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I bought another tort today . It is biting my other 2 torts . It is following the other 2 and biting there shell . What do you think I should or you think it will pass ?
New tort too the group
- Thread starter Hoseman441
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How big are? they sounds like you need to
separate them
separate them
- Joined
- Jan 29, 2012
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They are only 2-3 inches big.
I would have quarantined the new one for a while to start with. Just to be safe.
Hmm thats weird can you post pics of your tortoises?
seperate them, or you will have a tort that stops eating from the bullying..
I agree a newcomer should be kept entirely separately for a good 6-12 months to make sure none of them gets ill.
The behaviour you describe is establishing dominance. It's not good news and is another sign that you should split them.
Tortoises are largely solitary in the wild, meeting up to mate and moving on. In captivity they can't get out of each others way so easily and butting, biting and mounting can't be escaped.
The subordinate tortoise becomes withdrawn and ill and could die unless swift action is taken.
You don't say how big your enclosure is, but they need lots of space and visual barriers for there to be a chance of peace.
The behaviour you describe is establishing dominance. It's not good news and is another sign that you should split them.
Tortoises are largely solitary in the wild, meeting up to mate and moving on. In captivity they can't get out of each others way so easily and butting, biting and mounting can't be escaped.
The subordinate tortoise becomes withdrawn and ill and could die unless swift action is taken.
You don't say how big your enclosure is, but they need lots of space and visual barriers for there to be a chance of peace.
They should be separated and then after a suitable quarantine period, they should be introduced on some nuetral ground under close supervision. This is in the sulcata section, so can we assume all parties are sulcatas?
They don't always get along. I have a female juvenile that is just nasty. She tried to kill any other similarly sized sulcatas that I put in with her. Her big daddy is an accomplished assassin too. Anyhow, I threw her in with a bunch of adults that were all giants compared to her. She was 4 pounds at the time and they were all 40-80 pounds. After getting knocked around a little bit by all of them, and humped by the resident male, she decided to settle down and play nicely.
They don't always get along. I have a female juvenile that is just nasty. She tried to kill any other similarly sized sulcatas that I put in with her. Her big daddy is an accomplished assassin too. Anyhow, I threw her in with a bunch of adults that were all giants compared to her. She was 4 pounds at the time and they were all 40-80 pounds. After getting knocked around a little bit by all of them, and humped by the resident male, she decided to settle down and play nicely.
Tom said:
heheheh sounds like an episode of "Scared Strait"!
Tom said:
This is why I love you Tom!
Well it was time for her to move outside permanently and she just would not share her enclosure with the youngins. It was actually Yvonne's suggestion and it worked really well. She tried to bully the adults and they just payed her no mind, except for Scooter the male who shoved her back a couple of feet and then gave her the "much too interested" sniffing routine. He kept after her for a minute as she tried to bolt away with her tail between her legs and she never tried to get rough with him again. The big females mainly ignored her, but if she was all up in their face, they would just get up and bowl right through her. Now she and her group all get along very well, but I still can't put her with the littler ones.
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