Couple more pics

[Wirewehear]

This a shot of Moe meeting Bonnie & Clyde for the 1st time.

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x73/wirewehear/DSCN2557.jpg?t=1282073400

Bonnie (the one on the right) has lately been following Moe around, stretches out her neck and bounces her head up and down. Anyone know what she is communicating? Moe just ignores it.
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And this is Moe wandering. He loves to walk the yard, poke at things and graze. I've watched him check out the pool. He goes to the edge and looks over but it doesnt seem natural that torts would try to go over an edge where their feet have no ground. Havent had problems with the little guys in the 2 yrs they've been around the pool.
Moe taking a walk

 

[Laura]

those two species should be kept seperate.. Germs, parasites ect.. at least not together without a 6 month quarantine....lots of discussion on here over the past..
and pools can be deadly. Not all know not to go over the edge.. deep ponds can also be a problem.. not sure I'd take the chance...

 

[Yvonne G]

Some tortoises have trouble with depth perception and just walk right off the edge of a built-in pool.

I've taken in quite a number of desert tortoises who were sick from being in contact with a sulcata tortoise. If you notice any kind of respiratory infection, its because of the sulcata.

Your tortoises look very happy in their backyard habitat. Desert tortoise are one of my favorites!

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I forgot to mention...the head bobbing is a dominance thing. Pretty soon it might advance to out-and-out fighting, ending with one of them being tipped onto his back. So be on the look-out.

 

[Wirewehear]

Hmm ... some good food for thought, Laura. I've read that different species shouldnt be in the same 'enclosure' as the needs are different. B & C do have their area in which they cant get out of and the Sullies cant get into. In the mornings when B & C come out of their 'bunker' I set them on the lawn for grazing and exercise, they go back later in day.
The corner I'm wanting to set up a heated shed for the Sullies can be easily fenced off with chain link and gated. I just didnt think to do that until now.
As for separation ... is it that a species has normal parasites that may be fatal to another? Or that I brought in the Sullies without vetting them, possibly having a treatable parasite and they may sicken the dersert torts? I hadnt thought of that either but it makes sense. Total separation is your suggestion?
As for the pool. I dont want to fence it but I can settle with free roaming supervised time. I dont supervise Moe as he roams but I have, since getting the Sullies, supervised when I have the little ones out. I've already imagined the little ones walking along with Moe and moe pushing one in. Kona doesnt move far from her hidey-hole. She grazes nearby and goes back in.
I wonder how intelligent Torts are in general that they would know out of self preservation not to walk over an edge where they feel no ground. Of course there are exceptions, not all living beings have the same level of smarts and some can be down right dumb.
Thanks for the warning.

 

[Laura]

As for separation ... is it that a species has normal parasites that may be fatal to another? Or that I brought in the Sullies without vetting them, possibly having a treatable parasite and they may sicken the dersert torts? I hadnt thought of that either but it makes sense. Total separation is your suggestion?

Both... Could be carrying something, and different species can have different parasites..and Desert torts can stress easliy and are Very prone to URI..

Depending on the tort.. Chain Link may not work. If they can see thru it, they will bulldoze to get out. You can still use it, but may need to put up a solid sight barrier as well.

 

[Wirewehear]

Thank you Yvonne, you answered my question about a tort walking into the pool. Its not that they are unintelligent but their depth perception.
Yanno, I think I will just keep them separated for the most part. The yard is big enough to have them all out at once and stay apart while I supervise and I can put B & C back in the walled area if they want to "hang out" with the Sullies.
I have 2 bitches in my dog posse who hate each other so separation is not a new thing around here.

 

[Laura]

As for a wall to keep away from the pool.. a short one can be built that you can step over. Look at the Aldabra/ Galop pics recently posted..

 

[Wirewehear]

Desert torts can stress easliy and are Very prone to URI..
I had heard of that but no one ever explained why. I thought maybe climate change or something.


Depending on the tort.. Chain Link may not work. If they can see thru it, they will bulldoze to get out.

lol .... wonderful. Alrighty then. Buried cinder block under the fence line and a wooden sight barrier for the bottom 2 ft of fence. Geesh ... my "to-do" list is getting longer. Guess I should get off line and get off my butt.
And I doubt hubby is going to go for any wall around that pool. So I guess he is the one who will have to supervise. I'll find that thread.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Each species carries pathogens that could conceivably make the other species sicken or even dead, so it's simply not a good idea to have them together at all. Desert tortoises are very fragile and the Sulcata can stress the DT out as you see Bonnie is already feeling stressed by the way she is acting out with Moe. Think about how you would feel if someone was following you around. Creepy huh? I kept 2 desert tortoises with a small Sulcata and the Sulcata gave parasites to the Dt's and also gave them both a resp infection so you really do want to separate them and keep them separate...