Should I get My baby Hermann's tortoise a friend

Reagan

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hello, I recently got a little baby Hermann's tortoise and I was thinking about getting her a friend. Should I and if so do I need to keep them separate or can I have them together.
Thanks
 

leigti

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Absolutely not. Your tortoise does not need a friend. If you want another tortoise this because you want it's not the tortoises. They are fine being alone. And you should never keep tortoises in pairs. There are numerous threads on here that show what can happen.
 

MPRC

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No needs for friends. That being said a lot of people have multiple tortoises, but remember they require a TON of space as an adult.
 

dmmj

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No, no, no, no, no. If you want another tortoise get one because you want another tortoise not because they need a "friend". But you have to keep them separate
 

wellington

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If you would have done a search for the answer on the forum you would have seen all the many, many threads asking the same thing and getting the same answer, NO
 

JoesMum

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Hermann's are not social tortoises. They don't need or want a friend. In the wild they roam over huge distances meet up to mate and move on.

Another tortoise is simply competition for food and territory and is to persuaded to leave by any means. Bullying is common, both mental and physical.

In any case, if you get another tortoise it must be kept entirely separately in quarantine for at least 6 months. This is to ensure that that neither tortoise makes the other sick.

Groups of 3 or more may work in a very large outdoor enclosure with plenty of sight barriers, but there are no guarantees. You have to remember that 4'x8' is the minimum enclosure size for 1 tortoise. For 3 you would need 3 times that size - 12'x24' absolute minimum.
 

wellington

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I did but whatever.
If you did, then you know your going to get 99% no answers. If you want another tort, set it up by itself. If you have lots of room and I'm not talking an aquarium or tortoise table, but a large yard and room to dedicate to them, then get a group of tortoises, at least three minimum. Keep in mind that they may still need to be seperated.
 

Reagan

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If you did, then you know your going to get 99% no answers. If you want another tort, set it up by itself. If you have lots of room and I'm not talking an aquarium or tortoise table, but a large yard and room to dedicate to them, then get a group of tortoises, at least three minimum. Keep in mind that they may still need to be seperated.

Listen, the guy who sold me her said if I ever wanted to get another tortoise that I could. Sorry if I was asking a question. Isn't that the point of this whole website?!? Yes I read the other questions, but I just wanted to make sure.
 

wellington

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Listen, the guy who sold me her said if I ever wanted to get another tortoise that I could. Sorry if I was asking a question. Isn't that the point of this whole website?!? Yes I read the other questions, but I just wanted to make sure.
People selling will always tell you that, well most anyway. Yes, you can get another one, that's what I said above, if you want another one, just house it seperatly. I doubt you want to throw your money away, which is a good chance if you house two together. One will bully the other to illness or death. Doing it the right way will save both the torts possible pain or death and you by not spending your money on a dead or sick tortoise.
Also, yes this forum is for asking questions. However, you have to be open to hearing the truth.
We, at least some of us, look out for the tortoises first the human second. Giving you the correct info, whether you like it or not, saves and helps both you and tort.
 

Tom

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hello, I recently got a little baby Hermann's tortoise and I was thinking about getting her a friend. Should I and if so do I need to keep them separate or can I have them together.
Thanks

Forgive our frustration Reagan. Most of the people out there who get into tortoises ask the same question that you have asked here, and we always answer "no", and then usually get into another big discussion about it. That wasn't happening here at all, and you were just asking a plain old honest question, and you are right, that is exactly what this forum is for.

Please accept my apology, and don't let our zeal to help tortoises prevent you from asking any other questions you might have. The search function is great, but I can't find things sometimes even when I wrote the darn thread and know the title, so don't worry about it. Questions like yours fuel the conversation and new readers might not have seen that last "pairs" discussion we had several months ago, so its good to bring it up again.

To answer your question:
You cannot get your tortoise a friend. That is impossible. Tortoises don't see other tortoises as "friends". They see them as combatants, competition, intruders, interlopers, etc… Tortoises do best alone, but in some cases they can also get along in groups. Pairs are the problem. We all want more tortoises though, and that's why we advise that if you want another one, set up another separate enclosure for it.
 

ZEROPILOT

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Ok thanks, I'm not frustrated. Thanks for you guys help.
:)
Sorry that advice sounds harsh when it's something that we are all in agreement about. We are truly trying to help you.;)
Good for you that you asked first. You're wise beyond your years.
Stick around and learn and share with all of us and before long, YOU'LL be the one offer up advice!!:)
 

Reagan

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Sorry that advice sounds harsh when it's something that we are all in agreement about. We are truly trying to help you.;)
Good for you that you asked first. You're wise beyond your years.
Stick around and learn and share with all of us and before long, YOU'LL be the one offer up advice!!:)
Thanks
:)
 

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