Can you have two male sulcata tortoises together?
In nature, tortoises tend to be solitary. Never house two male tortoises together. And avoid keeping only one female and one male together so the male does not become overly aggressive. Keeping two or more female tortoises together is generally fine, and keeping one male with two or more females can also work.
Do female Sulcatas get bigger than males?
However, female sulcatas have comparatively longer tails than females of other tortoise species. As adults, males get larger than females and have more pronounced gulars, a more curved supracaudal (center rear scute of the carapace over the tail), and a larger notch between the anal scutes of the plastron.
Why is my male tortoise biting the female?
Tortoises do bite each other. They can bite to establish dominance, they can bite for mating reasons and they can bite during a fight. When it comes to male and female tortoises together in the same environment, the males will commonly bite the females when it is time to mate.
Can tortoises kill each other?
Tortoises can fight when left alone but it’s unlikely that they they would kill each other. It is possible that mixing two or more species of tortoise together might result in their deaths due to disease or infection from the other species.
Is my sulcata a boy or girl?
Once sulcata tortoises are old enough, you can make the effort to pinpoint their sexes simply by looking at them. Boy sulcata tortoises usually have wider and more elongated tails. Female sulcata tortoises’ tails tend to be a little less conspicuous.
How can you tell if A sulcata tortoise is a male or female?
Mating Rituals. According to Sulcata Station, many sulcata owners are unsure whether their tortoise is a male or female until they witness their tortoise mounting another tortoise or laying eggs. Mating rituals begin with the male circling the female and sometime ramming her with his shell. The male will then mount the female tortoise.
Is the plastron of A sulcata male or female?
The plastron of a male sulcata is concave, whereas the plastron of a female sulcata is flat.
Is it OK to have male and female tortoises together?
If you house both male and female tortoises together, make sure that the ratio is 1:4 (one male to 4 females); this is because male tortoises are known to chasing female tortoises constantly, if the female tortoise is always getting chased, she can get stressed out and this could lead to her getting sick.
How big should a Play Pen be for a sulcata tortoise?
Juvenile or growing sulcatas can be housed in a pen that’s about 4 x 3 feet in size; adult tortoises should be double or triple than the recommended size. Building a play pen for your adult sulcata tortoises is just like designing their enclosure when they were still young and small.
What’s the difference between a male and female sulcata?
Both male and female sulcatas are prone to aggressive behavior, but males are traditionally more aggressive, especially towards other male tortoises. A male will ram another male tortoise and attempt to flip him over in an effort to show dominance, sometimes causing serious injuries.
How big is a full grown sulcata tortoise?
The Difference Between Male & Female Sulcata Tortoises. Sulcata tortoises, also known as African spurred tortoises, can weigh, on average, 200 pounds and measure 24 to 36 inches long when fully grown, making them the third largest tortoise on Earth.
What happens to a pregnant sulcata tortoise?
Because a tortoise can lay up to 30 eggs at a time, a pregnant female’s body will appear more swollen than normal. Pregnant females experience a decrease in appetite and become increasingly restless as nesting approaches. If you notice any of these changes or observe any of these behaviors, you may have a pregnant female tortoise.
What should I know before buying a sulcata?
Inform yourself before you purchase, or better yet, adopt a Sulcata to ensure you can provide for its needs. In their natural environment Sulcatas dig huge burrows that are long and deep. Like gophers or rabbits, Sulcatas are always working on their burrows, they are never done.
