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tasena

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I was wondering if those of you who have breeding groups of Eastern Hermann's keep the males seperate from the females except when you want them to mate. If you keep them together all the time have any of you noticed the males being aggressive with the females (other than mating behaviour) for example my little guy doesnt want to let the ladies eat and will try to bite their head even going inside their shells to nip their faces. I have them seperated right now when I can't watch them close. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
 

egyptiandan

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I keep all my male Testudo seperate while inside, unless I'm putting them together to breed.
One of my male Hermanns will try to breed the females constantly and in the process rubs his tail raw. I even have to seperate my females as one will do what your male is doing.

Danny
 

HermanniChris

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I keep all of my sexes together when they are outside. This lasts from early May until mid November. I then hibernate them all individually sometimes in pairs. Some species I bring indoors and for the most part I keep the sexes separated to avoid stress in the females. Some individual males will become extremely aggressive especially during August which is the the second peak breeding season for many hermann's tortoises. When these overly aggressive males start in, I usually remove them from the colony and give them some "alone" time. After a couple of weeks I re-introduce them back into the group. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Keep an eye on them because the males can cause problems. Also many females will exhibit aggressive behavior especially when gravid, but will also do it at any given time. This seems to occur mostly when space is cramped. I've observed this with female western hermann's mainly, but have seen it plenty of times with female easterns..

-Chris
 

tasena

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Thanks guys, my little trouble maker has bought himself a bachelor pad and supervised visits only:D I am glad he is being a normal male tort (think its little man syndrome?:p) I appreciate your input
 

terrypin

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hi i have kept hermanni boettgeri for the last 25 years plus and i have found them to be hardy active tortoises although at times aggressive feeders so long as they have plenty of space you will see very little sexual aggression.my males spend long periods on their favourite females back stroking her.
terry
 

JustAnja

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Thats so weird Tereasa, I never saw him act aggressive towards the females during feeding time. He was usually too busy trying to mate with them while they were trying to eat. lol
 

tasena

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JustAnja said:
Thats so weird Tereasa, I never saw him act aggressive towards the females during feeding time. He was usually too busy trying to mate with them while they were trying to eat. lol

He is fine with them in small doses and with no food around. I was thinking maybe the stress of the move might play into it. I will give everyone a break like Chris does and in a couple of weeks put him back with them and watch close see if after they settle he is not so aggressive. If he still is, well then he gets his own place and conjugal visit :D either way is just fine.
 

JustAnja

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Yea maybe stress from the move. They have lived together for months.
 
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