Cherry head nipped at baby Leopard, normal?

[lunacris]

I got a baby leopard last week and the first time I introduced them my cherry head smelled her a few times then went to take a bite of her leg. I was closely watching them and was able to move my leopard. Since then, I have had them in the same area but I’m very conscious on where they both are.

Is this normal behavior for a cherry? She’s just over a year old and has never shown any aggression towards me, but I’m not a tortoise.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

There is no knowing if it is normal for a tortoise from South America to bite a tortoise from Africa.

In short don't mix species, Why you may ask? Read anyone of the 10,000 other threads addressing that topic. If this sounds blunt, well, that's because it is.

 

[wellington]

I agree with Will as most members will. The two species should never have been put together.
So separate them asap.

 

[TechnoCheese]

You should never, ever put them together, and they shouldn’t even know the other exists. This is a good way to give one or both of your tortoises deadly diseases.

 

[Tom]

I got a baby leopard last week and the first time I introduced them my cherry head smelled her a few times then went to take a bite of her leg. I was closely watching them and was able to move my leopard. Since then, I have had them in the same area but I’m very conscious on where they both are.

Is this normal behavior for a cherry? She’s just over a year old and has never shown any aggression towards me, but I’m not a tortoise.

I agree with the rest. Never mix species. Never keep tortoises in pairs.

Please read these:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/mixing-species.139808/

 

[Taylor T.]

For what it's worth, +1 to the above.

 

[Yvonne G]

I got a baby leopard last week and the first time I introduced them my cherry head smelled her a few times then went to take a bite of her leg. I was closely watching them and was able to move my leopard. Since then, I have had them in the same area but I’m very conscious on where they both are.

Is this normal behavior for a cherry? She’s just over a year old and has never shown any aggression towards me, but I’m not a tortoise.

Cannibalism is quite common in meat-eating species. I had a group of four hatchling YF tortoises and none of them had tails, the tails all having been bitten off by each other. I've seen baby box turtles cannibalize other baby box turtles, going so far as to taking bites out of each other's shells.

Can you imagine the trauma of having to inhabit the same space as another creature that's trying to eat you?

 

[lunacris]

Thanks for the reply’s. Understood.

I was hoping to be able to have both in the same area when sunbathing, but it’s easy enough to separate.

 

[Anyfoot]

Thanks for the reply’s. Understood.

I was hoping to be able to have both in the same area when sunbathing, but it’s easy enough to separate.

I agree with what has been said regarding mixing.
What I wanted to add was I think you will probably find your redfoot is not nipping at the other tort because it’s a different species. I’ll bet he would nip at another redfoot too. Just making you aware in case your thinking of maybe getting another redfoot or two.

 

[lunacris]

Thanks anyfoot, It’s going to be awhile before I get another. My next and final tortoise will be a Burmese Star, but that’s years away. We are getting ready to sell our house and build our forever home which will have indoor/outdoor enclosures in my side yard for the tortoises built into the blueprints.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Thanks for the reply’s. Understood.

I was hoping to be able to have both in the same area when sunbathing, but it’s easy enough to separate.

Really good to hear this development. To be sure, it's not like the tortoises will spontaneously explode and I have to imagine we all sound a bit alarmist about the mixed species thing. Many have learned some very hard lessons, and push hard for others to not do the same.

 

[lunacris]

I understand were you all are coming from, it’s appreciated and why I ask the questions. it’s the same way with the saltwater coral forums, things in that hobby are very delicate and mistakes tend to be expensive. We get a little passionate when giving advice about subjects we’ve had hard lessons with and I would be a fool not to listen.

Thanks again

 

[enchilada]

Found this picture on internet .
the Power of Red foot Nipping :