Need advice: male leopard tortoise dominating larger female sulcata

Kendra North

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Two and a half years ago my husband and I got our first tortoises without doing enough initial research. We bought one leopard tortoise and one sulcata tortoise who at the time were the same size, the size of an average fist. Since then they have grown and the sulcata is much larger now (about 18 inches long @20 pounds, and the leopard is about 7 inches long). We house them in the night box enclosure that we built according to Tom's specifications in this forum. They roam our large backyard during the day.

They are now old enough to determine the sex, and it appears that the sulcata is the female and the leopard is the male. I thought this would work out, but the past week or so the sulcata has been very timid and is trying to hide most of the time and not eating. I finally caught the leopard trying to mount the sulcata and chasing her around if she tried to escape. It seems the sulcata is intimidated by the leopard. Does anyone have advice on what we should do? Do we need to separate them completely? We don't have the resources to setup another night box with heater, etc., so we may have to "rehome" one if so :-(
 

JoesMum

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Yes, you need to separate them completely. We don't recommend mixing species in any case as the pathogens that one tolerates could kill another.

These are both species that don't do well as pairs. They're very territorial regardless of gender. Bullying, mental and/or physical, is common. When a male gets involved then you also have the constant urge to pursue a female which can lead to her getting very sick indeed through stress.

They are solitary species that don't get lonely and don't want a friend. Another tortoise is simply a rival for food and territory.

Permanent separation is the only way
 

Tom

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Kendra North

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Thanks, Tom. We will try to modify our existing night box as you have suggested. In the mean time, we have setup the leopard in their old smaller wooden enclosure and will let them out to roam at different times during the day until we get the permanent solution implemented. I am disappointed in myself that I did not research tortoises before I got these two. I will never get another pet without thoroughly researching first. I am thankful for this forum.
 

TammyJ

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Thanks, Tom. We will try to modify our existing night box as you have suggested. In the mean time, we have setup the leopard in their old smaller wooden enclosure and will let them out to roam at different times during the day until we get the permanent solution implemented. I am disappointed in myself that I did not research tortoises before I got these two. I will never get another pet without thoroughly researching first. I am thankful for this forum.
You are a good person who can take advice. That's not so common!:)
 

Kendra North

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Thanks for asking! The leopard and sulcata have been separated since Monday, and they are both acting more calm and eating normally again. The sulcata has the nightbox outside, and the leopard stays in their previous small wooden box inside the house at night. We have managed to separated our backyard into two areas so they cannot cross paths. In the late morning I put the leopard out in his section of the yard to roam and bring him back in before dark. They both have plenty of shade and sun to access. This situation should work well over the summer, which will give us time to modify the nightbox as Tom suggested.
 

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