Do female russian torts try to breed with other females

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Levi the Leopard

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1 tortoise mounting another is not always for breeding. It could be a display of dominance and aggression, too.

Are you sure you have 2 females?
Are your 2 housed together in a pair?
Do they live indoors in a tortoise table or outside in a nice sized yard?

Many people have difficulty keeping tortoises in pairs, especially when housed indoors. You could try keeping your 2 separate or in a very large outdoor yard so they can get away from each other. If you are dealing with female mounting, then it's a sign to make some changes.
 

bouaboua

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Yes. Most likely is aggression and dominance. I saw my female (we saw her lay eggs before) herminns mounting another female.
 

Tom

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No they do not try to breed other females. They do sometimes mount other females in an attempt to show dominance and drive the other female from their territory.

If you are seeing this, you have a problem. Your tortoises need to be separated.

The tortoises in your pics also look pretty young. It is difficult to sex them when they are that size. Are you sure you have two females?
 

Gillian M

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Torts are very rarely kept in pairs so take care: bullying may begin and one of them could hurt the other. Good luck.
 

ZEROPILOT

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Even without physical injuries, the bullying causes stress and that alone is enough for one tortoise to get ill....even die.
Russians are anti-social tortoises.
I had one that I was baby sitting round up and chase two great big Redfoot tortoises around like a sheep dog. Snapping at them as they ran in circles.
 

Yvonne G

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Sometimes, when a female is ready to lay eggs, she might mount other females in the enclosure.
 
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