19-03-2016, 11:35 PM | #1 |
Member
Hatchling
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Near Saffron Walden, Essex
Posts: 593
|
Lesbian tortoise?
I've got, what I believed to be a female. She keeps mounting my other female and wiggling her tail.
Is it possible that she could be lesbian or is this normal? She's 5 years old and this is new behaviour. I've never seen any evidence of male genitalia and the tail looks too short? I'm confused, please advise. Thank you.
__________________
Hubby (Phil) Son & Daughter (Kevin & Carol) Granddaughters (Eva & Zoe) Dogs (Ellie & Alfie) Parrot (Peanut) Crested Gecko (Echo) Electric Blue Day Gecko (Bobby Blue) Hermanns Tortoises (Ebbie, Rosie, Twiglet & Percy) |
19-03-2016, 11:59 PM | #2 |
Senior Member
Adult
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: West of Scotland
Posts: 4,226
|
Hi. I think this is dominance behaviour. Female tortoises can behave in what looks like male behavior when the male is trying to get the female to cooperate with mating. This can include mounting, leg biting and even mounting combined with squeeking with an open mouth.
Female tortoises are often very relaxed and comfortable together but not always. Behavior can become very aggressive. More space can help. Or the less dominant one may accept their place and things may settle down.
__________________
Testudo Hermanni Hermanni (Corse) tortoises Last edited by Ozric Jonathan; 20-03-2016 at 12:06 AM. |
20-03-2016, 12:14 AM | #3 | |
Member
Hatchling
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Near Saffron Walden, Essex
Posts: 593
|
Quote:
__________________
Hubby (Phil) Son & Daughter (Kevin & Carol) Granddaughters (Eva & Zoe) Dogs (Ellie & Alfie) Parrot (Peanut) Crested Gecko (Echo) Electric Blue Day Gecko (Bobby Blue) Hermanns Tortoises (Ebbie, Rosie, Twiglet & Percy) |
|
20-03-2016, 10:24 AM | #4 | |
Senior Member
Adult
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Kent UK
Posts: 12,144
|
Quote:
Are you sure this tortoise is female? As females "rarely" use mounting as a dominance thing unless they dont have enough space. But do mount males and females when they are gravid.
__________________
< > 60+, keeping ibera, graeca and box turtles \0/ /_\ http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/tortoisefriends |
|
20-03-2016, 12:21 PM | #5 |
Senior Member
Adult
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: SE England
Posts: 4,259
|
I don't dispute what you are saying but (I shan't name tortoise names )... one of my elderly females will mount anything going. I am being serious - Her little friend last year was a wooden log. can be 10 15 minutes saying hello and I mean right on top of it. She is about the only one that does this. I move the log and she finds it. I give her another log and it doesn't seem so much fun. The younger one will try and bite back of legs and sort of mount - more push out way...so she is on her own , but the other takes the biscuit.
__________________
Horsfields, Spur Thighed, & Marginata |
22-03-2016, 09:04 PM | #6 |
Member
Hatchling
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Near Saffron Walden, Essex
Posts: 593
|
Thanks everyone.
Our reptile vet has confirmed she is a female.
__________________
Hubby (Phil) Son & Daughter (Kevin & Carol) Granddaughters (Eva & Zoe) Dogs (Ellie & Alfie) Parrot (Peanut) Crested Gecko (Echo) Electric Blue Day Gecko (Bobby Blue) Hermanns Tortoises (Ebbie, Rosie, Twiglet & Percy) |
23-03-2016, 06:18 PM | #7 |
Senior Member
Adult
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: SE England
Posts: 4,259
|
that's good, omg how many tarantula's do you have?....do you name them....aaargh. The hugest spider in the conservatory today I freaked out completely and spat tea everywhere as it was going for the largest bumble bee i've ever seen too...like clash of the titans.....
__________________
Horsfields, Spur Thighed, & Marginata |
23-03-2016, 08:56 PM | #8 | |
Senior Member
Adult
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Devon
Posts: 11,364
|
Quote:
__________________
Emma Testudo Hermanni 5.12.2:Theo, Tamara, Tabitha, Harriet, Isabelle, Clara, Oscar, Hugo, Oliver, Florence, Arabella, Esmé, Aurelia, Felicia, Claudia, Atticus, Celestia, Amaris, Tristan and Clementine Budgies: Jasper, Ivo, Otis, Henry, Louie and Luca Doggies: 1.1.0 Chester and Lottie |
|
23-03-2016, 09:37 PM | #9 | |
Senior Member
Adult
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 5,672
|
Quote:
|
|
23-03-2016, 10:04 PM | #10 |
Senior Member
Adult
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: SE England
Posts: 4,259
|
__________________
Horsfields, Spur Thighed, & Marginata |
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|