Two Males living together

[torts32]

Well I already have one, which basically is the prince of our room, claiming a spot underneath the T.V as his own room. lol. Anyways, every time I wind up in the pet store I end up really wanting another little guy...I feel so bad for them all coped up in that cage. I have read mix emotions about this topic...
and I would like to here if anyone has tried this and succeeded. Overall my little guy is out constantly, we never worry where he is because he is always underneath the T.V I feel as long as the other tortoise claims another little area Oogway would have no trouble sharing the room. After all he shares it with our little pooch and sometimes the cats come in as well.

Please let me know what you guys think of the subject!!

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...talking about Russian tortoise if I didn't already add that [:

 

[bikerchicspain]

Getting another isnt the problem,
The problem you have is having them roam around your house, it is un-hygienic and dangerous for your tort.
You need to get him outside, if you havent got a garden then you can do a tortoise table or use a large rabbit cage.

good luck

 

[dmmj]

males seldom live together in peace, especially inside. Inside enclosures just are not big enough. your dog and cat won't be competition to your russian, another one will be.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi torts32:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

May we know your name and where you are?

Until you can get your existing little Russian tortoise set up in his own habitat, with heat, lights, substrate to burrow in and hiding places, you should not be even thinking about getting another tortoise.

A tortoise isn't like a dog or a cat that can be turned loose in the house. They require a safe habitat that is set up with their needs in mind (preferable outside).

 

[Jacqui]

I am not going to touch on the other points, just going to stick with your question...

"I would like to here if anyone has tried this and succeeded"

I have in the past during the winter sometimes separated all my male Russians into one enclosure. I had no trouble with them. Keep in mind these guys had been living together all summer outside with the females. So they knew each other. The females were removed, so that issue was over and it was winter. Winter means they are less active and less thinking about breeding. That may have been a factor or not. So yes it worked for me and with my males. Anytime you add a new tortoise into the mix, you have to expect all sorts of problems to arise. You may get lucky and they get along, but are you ready in case it's more a case of hate at first site?

I didn't join in with the others and their comments but highly suggest you think about them as well.

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

Ditto, all of the above. Two males are very unlikely to get a long in most situations. A male and a single female are unlikely to work out either.

 

[bikerchicspain]

I have several males living together and have never had a problem!

 

[Tom]

I have several males living together and have never had a problem!

Right. Now separate out two of them into their own enclosure and tell us what happens within a few days.

 

[maggi]

i have tried 2 males and it just doesnt work i had to rehome one of them now i have one male 2 girls and there is peace and harmony in the home again,as the fighting becomes really savage.my torts also roam the house and hide with my siamese cats but only till they have had enuff then they go to the viv and i lift them back in,or they make their way out the door to their outside pen......

 

[Jacqui]

Another thing to keep in mind, is the age of the males and/or their own particular amount of randiness. Also adding another note, I know folks always talk about how brutal these guys can be with each other, but in my years the worse I have had within my Russian group is one male who does a lot of shell butting, no biting. Maybe small town living just makes them more peaceful?

Main thing is if you try it, be aware and ready for the worse case scenario to happen.

 

[ascott]

I have four male CDT's....in their own four yards. Each and every one of them (with the exception of my old man...well, he may gladiator now since his abscess is gone and he is much more spunky)
will ABSOLUTELY make like warriors with any other male that they can get to....with that being said, it is not "normal" nor necessary for multiply males to be in the same colony....in the wild it only takes one male to get the job done (for many of the ladies) and that is just the way their are ideally designed. Now, you will get some that will tolerate one another, will co-hab with others but I personally feel that it is a bit of underlying stress that is just not necessary....again, only my opinion.

You said something that stuck out to me....you said that your current dude has laid claim to the spot under the tv, likely because it is a "choice" spot....you then go on to say that well if the new guy just finds his own spot then all should be good....WELL if there is a choice spot and you have two males....they will both want that spot, now even if fighting begins then stops don't think that is because the new guy suddenly went , oh hell--cool I don't mind finding another spot...no, he will be stressed and retreat to another spot along with the stress that can happen with that type of retreat....just saying is all.

And hell yes, they can tear each other up...horribly, like chunks of flesh/scales ripped right off of their limb....eyes bitten into...chuncks of their faces ripped off,,,,yes, they are one huge muscle covered in a shell....they are gladiators and tenacious to boot....

Just be prepared to set up two spots in the event the boys are normal and do not appreciate one another as you do

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if you research this site...you will find a handsome CDT that suffered a broken jaw as a result of two males going gladiator with each other....it is not pretty when they damage each other...

 

[Robert]

A more immediate concern is separating the tortoise from the cat and dog. It is just ot a good idea, for the tort or the other pets. They may have gotten along just fine yesterday, they may ignore him today, but tomorrow..... There are too many stories on this forum about "the dog that never bothered the tortoise until that one time.".

I do not mean for this to sound negative and critical, but it is important.

To echo what Yvonne said, focus on getting your one tort all setup and happy, and then worry about getting a second.

 

[nyan tort]

I read that male torts become aggressive towards each other especially when they reach sexual maturity. I don't even have a tort but just thought I'd share.