Adult female very very quiet - Page 2

AdamSoS · 18-02-2009, 03:04 PM

Well ive not acutally heard of that before as for every one..its a learning curve. And its no real problem getting a new home for the female to stay in

Kirkie · 18-02-2009, 03:23 PM

Adam,

I keep my large females in a group, even then there is a distinct pecking order which took a while to sort itself out. There is a fair amount of deference to the largest female.

I only have two males and they live quite happily together, if they were to both go in with the girls I'm pretty sure all hell would break loose between the two of them as breeding dominance would come into play.

The recommended male to female split for a group is quoted as a 1 male to 3 females as a minimum. This is only to share the stress of the males mating attempts around, it does not prevent it, and the females can still become unduly stressed. I prefer to keep my males seperate once they start showing an interest in the ladies.

These are tortoises between 4 and 7 years old, so not even fully grown or sexually mature.

This is the problem with having a number of smaller tortoises, you've got to be prepared to split them at any stage, these animals are only one generation (at most) away from the wild and their fighting/mating/territorial instincts are very strong.

Mrs Frog · 18-02-2009, 03:26 PM

Hi Adam

All the above can be true but has she been wormed and how long has she been like this?

When my Grace was like that the breeder I got my other 2 from told me to add a spot lamp for extra light and up the temps a little.It did work

As you know I have my 3 hermanns and I will be getting another soon called Pandorra from lovely sue on here.I have a huge garden and double garage and I know that 4 torts are my limit as I need to plan if they have to be separated ever.Could you add some more things to the inclosure to break the line of sight,so she can have places to hide?I am sure they will be ok,do you think she knows that you have new torts in the house?

alotoffluff · 18-02-2009, 03:28 PM

Ah poor little girlie. Maybe seperation is the way to go. Bless her!

AdamSoS · 18-02-2009, 03:29 PM

Kirkie that was a very intersting and helpfull read. Thank you for taking the time to post that. I will get a new table made before the weekend is out.

Do you think it is worth trying puting the other female in or putting both females in one and the males in the other? or just going for splitting these two up for the time being.

Not come at the best of times with being in between moving houses but these things are set to try us !

AdamSoS · 18-02-2009, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jackie Stone

Hi Adam

All the above can be true but has she been wormed and how long has she been like this?

When my Grace was like that the breeder I got my other 2 from told me to add a spot lamp for extra light and up the temps a little.It did work

As you know I have my 3 hermanns and I will be getting another soon called Pandorra from lovely sue on here.I have a huge garden and double garage and I know that 4 torts are my limit as I need to plan if they have to be separated ever.Could you add some more things to the inclosure to break the line of sight,so she can have places to hide?I am sure they will be ok,do you think she knows that you have new torts in the house?

I would this end of last week she was showing signs of being on the quiet side but i thought it might pass.

The new baby margies are in another room down stairs.

I hope your "light" theroy will work as if you see from my pics, they are in a new 4ft x 2ft open top table and the lighting doesnt seem perfect but i have a new day/heat bulb that should arrive any day now (thanks sw shop).

As i have been using a red bulb so maybe she cannot see the light from her hide as the hide is quite big to fit them both in.

She has come in contact with the two hermann's ive took on from a prev owner which are male/female roughly 3 years old so maybe contact with them stressed her out?

I need a new table either way but i think a trip to the vets next week might help. And no she is due to be wormed soon (not had one yet).

Pussygalore · 18-02-2009, 03:36 PM

thats the reason 4 is also my max, I have 2 adult spurs, have to be kept separate as the male won't leave the female alone and 2 x 3.5yr hermans, a pair of siblings who so far are ok but I do have very big enclosures for the summer months and have the space to separate if needed but I find the bigger the area and with plenty of hiding places the better as they can get away. When inside though in smaller tables etc they can't really get away from each other maybe if they are going outside in the summer they may be better if they have enough space and hidey holes, when I got my male spur I really hoped he'd be able to live with my lady but it wasn't to be he just never let up on her.

Kirkie · 18-02-2009, 03:49 PM

Me again.

I think it would be worth putting this female on her own for a while. Jackie has rasied a valid point in that this could be an unrelated issue. A bit of "me time" for the female might see her back to her usual routine. I wouldn't put the female with the other two at the moment, you might have a problem with the small male pestering the large female or the large female trying to dominate the others. (Is there a large size difference by the way?)

I wouldn't recommend putting the large and small male together either. If the larger male is sexually active he'd probably either dominate or..to be frank.. try it on..with the little male. My two are pretty evenly matched size and weight wise.

Give your female a bit of a breather on her own, if she still seems reserved, vets!.

