can leopard torts and african spur thighed be kept together?

[scrambled legs]

this is just for my own curiosity, these two species don't hibernate, they have similar conditions that they live in as far as i know so far and i was just wondering if they can live together?

i feel a bit silly asking this because the answer might be quite obvious but i've got no idea...

cheers.

[niamherrity]

No no two different species can be housed together as both carry different pathogens that can cause harm to the other

[EJ]

They can be kept together considering their requirements are very similar. There can sometimes be a problem is you have an agressive sulcata. Also, the Leopard tends to grow slower than the Sulcata given the same conditions so if enough space is not provided you can run into a problem.

As far as pathogens go, the risks are no greater in this case than if you were keeping two of the same species together.

Many keepers have kept the two species together very successfully for many years. There are even reports of them inter breeding on occasion.

[niamherrity]

Surly inter breeding tortoises is not good

[terrypin]

wow Ed you like to rock the boat how can you say that they are compatible when clearly the spurred tortoise is an aggressive burrowing tortoise that would subject the gentle cow like leopard to untold stress .of course i am assuming you would keep them under optimum conditions so that their behaviour would be normal and not like the ones you can see at certain attractions that are fed an inadequate diet and spend most days indoors under heatlamps hardly moving at all.
i assume we are talking about the giant spurred and not the african spurthighed as was originally asked because that would be silly terry

[EJ]

If stating fact based on extensive experience acquired over the last 35 or so years is rocking the boat so be it. My statement might not be a popular one in certain circles but it is an objective opinion that is accepted by many tortoise keepers the world over. Sorry if you see this as upsetting.

I thought we were talking about the Sulcata which is why I used 'Sulcata'. The Greek tortoise would even be an easier task to accomplish when keeping them together.

As to it being 'silly'... I've heard stronger language used but if you are talking about pets that have free range of the yard it would be 'silly' to isolate them. There would be 2 sets of animals to feed and care for instead of one. Both seem to have the same requirements so the logistics of keeping them would be simplified.

If you get past the dogma that is involved in this line of thought there is nothing wrong with keeping the 2 together as long as their needs are met and the risks involved are understood and addressed.

Originally Posted by terrypin

wow Ed you like to rock the boat how can you say that they are compatible when clearly the spurred tortoise is an aggressive burrowing tortoise that would subject the gentle cow like leopard to untold stress .of course i am assuming you would keep them under optimum conditions so that their behaviour would be normal and not like the ones you can see at certain attractions that are fed an inadequate diet and spend most days indoors under heatlamps hardly moving at all.
i assume we are talking about the giant spurred and not the african spurthighed as was originally asked because that would be silly terry