Dominant Female

[16 shells]

Yes it's about torts, my 6 year old, (sexed as female), Hermans has been doing the simulated mating thing, but to a Male, who shows no interest, three times seen this year, twice the wrong end . Anyone had this experience.
Carry on tort keeping
Paul

[Kirkie]

Yep

http://www.shelledwarriors.co.uk/for...ht=daisy+molly

With pictures

Daisy and Molly are female, Earl is a litle male.

[16 shells]

Thanks, Kirkie, i saw this but did'nt relise she went off to chase the male, the show of dominance in females, does it mean i am the best chance to mate with, or what?
Paul

[Kirkie]

Hi Paul,

Its quite difficult to speculate as to the nature of this behavior without lapsing into comparisons with other animals and , yes, human behavior. The only reference I've read of female tortoises adopting male tortoise behavior is to do with gravid females seeking a good, quiet spot to lay their eggs. The "dominant" tortoise in my group is a sub adult, so she is unlikely to be gravid and has showwed no signs of attempting to lay eggs. I've also once witnessed this behavior between two of my Horsfields who are 5cm's long.

I can only speculate that this is in some way to do with territory, as it tends to occur when the tortoises are moved to a different enclosure or a new tortoise is introduced to the group. As you see from the pictures the dominant tortoise felt obliged to undertake this behavior not just on the new tortoise (who is considerably bigger than her) but on others in the group. It also happens when they first get together post hibernation.

It does seem a quite passive behavior that has never resulted in any undue distress for the tortoise being mounted and I would have thought the other Hermann's traits of biting and ramming would be more apparent if this was a serious attempt to remove a tortoise from another's territory so maybe it is a hierarchical thing. It seems odd to me that tortoises would form a hierarchy in captivity because I would not have thought it is a social behavior they would need in the wild. Tortoises do encounter each other so maybe it is something that happens when ranges overlap or perhaps when there is competition for preferable nesting sites????

[Evie]

My largest female leopard mounted my male a few months ago - I was really shocked - at the time I thought she may be gravid but she didn't go on to lay.
My male also mounts from any angle !!!

I can only think it is a dominance thing as Dave has mentioned - she has only done it the once but she does tend to flip him over on occassions.

[Bindi]

When I looked after a friends female Ibera longterm, she was always trying to do the do with my Norm. They were both the same age and approximate size. I got quite annoyed with her butting and trying to mount him, he showed no interest sexual or otherwise in her, poor girl. He obviously didn't have his beer goggles on

[16 shells]

Beer goggles
Paul