Male Female Aggression

[Texastort]

Hi everyone. I have a 55 pound male and probably a 100 lb female. They have been living together for about three months. The male definitely likes the female and harasses her 4-5 times a day. She hasn't seemed to mind in until today.

She is straight out ramming the male, and has been doing it for hours. I separate them, then she sees him and just goes crazy. She has been so docile these past few months. Is this normal?? Will this normalize with her asserting dominance???

 

[JoesMum]

Tortoises are naturally solitary in the wild, meeting up to mate and moving in.

As yours are demonstrating, either sex can decide that they don't want to share and... The bad news... It's unlikely to stop.

You must separate them. The loser in these battles becomes withdrawn and can become ill and die.

If you wish to breed, introduce them to do their business and then separate. It is quite likely they will never cohabit peacefully unfortunately.

 

[Texastort]

Sad. I wish there was a way for them to co exist. I have some smaller ones, and after a few days of fighting (working it out) they have lived in perfect harmony. Maybe that doesn't happen when they get this big....

 

[ascott]

I would only allow them to "try to get along" when you are sitting right there to referee.....I would not trust that she will only ram him and all will be worked out....especially with the size difference, she can seriously harm or kill him....

Pairs Pairs Pairs is a hard place for Harmony to thrive.... Perhaps when some of your others grow large enough you can try a ratio of one male to 2 or three females? This takes some of the annoyance away from the one female....

 

[Texastort]

Separated the two tonight. Watched as the big girl walked across the yard, through the barrier and attacked the male. She's gone crazy...

 

[JoesMum]

Tom has a young female who's a particularly nasty piece of work. I know it's hard when they're this size, but you are going to need some industrial strength fencing so she can't carry on bullying him.

 

[dmmj]

Can you block her view of the male, out of sight out of mind perhaps.

 

[Eweezyfosheezy]

Ive never seen any of my females attack a male unless he is mounting another female.

 

[Tom]

Females don't normally do this and females don't normally get 100 pounds. Every once in while, but not usually. Are you sure its a female? Have you posted pics of the anal scutes and tail? It is behaving in a very male-like way.
Pairs seldom work out... Groups can usually work, but not pairs...

 

[Laura]

If I was getting 'harrassed 4-5 times a day, I'd get pissed off and fight back too!
Post pictures..
How big is thier area?

 

[Texastort]

Here are photos of her. She is huge

 

[RuthieHurry]

Here are photos of her. She is huge

I was all excited! Then didn't see any pics, lol.

 

[Texastort]

Here are photos of her. She is huge

I was all excited! Then didn't see any pics, lol.

 

[RuthieHurry]

Now I see them! Maybe my app was taking a little break earlier, lol. She sure is a beautiful tort.

 

[JoesMum]

These pictures of Tom's in another thread are probably the best comparison shots for the plastrons of mature male and female Sulcatas.

 

[Texastort]

I'm 99% sure she is a female. Non concave plastron, small gular scutes, smaller head.

 

[Eweezyfosheezy]

I have a female thats the same size as her and your is definitely a female too. Since they have been together for only 3 months she is probably just trying to show her dominance since she may or may not have been raised by herself.

 

[Texastort]

I have a female thats the same size as her and your is definitely a female too. Since they have been together for only 3 months she is probably just trying to show her dominance since she may or may not have been raised by herself.

Do you think once that dominance is established she will chill? Its been fascinating to watch, such a large animal be completely docile with a smaller one, then all of a sudden go ape s**t.

 

[JoesMum]

It is something that seems to worsen with age unfortunately, not improve. A tort's lifespan is very long... you could be talking decades before she improves.

 

[Arizona Sulcata]

My large female will do the same thing just not very often. She only does it when my male hasn't breed her in a long time. She rams him a couple times, turns around, and my male mounts her. Whatever works for them I guess! Haha but this doesn't seem to be the case in your situation. I'd recommend adding a second female to even things out or separating them which I know nobody ever likes to do.