Bringing in a new Tortoise

Status
Not open for further replies.

nharr2

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2011
Messages
32
Location (City and/or State)
Illinois
Hello :) I am hoping someone can help me, we bought a sulcata and a leopard tortoise a year ago and our leopard didnt make it. :( Our sulcata has been by itself since the passing of the leopard and we are finally in a place where we would like to purchase another sulcata so it dosent have to grow up by itself. Ours is at least double the size he was when we got him, it seems each time we upgrade his home he doubles in size! Has anyone bought two sulcatas at different times? Basically I am wanting to know if anyone thinks we will have problems putting them together. We love ours and would never want to stress him out but we are very pro having things in pairs so no one gets lonely :p
 

Attachments

  • 208719_4487356106386_274948129_n.jpg
    208719_4487356106386_274948129_n.jpg
    86.2 KB · Views: 29
  • 528077_4487357186413_22268209_n.jpg
    528077_4487357186413_22268209_n.jpg
    55 KB · Views: 32

Eweezyfosheezy

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2009
Messages
2,365
Location (City and/or State)
Peoria, Arizona
I think it would be better for your tortoise to just be raised by himself. Tortoises for the most part are solitary animals and are perfectly fine being raised by themselves. If you were to add another tortoise I would add at least two more and they would have to be around the same size as the guy you have right now. Raising hatchlings with the one you have now could be fatal for the newcomer(s).
 

dmmj

The member formerly known as captain awesome
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 15, 2008
Messages
19,698
Location (City and/or State)
CA
Tortoises don't require companionship(especially sulcatas), that is us humans putting our feeling onto them. Get another one if you choose, but please keep them separate your tortoises will thank you.
 

nharr2

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2011
Messages
32
Location (City and/or State)
Illinois
Thank you for the responses! After I posted this I ran across another posts about pairing them that was very informational. Do you include a heat bulb in your enclosure? I didnt know with him getting a little older if he needed it less?
 

l0velesly

Active Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Mar 28, 2011
Messages
2,452
Location (City and/or State)
Lynnwood, WA
Sulcatas definitely do better solo. Did you keep the leopard and sulcata together? The leopard might have contracted parasites from the sulcata.
 

nharr2

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2011
Messages
32
Location (City and/or State)
Illinois
I did keep them together. The leopard got really sick like I read in one of the posts on here. Basically about a month after we got it, it slowly started going downhill... not eating/drinking, wouldnt move around, eyes wouldnt open. It was horrible :( After I found this site I divided their cage and it lived for a little while longer but its shell was really soft and it passed away.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
They don't see companions as friends. They see them as competitors and trespassers. The dominant one wants the other to leave, and the other one wants to leave, but it can't. Bad situation. They can do okay in groups in very large enclosures, but that will be difficult with frozen winters.

The pair thing applies to most reptiles. Sometimes it works. Sometimes they just survive it. Many times it doesn't work at all. I'm all for having multiple tortoise, just keep them in separate enclosures.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

New Posts

Top