Personality w/Different Species?

[VBgecko]

Hey all!

So that tort bug has bit me again and I'm researching another tort.

I want something that needs a similar environment as my Red Foot (as to keep things simple) and the Manouria emys came up as a compatible environment match. Plus, they really interest me.

In your guys' opinion, how do you think the personality of a Black Burmese Mt. tort. would match up with that of a RF? My little man is very active and a curious sort.

Would I be able to let them interact? Would they be able to live in the same enclosure?

I know they get slightly bigger, would a Burmese pick on my male (he's already 8" currently, has potential to reach 15", depending)?

Should I get a female to avoid pissing matches during any interaction?

Just throwing this out there before I seriously decide to pull the trigger on anything, so any quirks, knowledge or gushing about the species would be greatly appreciated .

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm not a big fan of mixing species. I was told by a good reptile vet many years ago that tortoises have evolved to live harmoniously with the little micro-organisms inside their bodies. And that tortoises from other continents might be made sick from these same organisms. So in all my years of keeping tortoises (around 40) I have never mixed species.

My RF yard is adjacent to the Manouria yard, so that they share the same rain forest, however, they never come into contact with each other.

 

[VBgecko]

Doing more research:

Mixing species, not cool, but still interested in a Manouria since I'm more comfortable providing a humid rainforest than I am a desert …

What is the general consensus on the personality of the Black Burmese Mountain Tort? I'm looking for something very inquisitive and individual …

 

[Berkeley]

I like Manouria a lot. Oh you'll get inquisitive and individual alright with that genus. They are very inquisitive and super intelligent; that is much more apparent as adults.
Are you absolutely set on a black? The browns are the same tortoise essentially, but in a slightly smaller package (~17 inches and 35-40 lbs).
--Berkeley

 

[VBgecko]

I'm not 100% on Black, but they look beautiful …

I'm still at the point that I've honed in on a species, I just need more data to pull the trigger.

I'm moving to Vegas in the coming months and I know it sounds stupid not to go for a desert species, but I love the humid, forest guys <3 …

 

[81SHOVELHEAD]

Not sure about the blacks but I have been housing my 2 Browns with my redfoots for 3 years with good results .
Wow the Browns grow a lot faster than the redfoots ,
Is it the right thing to do to, mix the species (I don't know) but I do keep a close eye on them & they are in a 18' x21' by 6 ft. tall enclosure & have plenty of places to Hide .
Mostly the 2 Burmese browns stick to themselves & stay in their own part of the enclosure .
About the only time I see them interacting with the redfoots is during feeding times
My Burmese torts were locally hatched by a breeder here in South Texas