The road to adulthood

[PeanutbuttER]

Quick question, how big are your hatchlings when you finally decide to let them be unsupervised with juveniles and adults? I'm assuming this is size-based, though I'm equally interested if people have an age at which they move their torts up to the "big boy table" with the rest of the herd.

Opinions? Experiences? Reasons why you wait till that size/age?

 

[Yvonne G]

In my case, its a tortoise-by-tortoise thing. I have some yellowfoot babies that are about 3, maybe 4 years old now, and I still don't feel they would be safe around the bigger tortoises. By the same token, I put my 3 year old leopard in with the adults last year and I felt quite safe in doing so. The leopard tortoises are very mild mannered, while the yellowfoots seem to be quite a bit more aggressive. You just have to do it when you are going to be home to keep checking up on them to be sure the baby isn't getting into trouble.

 

[N2TORTS]

Like yvonne said ...depends on the individual ... but also on the herd".
How they except new comers ect. I know from my own experience, I have 18 total ...all but 3 are kept together and those range from 6" to 13".
The smaller torts get their own quarters but I do mix them at supervised play' times.....with the others. Also for sure there is an " alpha" male within the group and not necessary the aggresor either.
Actually I have "Zero" problems with any of them fighting . 3 males do compete during breeding season ....but you absoulty need that stimuli /competition when breeding redfoots.

Happy Tort~N
JD ~