Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey i have a 9 inch red footed tortoise and a very small yellow footed tortoise, about 2-3 inches long. Is it ok if i keep them together in the same enclosure? Please help

Personally, I think mixing them is high risk. Tortoises seem to have little consciousness about size, and don't seem to care what is in their way. It is quite likely that your big one will damage the little hatchling when competing for food, or just trample it, or flip it over by accident and then lay upon it,or something equally silly and preventible. I have seen Chelonians seriously damage others when feeding, in one case a big one caved in the skull of the smaller when competing for food... I would make separate pens, and have a pen for hatchling/juveniles and another pen for larger adults. You might also find the smaller one intimidated by the larger, and not able to behave normal, always stressed etc. If you made a really large enclosure and designed it cleverly, you might get away with it, but the risk is always there. Many keepers frown upon mixing species as well. Good luck, vic

being the size difference i wouldnt do it but i think there is a ten ft pole rule on this topic right now (ck sulk forem).

there is a male emys emys in one of my pens (1112in) that has taken intrest and wanted to nip at a smaller ivory sulcata's head (56in) when food has been presented. i really think it was because of the color but none the less they are fed seporate now. i would observe them seporately for a period of time. let the little one grow a bit. use good judgement and donot jump right into this.

I had a 8" mountain that hurrassed a big Sulcata all day while I put him with it while I was repairing his pen.It was very funny,wouldnt let him alone for a moment.Wounder what kind of Frankintortoise that would be? ! ! It might go like this Geochelnoria sulcemys,best i've ever seen,Insane inquires only.poss.het for blackivoryism dubble reverse pyramidistic motley zigzag.