Head butting and ramming

[Dallas]

We have had a tortoise for around 50 years and a friend of the family has also had a tortoise around the same age but an entirely different species.

We have no idea what species either of them are but they are clearly very different, even their behaviour is different - one likes more sun than the other and will bask all day in full-sun on our rockery in the garden while our tortoise only likes a little bit and will go to sleep or stay in the shade, even their shells are distinct, the shape of them and their heads and everything.

Anyway, we only tortoise-sit a few months a year while they go on holidays and whatnot, so have no idea whether they would be like this more if they were together longer.
Their tortoise will ram and head but our tortoise, and chase it around the garden for ages just constantly ramming and head butting and our tortoise just doesn’t do anything and just keeps trying to escape it, they do it more or less every year, especially in the summer, not so much in the cooler months (before they hibernate).

To be clear, I also have no idea whether they are both females. I assume they are because they both have female names, so surely they cannot be mating, right?
Also, they don’t dislike each other because then always sleep together and our tortoise looks for the other one for a while afterwards every time.

Thanks. Peace.

 

[daniellenc]

Different species should not be kept together for this exact reason it’s bullying and can lead to an all out fight injuring both torts. I would find a way to keep them separated when tort sitting. On another note if you don’t know what species they are how do you know the proper food and temps to keep them at?

 

[TechnoCheese]

Welcome to the forum!
First off, you need to separate them immediately. Tortoises of different species should NEVER meet, because there is a large risk of disease, and stuff like this can happen.
Most tortoises are also completely solitary animals, and should never be housed in pairs.
“Sleeping together” is tortoise aggression, along with “cuddling”, and “following”. They are all one tortoise trying to stress the other out of its territory. They are looking for each other, but on,y so that they can force them out of their territory. They do not love each other, and they will not get lonely without each other. Please separate them ASAP.
please give us pictures of the tortoises so that we can identify them.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome! Please post pictures of YOUR tortoise so we can help you care for it properly.

I'm wondering why you allow your friend's tortoise to beat your tortoise up. Would you allow this between your human child and a friend's child? Being bullied by the other tortoise is very stressful on your tortoise. Tortoises die from stress. The next time you care for your friend's tortoise, please provide a separate area for it and don't allow interaction between the two.

Also, sleeping together is just another way for the bully to tell your tortoise that he's the boss and this is HIS sleeping area.

 

[Lyn W]

Please take note of all the good advice you have been given from very experienced tortoise keepers who are just trying to make sure your tort - and his bossy guest - stay happy and healthy.

 

[Tom]

One more voice to agree with each and every post above...

 

[Dallas]

Different species should not be kept together for this exact reason it’s bullying and can lead to an all out fight injuring both torts. I would find a way to keep them separated when tort sitting. On another note if you don’t know what species they are how do you know the proper food and temps to keep them at?

Well, my mom got her about 50 years ago, possibly around 60, and she has always been happy in the garden, so it musn’t be the worse environment for her, I think she was bought as a gift by my Great-Nan for about £2 or something and she’s always seemed happy.

 

[Dallas]

And I think I have some photos somewhere on one of my iPads so I’ll look for them to save taking anymore.

I will also see what I can do in terms of separating them.