AdamSoS · 18-02-2009, 03:56 PM

Yes there is a size differnce between the two groups.
Oki ill make urgent plans to seperate her.. do they do tiny hot chocolate's and marshmellows..dvds for her "my time" hehe.

Ill keep you updated how she gets on alone for a while.

Mrs Frog · 18-02-2009, 05:14 PM

she needs a mini break,a man free zone

18-02-2009, 03:26 PM	#13
Mrs Frog Senior Member Adult Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bournemouth Posts: 4,419	Hi Adam All the above can be true but has she been wormed and how long has she been like this? When my Grace was like that the breeder I got my other 2 from told me to add a spot lamp for extra light and up the temps a little.It did work As you know I have my 3 hermanns and I will be getting another soon called Pandorra from lovely sue on here.I have a huge garden and double garage and I know that 4 torts are my limit as I need to plan if they have to be separated ever.Could you add some more things to the inclosure to break the line of sight,so she can have places to hide?I am sure they will be ok,do you think she knows that you have new torts in the house? __________________ https://www.facebook.com/groups/1442...06053/?fref=nf

18-02-2009, 03:49 PM	#18
Kirkie Senior Member Adult Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 4,887	Me again. I think it would be worth putting this female on her own for a while. Jackie has rasied a valid point in that this could be an unrelated issue. A bit of "me time" for the female might see her back to her usual routine. I wouldn't put the female with the other two at the moment, you might have a problem with the small male pestering the large female or the large female trying to dominate the others. (Is there a large size difference by the way?) I wouldn't recommend putting the large and small male together either. If the larger male is sexually active he'd probably either dominate or..to be frank.. try it on..with the little male. My two are pretty evenly matched size and weight wise. Give your female a bit of a breather on her own, if she still seems reserved, vets!. Last edited by Kirkie; 18-02-2009 at 03:57 PM.

18-02-2009, 05:14 PM	#20
Mrs Frog Senior Member Adult Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bournemouth Posts: 4,419	she needs a mini break,a man free zone __________________ https://www.facebook.com/groups/1442...06053/?fref=nf

18-02-2009, 03:04 PM	#11
AdamSoS Member Hatched Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Worcester Posts: 396	Well ive not acutally heard of that before as for every one..its a learning curve. And its no real problem getting a new home for the female to stay in

18-02-2009, 03:23 PM	#12
Kirkie Senior Member Adult Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 4,887	Adam, I keep my large females in a group, even then there is a distinct pecking order which took a while to sort itself out. There is a fair amount of deference to the largest female. I only have two males and they live quite happily together, if they were to both go in with the girls I'm pretty sure all hell would break loose between the two of them as breeding dominance would come into play. The recommended male to female split for a group is quoted as a 1 male to 3 females as a minimum. This is only to share the stress of the males mating attempts around, it does not prevent it, and the females can still become unduly stressed. I prefer to keep my males seperate once they start showing an interest in the ladies. These are tortoises between 4 and 7 years old, so not even fully grown or sexually mature. This is the problem with having a number of smaller tortoises, you've got to be prepared to split them at any stage, these animals are only one generation (at most) away from the wild and their fighting/mating/territorial instincts are very strong.

18-02-2009, 03:28 PM	#14
alotoffluff Senior Member Adult Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: greenwich, london, previously born and brought up in Kent! Posts: 2,127	Ah poor little girlie. Maybe seperation is the way to go. Bless her!

18-02-2009, 03:29 PM	#15
AdamSoS Member Hatched Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Worcester Posts: 396	Kirkie that was a very intersting and helpfull read. Thank you for taking the time to post that. I will get a new table made before the weekend is out. Do you think it is worth trying puting the other female in or putting both females in one and the males in the other? or just going for splitting these two up for the time being. Not come at the best of times with being in between moving houses but these things are set to try us !

18-02-2009, 03:36 PM	#17
Pussygalore Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cambridge Posts: 6,479	thats the reason 4 is also my max, I have 2 adult spurs, have to be kept separate as the male won't leave the female alone and 2 x 3.5yr hermans, a pair of siblings who so far are ok but I do have very big enclosures for the summer months and have the space to separate if needed but I find the bigger the area and with plenty of hiding places the better as they can get away. When inside though in smaller tables etc they can't really get away from each other maybe if they are going outside in the summer they may be better if they have enough space and hidey holes, when I got my male spur I really hoped he'd be able to live with my lady but it wasn't to be he just never let up on her.

18-02-2009, 03:56 PM	#19
AdamSoS Member Hatched Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Worcester Posts: 396	Yes there is a size differnce between the two groups. Oki ill make urgent plans to seperate her.. do they do tiny hot chocolate's and marshmellows..dvds for her "my time" hehe. Ill keep you updated how she gets on alone for a while.

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