Mating Questions with Russians

[Victoria Bleiweiss]

Hello!

I have 2 Russians (1 male 1 female) approximately 9 years old. I have had the male for 2 1/2 years (he is very laid back and docile) and got the female in September (she is a little more aggressive and not as hand-friendly). They were socialized slowly and have always gotten along but recently have begun "cuddling." They will sit face to face (like they are kissing) or fall asleep shells touching and face to face. Does this mean that they may mate? It is their first spring together and they have shown no interest/aggression towards each other. They were not hibernated, eat and live together, and have never had a problem getting along. The female eats more than the male and will occasionally steal food from his mouth but there is never any aggression.

Is there anything I should look out for or can do to help them mate?

 

[JoesMum]

I am afraid that "cuddling" is unlikely to be the news that you wanted.

Russians are one of the most territorial species. Both genders will bully, mentally and/or physically, to get a rival to leave the area.

Cuddling up is simply one tortoise telling the other that it won't be left in peace.

Pairs rarely do well together. There is always a dominant tort and a subordinate one. The subordinate one can go into decline, stop eating and become sick or can become the victim of a bloody physical fight as it fails to vacate the enclosure.

Groups of 3 or more may succeed if you have a very large outdoor enclosure, but any new tort must be kept entirely separately in quarantine for at least six months before introduction. Even then there are no guarantees of peace.

These two should be kept separately.

If you want to breed, they seem to do better kept separately and being introduced to mate before separating again. Otherwise males seem to fail to notice females.

Please see this
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...together-a-lesson-learned-the-hard-way.94114/

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Mating for Russian torts is agressive! But so isbulling ! But what you are describing sounds like bulling ! Nose to nose is face offs , controlling the food or water dish , taking food away from one or the other .

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

 

[Jodie]

Unfortunately all of the behaviors you describe are aggression. They need separate spaces.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

I must say I have to agree with what has already been said.

 

[Tom]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

I must say I have to agree with what has already been said.

Me too.

 

[dmmj]

Me too.

Me 3