Conspiring...but for what?

[JayMillz]

More than once now I have noticed this behavior with my pair. They seem to share the "Team work is dream work" mentality and I was wondering if anyone else has ever had anything like this happen. In what looks like an attempt to escape their enclosure (a large plastic koi pond for a couple more weeks until funds allow me to expand big time) one will brace itself on the ground you could say, while the other one will push off of it for leverage to climb the side. Their behavior clearly isn't fighting or aggressive but a teamwork attempt to get 1 of them out. As the one trying to climb out advances forward up the side, the other one will inch forward and hold it's ground, it's pretty creepy lol and I'm curious as to what "phase 2" would be once the 1st escaped...

 

[ascott]

I hate to be a downer...seriously I hate it....what you are likely watching is one tort being dominant over the other (and the human eye equates it to teamwork) ...the one climbing on the other is doing so likely as an act of dominance and then while this is happening he is taking advantage of a normal behavior of trying to get to "the other side" which is a forever quest of a tort that can see the top of an enclosure or see the other side of a enclosure fencing/panel....

The one "holding its ground" and inching forward is not a collective act of teamwork....here is why I would say this, a collective act of teamwork would indicate that two of the same species has conspired, planned and plotted to achieve a mutually beneficial goal, right? well, tortoise are not a group planner but rather an opportunist at every opportunity...nothing personal but they are designed to survive at all cost as the leader, as the one who gets best food, sleeping quarters and security...

Now, with that being said.....how could the two tortoise possible mutually benefit in this behavior...if the one tort does stand still and the other leap frogs over his back onto the other side of the panel...you will now have two torts without the other team mate to do the same maneuver for them to then reunite on either side of the enclosure wall....right? Likely not teamwork....although if you implement the way we (humans) operate---this would be something that would come to mind by watching the raw actions of the torts.....

I would also make sure to keep an eye on their overall behavior....eating equally, basking equally, use of hides equally, activity level remains good and strong in both....at a certain age--pairs become a hard thing to achieve with any kind of true harmony....

 

[JayMillz]

That makes sense but there's plenty of room for the one in back to not be back there helping the front one out. They don't seem to have any problems eating or anything like that. They dominate any meal I put in front of them and graze the yard for hours when they are out. It's probably just a good sign that I need to hurry up and expand their enclosure

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Oh and don't worry about being a "downer" lol that's why I made an acct here is to learn more. Any advice is appreciated for sure!!

 

[ascott]

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Pairs?page=4#axzz1zmE5QixE

Simply posting as another piece of information for you to tuck away in the back of your head ......

 

[Tom]

Tortoises just climb around like that all day. If their is another tortoise in a handy spot, they will take advantage. It's nothing contrived or planned out.

Are you familiar with the concept of anthropomorphism?

 

[SteveP]

Thats what I have learned here, they are solitary animals and dont need another one around, except for breeding.

 

[JayMillz]

Thank you for the good reference ascott! exactly why I joined this thread I can take critisism and want the best for my torts so I want to learn from any mistakes I make or others make.

Tom - I didn't know there was a name for it until I just looked it up, but YES! I do it all the time with the weiner dog lol I'll talk for him with a lot of actions he preforms, and a lot of other animate and inanimate objects as well...

 

[ascott]

anthropomorphism

So, could this be an extreme form of this


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGeKSiCQkPw