I was wondering...

[laura808]

While I was watching Otis running around a few days ago I was wondering..... Do sulcata hatchlings do better in general when they have another sulcata hatchling(s) with them? Do hatchlings that live by themselves get lonely? If so could that lead to them getting sick?

Sorry for the random question.

 

[Annieski]

I seem to remember from biology class[a long time ago] that since MOST reptiles hatch long after the "mom" has layed her eggs---and the "hatchlings" are born already complete [meaning they can thrive without "parental care"] their only task is "survival". I would take this to mean--that it is in the best intrest of the hatchling to be alone and camouflaged, to avoid being "eaten" by predators. I do think that the "range" of Sulcata, allows for reproduction when they are sexually mature--but essentially, they are "on their own" and don't "need" companionship to thrive. Just my take on it.

 

[moswen]

no, tortoises are solitary creatures in the wild and they much prefer it that way. when you think your tortoise is getting lonely---think again. he's livin it up not having to fight for food, chase someone out of his territory, be chased out of someone's territory, fight for females, fight off the males, &etc...

the only way i could think of a torotise doing better with another hatchling would be that they would eat more, because they would be fighting the other person for the food source. actually i guess that would really not be better either, because they would be fighting....

there's not really much of a problem raising hatchlings together, i have my 3 sullies and 2 spiders in the same enclosure and i feed them together, but i do not think it's necessarily better for them to have little housemates. sometimes it's actually necessary to separate tortoises because one is being mentally or physically bullied.

 

[Yvonne G]

In the wild you usually won't find more than one adult tortoise at a time. However, babies stay together as much as possible. In captivity, babies do better when there's more than one. Something about competition for the food. They seem to eat better when their litter mate looks like he might be going to get all the food. I always adopt hatchlings out two at a time.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

I think ours just do the same things and that makes them kinda stay together. I do not think they enjoy each others company. In fact our males sometimes get irritated if they get to close to each other.

 

[laura808]

Yvonne: thats what I was thinking... Could this be why all of these hatchlings are not doing to great? ex. (little Chevy and Sammy)