." Procreation is a very strong pull on a tortoise. It doesn't seem unreasonable for me to think he'd rather get to that female than eat. Is it possible for you to set him up away from the female so he isn't aware of her?

Yes...kroz should put them in seperate rooms, maybe even opposite ends of the house...if he can smell her, he'll stay "interested" (a dude's got to do what a dude's got to do! )

 

[kroz]

Is it possible for you to set him up away from the female so he isn't aware of her?

Thank you for your reply!

Well, it's possible for me to move them further apart, but it will require double sets of UV fluorescent lamps, timers, a new terrarium and more space. So I was hoping to avoid it.

Would you think it's best for the male to be allowed to mate?

And if yes: How big is the chance that the female will get gravid? How do I know if the female is about to lay eggs? How many will she lay?

I don't want to have to deal with lots of tortoise babies, and I certainly don't want to kill them. Giving them away or selling them is pretty much out of the question, since I live in a country where tortoises are prohibited as pets.

Also, do you think the male is going through a phase now and will calm down soon, like cats are going crazy once a month or something, or will he remain this excited for as long as he can smell her?

 

[tortoisenerd]

I think it is best for them to be apart unless it is such a large enclosure that more simulates the wild that they have their own spaces (impossible indoors). Keeping tortoises in captivity indoors is different than keeping them outdoors in a huge enclosure is different from how they live in the wild. In the wild, this would not happen as their passes would cross, they would mate, and they both would move on (to find food). I think you stopping the male from mating could be detrimental to his health and well being, so you either need to decide to let them mate, or have separate enclosures far apart from one another. The cost of the enclosures shouldn't be a factor, as being a responsible tort owner means you need to do whatever necessary to have your animals happy and healthy. I believe that torts are happier alone as this is how they are in the wild, and it is us as humans who like the company that believe that our torts also like that.

Some people will destroy any eggs laid if they do not want the babies....it all depends on if you think an egg right after it is laid is already a tort baby, or if that still is defined as killing it. That is a personal decision to make. If you do not want to have to destroy eggs and you cannot let them hatch, then I think you answered your own question and they need to be kept apart. If you do allow them to mate, you will also need to provide a proper place for her to lay eggs, ensure that the male does not "pester" the female too much, and that they are both of good health and weight. The male will become excited as long as he can smell her and you are stopping their mating (what do you do when you aren't home?).

 

[kroz]

I think it is best for them to be apart unless it is such a large enclosure that more simulates the wild that they have their own spaces (impossible indoors). Keeping tortoises in captivity indoors is different than keeping them outdoors in a huge enclosure is different from how they live in the wild. In the wild, this would not happen as their passes would cross, they would mate, and they both would move on (to find food). I think you stopping the male from mating could be detrimental to his health and well being, so you either need to decide to let them mate, or have separate enclosures far apart from one another. The cost of the enclosures shouldn't be a factor, as being a responsible tort owner means you need to do whatever necessary to have your animals happy and healthy. I believe that torts are happier alone as this is how they are in the wild, and it is us as humans who like the company that believe that our torts also like that.

Some people will destroy any eggs laid if they do not want the babies....it all depends on if you think an egg right after it is laid is already a tort baby, or if that still is defined as killing it. That is a personal decision to make. If you do not want to have to destroy eggs and you cannot let them hatch, then I think you answered your own question and they need to be kept apart. If you do allow them to mate, you will also need to provide a proper place for her to lay eggs, ensure that the male does not "pester" the female too much, and that they are both of good health and weight. The male will become excited as long as he can smell her and you are stopping their mating (what do you do when you aren't home?).

Thank you very much for your answer.

I have been thinking about where I could place another terrarium, and there really is no other room in my apartment that could fit one. That was the reason I put a divider in the current terrarium instead of building another one, because I also found out (long ago) that they seem happier alone.

So, I think the best option for the male is that I find someone decent who can take good care of him. I just hope I can find that person. It's sad for me, but of course his health is more important.

 

[dmmj]

wouldn't you be upset if someone larger than you kept on interrupting your mating attempts?

 

[kroz]

wouldn't you be upset if someone larger than you kept on interrupting your mating attempts?

It's not something I do light-hearted. I think the situation is very sad for him. That said, I don't want the female to lay eggs because I don't want to raise more tortoises, nor do I want to challenge my luck by trying to give away or sell many tortoises (because they are illegal here).

And as has been pointed out by others here, the male will be excited as long as he can smell her, meaning he won't calm down after one mating.

As I wrote above, I will investigate my opportunities for handing him over to a qualified individual.