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Are Sulcata's social tortoises?

Passport Nov 25, 2003 04:34 PM

I have two hatchling Sulcata and I find it so cute that they follow one another around. If one eats so does the other. If one heads for the hide so does the other. If one decides to bask so does the other. Will this continue as they grow up? Are they happier in groups?

Replies (7)

tortoisehead Nov 25, 2003 08:06 PM

Sulcatas aren't really social in the way we humans think about it. Babies may follow each other around in captivity because they have no choice but to be near each other and they are attracted to movement. They learn to associate the movements of their owners near the enclosure to food appearing, so when they see another baby moving they think of food. In the wild, sulcatas are territorial and look for food in a wide area around their burrows. They will usually attack any strange tortoise who comes around, unless they are looking to mate and the other is a willing partner. After they mate, they go their separate ways. The babies also go their separate ways after hatching and are unlikely to ever see their siblings again.

Passport Nov 25, 2003 08:42 PM

A great reply. Thanks. I have a second question also. Do tortoises see colors? I figure that they must because of the way they find their favorite and sometimes colorful food. Do they have both rods and cones? And how well do they see and how far? Can they recognise their owner from a stranger?

tortoisehead Nov 25, 2003 08:56 PM

Yes, tortoises can see color quite well. This is so they can locate blossoms and fruits which tend to be colorful. They do have both rods and cones, but the ratio is different from mammals, I believe. Their vision for detail is not quite as good as a person's, and I think most of them have fairly poor night vision. There are exceptions to that because a couple of tortoises are at least partially nocturnal. Tortoise vision is mostly geared towards movement, and they can see something moving from a fair distance. This is so they can detect approaching danger, or in the case of captive animals, approaching dinner. I'm not sure exactly how far they can see, but my tortoises seem to first able to notice me about 40 yards away or so.

I am not really sure if they can recognize individuals, but I seriously doubt it. There would be little reason for them to have developed this ability since they do not really have a social structure that requires it, like birds and most mammals do.

Niki Nov 27, 2003 04:33 PM

this seems apparent to me from my tortoises behavior also.
I can stand at my living room backdoor inside and he can
instantly spot me from his pen over 60 ft. away ouside. There's no
way to "sneak" up on him. The bit of farsightedness
seems evident in that he doesn't like something right in
his face.

EJ Nov 26, 2003 10:04 AM

As a rule most tortoises seem to be social in that they tend to hang out in groups if given the oportunity. I always suggest that if you are going to keep a tortoise you might consider more than one. It seems to add another dimension to the behavior of the animal which also makes them more fun to watch.
Ed

Niki Nov 27, 2003 04:41 PM

I have read of problems people have had with more than one
sulcata,especially if they both (very likely) turn out to
be males. They will possibly fight (violently) with each
other stopping at almost nothing to get at each other.
(Ya'll remember Esther that had the two males in NY).

If you have a male/female set, he'll drive her crazy with
his constant attention unless there's huge amounts of space,
maybe that's no guarantee either.

You might luck out and have two females.

I know mine will charge/ram anything he considers a threat
or possible another tortoise and do it very aggresively.
Besides being so difficult to keep anyway, the only thing worse
than one sulcata would be two for many people. I'm not saying
you, but in general, getting two hatchlings is no problem because
sulcata hatchlings aren't any more problem to keep than any other
turtle because they're still small. Being "cute" is what tempts
people into just getting two what the heck. You might have it all
worked out and figured out what you'll do if they're both males
to keep them apart (and unaware of each other) but that's why
I only have one.

Niki Nov 27, 2003 04:46 PM

You might also consider keeping them seperate. As you said, they
tend to do the same things. Well that's because those things are
normal for them anyways, eating, basking and hiding. If there
is only one good hide or bask area, then one hatchling may
eventually begin getting the "best" spot and "most" food and
one will begin having to make do with second best and start
looking like the runt of the two. Ideally both would have the
best of everything, I would keep them apart if I had two.
This bullying will not likely be apparent to you, and you
may not even observe it, but they're animals and it's a fact.

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