Sexual maturity in T. graeca

[Lorebassi]

Hi everyone, in october 2014 i've got a new T. graeca male, born in 2005. During 2015 he never showed sign of interest in females. This year after a good hibernation (minimum weight loss), same situation. Now it's going to be 11 yo but he never tries to do anything with females. It's healty and both with me and the past owner alimentation is good (the shell it's perfect).

I'm not used to this species, i know t.g. males are often violent but this one it's kinda sleeping. is this normal? have i to simply wait a little more? there is anything i can do to improve mating chances?

Thanks in advance

[sandy]

Originally Posted by Lorebassi

Hi everyone, in october 2014 i've got a new T. graeca male, born in 2005. During 2015 he never showed sign of interest in females. This year after a good hibernation (minimum weight loss), same situation. Now it's going to be 11 yo but he never tries to do anything with females. It's healty and both with me and the past owner alimentation is good (the shell it's perfect).

I'm not used to this species, i know t.g. males are often violent but this one it's kinda sleeping. is this normal? have i to simply wait a little more? there is anything i can do to improve mating chances?

Thanks in advance

My males have never been that vilolent:0)
They do bash and bite, but that all normal for the species.
You could try removing the male from the females for a month or so.
What size are your females?
My one male now has been after the females from getting up from hibernation:0)
What temps do you keep your tortoises at?

[Lorebassi]

Books says they may be violent, intended to bash and bite too much.
Anyway i tried last year to keep him separated from females for 30-40 days but i had no result. I have a 17 yo female and a bigger one 40+ yo.
I live in north Italy, i keep them outside, the temp is good especially in spring.
Also my hermanni males are already active (as yours from getting up)

[sandy]

Originally Posted by Lorebassi

Books says they may be violent, intended to bash and bite too much.
Anyway i tried last year to keep him separated from females for 30-40 days but i had no result. I have a 17 yo female and a bigger one 40+ yo.
I live in north Italy, i keep them outside, the temp is good especially in spring.
Also my hermanni males are already active (as yours from getting up)

Maybe you need another male to give him competition.
As the the biting etc, it depends on how sensitive you are, mine do bite the females (not enough to bleed) and the bashing is generally just that. As long as they dont damage the females shells.
This time of the year I keep the males with the females, but once it gets really warm, the males can get too attentive. So I keep them seperated from the females then. Sometimes for weeks sometimes less. All depends on the weather.
Are you sure you have all graecas of the same sub species?

[Lorebassi]

Yes i'm sure (t.g.ibera), anyway it doesn't have to be a problem, males are often interested in females regardless of species (and subs). with "violent" i mean exceed with bites/bashes until damage, i know how a male can be insistent and i'm surprised that this one is so calm.

[ONielsen]

in my group I have one male who chases everything and anything another is only interested in two out of four females Im talking Ibera.
Young animals 4-8 y. old here seems to be more "friendly" against others when they grow up in bigger groups 10-20 animals. Dont see much knocking or humping in these groups.Havent tried to add a young male to the group yet
so cant cant say how he would react to the big girls . I think it could take a while before it would show interest and the rest of the time he would be running for his life with bullies after him

[CherryBrandy]

beautiful creep ON - you should post on pictures too as they are lost here maybe. Very lovely bottom photo, CB