Wanted Hermanni Hermanni

[Hanako]

Originally Posted by harripete

I know of a breeder in Birmingham. If you're interested I can dig his info out.

Yes, please. Could you dig it out for me. Thank you very much!!!!

[Suze65]

Originally Posted by Hanako

Why would that be 'not right'? Of course he will try to mate with her but why would it have to necessarily cause her stress? She may like it. Are you saying that any mating always causes females tortoises stress? Or is it just mating with my tortoise? As far as I see it, it is a normal animal behavior. It is natural to mate. I wouldn't probably keep them together 24/7 so that he doesn't harass her for sex constantly, but I can't see any harm in giving an animal an opposite sex companion.

Also you said that if don't mind if she is infertile is totally wrong as well. Why is that? Are you saying that everyone who has a male and female HAVE TO produce babies (or at least try)? As a duty to who? As far as I know, some people try, some decide not to go there and destroy the eggs, so why would it be wrong not to mind if by any chance there would be no eggs? I think if I got eggs I wouldn't have the heart to destroy them, but at the same time as I have never hatched tortoises, I don't think I really want to practice on my male's babies, so as far as I am concerned it is quite reasonable to say that I won't mind if the female is infertile. What do you think a breeder can do with a female tortoise that is infertile? She is 'useless' to them, so my remark that I don't mind if she is infertile means that any breeder who by any chance have female Hermanni Hermanni that was not successful for breeding can sell her to me and I won't mind if she is infertile. I will love her no matter whether she is fertile or infertile. What's wrong with that?

What Clare is saying , you can't keep one male with one female in captivity, they are in a confined area and she cannot get away from him, he will harass her constantly and could be very aggressive to her, this will cause her stress, he may bite her and cause damage to scales which can bleed. You need at least 3 females to 1 male. But your male does not need a friend, he will be quite happy on his own, as they are largely solitary animals.

[Hanako]

Originally Posted by mediterraneansuze

What Clare is saying , you can't keep one male with one female in captivity, they are in a confined area and she cannot get away from him, he will harass her constantly and could be very aggressive to her, this will cause her stress, he may bite her and cause damage to scales which can bleed. You need at least 3 females to 1 male. But your male does not need a friend, he will be quite happy on his own, as they are largely solitary animals.

My male is not happy on its own. That's the reason I am searching for a female for him. He has been living with a female for 9 years and he was not attacking her or biting her. He has very non aggressive temperament. Unfortunately the female passed away about a month ago; she did not survive the hibernation. (not sure why, I have done it exactly the same way as all the previous years). Anyway, since my female died, my male has not been the same. I know it may sound silly, but I feel he really misses her. That's the reason I want to get him another female. I don't think he will be aggressive to her, but I am happy to accommodate them separately and let them stay together for just a few hours a day if he harass her constantly (although I have no reason to believe that he will harass her) and let them together just for a few hours a day. But trust me, I am pretty sure that he does need a friend. From what a read, males don't make friends with males, so that's the reason why I am searching for a female.

[Suze65]

Oh I'm so sorry you lost one, well if you know he's fairly relaxed with a female, then you can try and see, he might not take well to a new female , but if you are prepared to separate them if necessary, you can only try and see what happens. Good luck.

[Hanako]

Originally Posted by mediterraneansuze

Oh I'm so sorry you lost one, well if you know he's fairly relaxed with a female, then you can try and see, he might not take well to a new female , but if you are prepared to separate them if necessary, you can only try and see what happens. Good luck.

I realise that he may not take well to a new female. (It is like if my husband died and someone tried to force me into a new relationship!) But he is definitely not happy at the moment, so I feel I have to try. I don't know what else I can do. I took him to vet and the vet did not find physically anything wrong with him; he said that some animals take it harder than others loosing a partner. As I said, I am prepared to separate them if it doesn't work. I don't necessarily insist on breeding them so if any breeder has a female that they kept for breeding and then she wasn't successful with breeding, I don't mind if she can't have babies. She will be a pet for me and friend/partner for my boy.

[harripete]

Originally Posted by Hanako

Yes, please. Could you dig it out for me. Thank you very much!!!!

I'll have a gander for it later for you when I'm home. I'll send it in a pm