Mating behaviour

[Dawnyboo]

Hi, i have 2 Hermann tortoises, 1 female & 1 male. The males behavior as changed & I'm wondering is it because he has come into maturity. He keeps trying to mount the female who is not interested & as shes smaller & alot faster she runs away from him. He's now started chasing her to nip her legs & yesterday he was very forceful trying also to bite her face. I split them in different enclosures now. Also he's started to charge which is also something new.They have always been together from us getting them from a friend who no longer wanted them & its upset me they have to be apart as they always snuggle up to each other at bed time. I'm wondering would they ever be able to be put together again or will this be an ongoing issue??

 

[Tom]

Tortoises should never be kept in pairs. They are solitary animals and do best all alone. Other tortoises are not seen as friends. They are seen as intruders to drive away or mates to chase down and rape though force and intimidation. It is extremely stressful for them to live in pairs. The sexes don't matter.

They are not "snuggling". That is one tortoise trying to crowd the other one and intimidate it out of the best sleeping area, or any sleeping area.

Most people also misidentify the sexes. Its likely that you have two males. When housed as a pair, one is almost always timid and slower growing, and many people assume female because of that.

You need separate enclosures for them ASAP. Like right now. Today. Before one loses an eye or blood is shed.

 

[Dawnyboo]

They are now seperated. I have had them 5 years & they were 3 or 4 years old when i got them. I didn't know anything about tortoises but since getting them i have read up a lot about them. The reason i think one is female is the shell is different underneath, tails are different & i have seen the males in full effect ( can't forget what that looked like) lol. Also shes a small head. He smells at her back end all the time aswell.
Thankyou for your reply, i am very grateful for the information.