Sad tortoises after separation

[DavenShaz]

Hi,

I seperated my 2 Russian tortoise this week because one started nipping the other pretty much instantly after he flashed for the 1st time. They had been together for over a year and have only ever known life together.

They both used to be up and about for most of the day climbing, eating and pottering about. Since splitting the female paced all night then has pretty much slept under a log for 3 days, she’s been in her water bowl cause she’s left bits of coir in there, she ate last night but only because I picked her up and put her at her food and hand fed to get her going. The male didn’t care at first and bulldozed around his new enclosure all day but for the past 2 days hasn’t moved. I gave him watermelon this morning which he had a few bites of, the female hasn’t touched hers, Iv even planted pansies in her enclosure.. nothing.

I know I can’t put them back together, I know people are going to say they’re solitary and don’t feel the same as humans and they don’t miss each other but there is a marked difference in behaviour in both of them.

Question is: Do I socialise them together only when under supervision or will they eventually snap out of it. I got them both out last night on my chest together for 10 mins but I don’t want to keep bothering them when they clearly don’t want to be bothered.

 

[wellington]

What you said we would say is true. Don't put your human feelings in this. They can relax more now because there isn't the intrusion of another tortoise. Do not put them together ever unless you want to breed them. Then you would put them together supervised.

 

[Tom]

Hi,

I seperated my 2 Russian tortoise this week because one started nipping the other pretty much instantly after he flashed for the 1st time. They had been together for over a year and have only ever known life together.

They both used to be up and about for most of the day climbing, eating and pottering about. Since splitting the female paced all night then has pretty much slept under a log for 3 days, she’s been in her water bowl cause she’s left bits of coir in there, she ate last night but only because I picked her up and put her at her food and hand fed to get her going. The male didn’t care at first and bulldozed around his new enclosure all day but for the past 2 days hasn’t moved. I gave him watermelon this morning which he had a few bites of, the female hasn’t touched hers, Iv even planted pansies in her enclosure.. nothing.

I know I can’t put them back together, I know people are going to say they’re solitary and don’t feel the same as humans and they don’t miss each other but there is a marked difference in behaviour in both of them.

Question is: Do I socialise them together only when under supervision or will they eventually snap out of it. I got them both out last night on my chest together for 10 mins but I don’t want to keep bothering them when they clearly don’t want to be bothered.

I agree with Barb here. They can both relax now. Give them some time to adjust to the new routine.

 

[DavenShaz]

I won’t be breeding them, 2 is more than enough and I don’t think I would cope with the mating ritual, it’s not nice.

I can’t help but put some human feelings into it, they just seem so sad. Doesn’t help Iv been off work for 10 days with covid so Iv literally faffed over the nipping and now faffing over them being ‘sad’

I will give them a few weeks (not sure what for cause I can’t change anything anyway) il put them in the garden for a few hours later and treats tonight.

Thankyou for your replies.

 

[Avuwyy]

I won’t be breeding them, 2 is more than enough and I don’t think I would cope with the mating ritual, it’s not nice.

I can’t help but put some human feelings into it, they just seem so sad. Doesn’t help Iv been off work for 10 days with covid so Iv literally faffed over the nipping and now faffing over them being ‘sad’

I will give them a few weeks (not sure what for cause I can’t change anything anyway) il put them in the garden for a few hours later and treats tonight.

Thankyou for your replies.

They are probably on edge because previously they have been living aware of each other’s presence and knowing where the other tortoise is. Kind of like if you saw a large spider on the wall and then suddenly it disappeared, you’d be a little antsy wondering where it had disappeared to.

Once they realise the other tortoise is no longer in the enclosure with them, they should settle down and return to their former selves. Change - any change- can impact a tortoise’s behaviour, and you may find that in the coming weeks they become a lot more confident with their own territory away from each other.

I will highlight a benefit of them being separated to help with the feelings. If one tortoise were to ever get ill, the likelihood of that illness being transmitted to the other tortoise is lowered quite a bit just by them being in separate enclosures.

 

[Lyn W]

Torts don't like any changes, but once they get used to it they'll be fine.