Greek Tortoise Help! (different size of tortoises question)

Mr. Tortle

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I have a 5 year old male Greek tortoise and my younger brother wants to get a 6 month old Greek tortoise. Would it be okay to House them together in my tortoise’s 6’x 4’ enclosure? Or should I wait for it to get older and have him keep it in a separate enclosure? Or should I never put them together do to the fact that my tortoise hasn’t seen another tortoise since he was a hatchling?
 

Gillian M

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A very warm welcome to the form, @Mr. Tortle .

Torts do not like company. So as to avoid bullying, please separate the torts.

Please give your torts daily soaks in warm water so as to avoid dehydration and pyramiding.

Please post pics of the said torts as well as their enclosures.
 

Mr. Tortle

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Thank you! I joined 5 years ago when I got my tortoise but I’m barely on here so I guess I’m still considered a new member. I soak my tortoise twice a week but when he was a hatchling I soaked him just about everyday. I’m religious about it. *Also I meant to say 6’x2’ enclosure* IMG_6018.jpgIMG_6017.jpgIMG_6012.jpgIMG_6013.jpgIMG_6014.jpgIMG_6015.jpg
 

Bee62

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I have a 5 year old male Greek tortoise and my younger brother wants to get a 6 month old Greek tortoise. Would it be okay to House them together in my tortoise’s 6’x 4’ enclosure? Or should I wait for it to get older and have him keep it in a separate enclosure? Or should I never put them together do to the fact that my tortoise hasn’t seen another tortoise since he was a hatchling?
Hello and welcome to the forum. Glad you are found us and glad that you ask about keeping tortoises together.
Please don`t do it ! Why ? Because your 5 year old tortoise is mature and a male. He will chase the smaller and younger tortoise to breed or to chase him out of his enclosure. Both reactions of your tort will cause pain and stress to the younger tort or to both torts. The younger cannot escape out of the enclosure and the older one is frustrated that the younger one will not go away.
When the older torts wants to breed it is the same situation.
Please, please don`t put the torts together.
Build the new tort an enclosure of her own and all will be o.k.
 

Mr. Tortle

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2012
Messages
8
Location (City and/or State)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA
Hello and welcome to the forum. Glad you are found us and glad that you ask about keeping tortoises together.
Please don`t do it ! Why ? Because your 5 year old tortoise is mature and a male. He will chase the smaller and younger tortoise to breed or to chase him out of his enclosure. Both reactions of your tort will cause pain and stress to the younger tort or to both torts. The younger cannot escape out of the enclosure and the older one is frustrated that the younger one will not go away.
When the older torts wants to breed it is the same situation.
Please, please don`t put the torts together.
Build the new tort an enclosure of her own and all will be o.k.
Thank You for the advice! I will make sure the baby is housed in it's own separate enclosure.
 

GBtortoises

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The primary reason for keeping a mature tortoise and a juvenile tortoise separate is do to the difference in their size and the possibility of the smaller animal becoming trampled on and pushed around constantly.
A mature male will show very little to no interest in a juvenile animal. It is only when the smaller animal is close to or reaches sexual maturity that the adult male will begin to show interest. If the younger one is a male, the mature male will attempt to remove it from his defined territory. If the younger one is a female the mature male will attempt to court and breed with it. Either situation can be very stressful and potentially physically harmful to both animals. This is why mature males should be housed separately in small spaces.
But a mature male will show no interest in a juvenile until it grows close to maturity.
 
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