Very strange rite?

[DolanKoops]

I have two Russian torts that have lived together for like a year now and are always together they are fine together but I out them out in the garden today and one just kept chasing the other trying to bite it has anyone else ever experienced this or no why it's happening?

 

[Laurie]

It's actually not strange at all. Russians do not get along in pairs. If they are different sexes, the male could be trying to mate. If they are the same sex, it's bullying. Either way, you should have them living separately from now on or the one who is being bullied will become withdrawn and possibly even die.

 

[wellington]

It's actually not strange at all. Russians do not get along in pairs. If they are different sexes, the male could be trying to mate. If they are the same sex, it's bullying. Either way, you should have them living separately from now on or the one who is being bullied will become withdrawn and possibly even die.

DITTO

 

[Tom]

Totally agree with Laurie. It is actually very strange that they got a long for so long.

 

[DolanKoops]

No but the thing is soon as I put them back inside my house they are fine together again it's just when I put them I n the garden

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

No but the thing is soon as I put them back inside my house they are fine together again it's just when I put them I n the garden

It's been documented that certain reptiles (Gila Monsters, some monitors*, tegus, etc.) become more aggressive when exposed to natural sunlight (specifically UVA), as opposed to artificial light...never read of tortoises having this reaction, but if any tortoise would, it'd be the Steppe tortoise!

Look at their tails...long and thick = male, short and stubby= female.

Two males will ALWAYS fight.

A single male w/ a single female will "impose himself" on the female CONSTANTLY. Look at it from his point-of-view...in his native land, he's only above the ground a couple months at a time {Spring and Fall, when it's neither excessively cold or burning hot}, so when he does spot a female, it's - in his mind - "no time like the present!"...

Two females will often get along, given space and sufficient food (but not always!).

Steppe tortoises are ba-a-a-a-a-ad actors!

*some monitors become aggressive when exposed to
natural sunlight. http://www.lafebervet.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Savannah-Monitor-client-handout.pdf

Further info: http://www.reptileuvinfo.com/docs/ultraviolet-light-and-reptiles-amphibians.pdf

 

[DolanKoops]

Thank you very much its really strange now they are back in there home they are both fine but I put them in the sun and one was literally chasing the other

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Thank you very much its really strange now they are back in there home they are both fine but I put them in the sun and one was literally chasing the other

That's why we love 'em...

 

[CactusVinnie]

Sunlight is the best stimulent indeed. Better do not refuse it to them, instead try to change in other factors.
Have you some features in your outdoor enclosure? If it's too open, that concures too- try to add some visual "barriers", from rocks, logs, grass thickets, bushes. The bully will spend some serious time exploring and hiding- yes, that will imply less activity for you to see, but it's their instinct- as they spend most of their ACTIVE time being hidden too- and the other one would be spared at least for a good part of time.

For mines, after I expanded their pen with a weedy area, they immediately went in that 1ft. tall "forest" and rarely came out in their old, desert-like part of enclosure. Not coming to me anymore too, as they used to, when I was the only source of food, but the answer is in the Bindweed and other things they have now and graze at their will. Their behaviour changed completely. Well, I had only some bites and some head-bobbing, not relentless fights, but now it's no easy to meet each other again, and they don't start agresion if they do.

Yes, they are active very short in habitat- in fact in spring only, but you can see the odd one in autumn too, depending on weather.