Males..... tisk tisk

[motero]

Let me start by saying I have the means and space to house my tortoises individually if I have to, but I WANT them if at all possible to live together. There are no females anywhere in sight or smell.

I am looking for advice or tips on how to keep some male sulcatas happy together. I Know a few of you do this, how did it come about?

I first just put them together and there was immediate animosity, second I am going to try a see through fence so they can get use to one another.

If they were the same size I might have let them sort it out, but Edward is 75lbs and the other two are around 30lbs, so that wont work.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Karl

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Karl:

You may never be able to put them together, but there are some things you can try.

If you have a couple vacation days coming, you might just take the time off so you can spend it watching them, and just go for it...put them all together and let them establish dominance. Once they have done that, they MAY live together peacefully, but you have to be handy at first to be sure that the fighting doesn't get out of hand and someone get hurt.

Or you might try this: You will have to start with a totally NEW pen for them. Right now, your tortoises have their own territory. Its natural for them to want to chase an interloper male tortoise out of their territory. So, you put them all into a totally different pen, one that another tortoise has NOT established as HIS territory. It has to be big, with plenty of hiding places and sight barriers.

 

[Tom]

I agree with Yvonne.

If you can's move them to a new area try to drastically re-arrange and re-decorate the existing area. The more space the better and the more visual barriers and nooks and crannies the better.

I've also heard of a technique where you walk up and flip any aggressors on their back for a minute or two. If you flip one and the other start being aggressive to the flipped one, flip him too. I tried this with two similarly sized males that were housed with a female (absolute worse case scenario) and it did not work. With males only and different sizes, you stand a greater chance of it working. I think it also works better with larger groups.

Good luck. Teach all of us by telling us what you try and how well it works.

 

[dmmj]

You need space, there is a guy in ojai who has some 60 sulcatas (at last count) on 13 acres and when he last gave a speech at my tortoise club he said there is little to no fighting because he has lots of room and they have lots of hides, both man and tortoise made.

 

[Shelly]

You need space, there is a guy in ojai who has some 60 sulcatas (at last count)

They should have him on that "Animal Hoarder" show. That would be awesome.

 

[Wirewehear]

You need space, there is a guy in ojai who has some 60 sulcatas (at last count)

They should have him on that "Animal Hoarder" show. That would be awesome.

Not really. "animal hoarder" is not usually a good thing. Many tend to not be able to properly care for their pets. Also AR fanatics like to use that term for people, even tho they "Do" properly care for their animals, but they (the Animal Rights folks) take it upon themselves to be judge and jury and want to take those animals away.

 

[tikifrog]

I attempted to keep three 65-80 lb. males together. I didn't work. I now have one.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

I think it will be very challenging, males of that species are driven to remove all competition from the area.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I would start by putting them all in an area where noone has dominance, a new area to all of them. Then watch and see what they do. My Bob started getting aggressive with me and trying to ram me, so when he did that jumpy thing at me I hit him in the face with the broom. (Don't tell the AR people) and I spent about 2 hours with him jumping at me and me hitting him with the broom, he finally gave up and stopped. So I would put all yours together in an area where no one has ownership, and when one jumps at another I'd hit him in the face with the broom straws. It really surprises them and does not hurt. I use the straw end not the pole. It may not be a nice thing to do but it seems to have worked. He hasn't jumped at me since. For those of you who don't know, Bob is an 80 pound male Sulcata...

 

[Wirewehear]

when he did that jumpy thing at me I hit him in the face with the broom. (Don't tell the AR people)

lol ... @ the AR jab.
Kona is food aggressive. When I set a pile down he will march by it and try to run me off .... But at only 17lbs its not very intimidating. I ignore him and he back tracks to his food. I figure its just like dogs ... if I give in to his behavior I've just taught him what to do when he is resource guarding.
Anyhow.... back on topic. Kona is a little bossy with Moe. Moe completely ignores him and is a pretty mellow tort. Moe could very well be a she tho. I also have a size difference with those two as well. 17lb & 40. I've already planned out an area for a second pen if I have to separate but the grazing area will have to be a common area and either they are rotated into it or supervised while in it together.

 

[motero]

Thanks For all the ideas, their pen Is all new and modified, they have a combined total of 4 thousand square feet. After a few days of none stop fighting the two smaller torts have just excepted the fact that Edward is big and mean and they run away from him. I was hoping this would let Edward fell dominant and leave them alone, not a chance Edward would only rest when they were out of the area all together. Even with multiple visual barriers, and gates(openings Edward could not get through allowing an escape) Edward would hunt them down if they were any where in the pen. Now the pen is divided the little torts have access to Edwards half but Edward does not have access to there side. This has worked for a few days now still allowing interaction with increased safety. I hope over time Edward will mellow out and be more peaceable. I have not given up yet, I will try new things as ideas come up.
So keep the Ideas coming.


Flipping them and flicking them on the nose only confused them, after a while they started including me in their fights, now that the little two have some respect for Edward, It might work on Edward we will keep working with him.