horsfield and mediterranean???

[j-clark]

Hi
was rounds a friends house the other day and he was keeping two species of tortoise together..i think there were two mediterranean spur thighs tortoise and a horsfield tortoise ..was just wondering your thoughts on this ..should it be done or not? .. and why not?..thanks for your time and if theres some decent reasons not to house them together, il pass them on.
cheers

[purplepixie]

No sensible keeper keeps two different speices together. Horsfields can inflict some real damage on other speices. They can pass on bacteria and viruses to each other. Depending on which spur thigh, iberas can cause a lot of damage to other speices when bashing them. As some speices shells are a lot more sensitive than others.
And interbreeding is not a good way to go, most reputable breeders like to keep speices true.

[Mrs Mental]

I have two spur thighs (TGG) and a Horsfield and I have to admit at one point I did think about keeping them in together as their requirements are so similiar. I decided against it for a couple of reasons, the main one being that different species carry different germs/bacteria/pathogens and what is harmless to one species can be harmful to another - I felt it was safer to not take the chance

[Matt Harris]

Originally Posted by j-clark

Hi
was rounds a friends house the other day and he was keeping two species of tortoise together..i think there were two mediterranean spur thighs tortoise and a horsfield tortoise ..was just wondering your thoughts on this ..should it be done or not? .. and why not?..thanks for your time and if theres some decent reasons not to house them together, il pass them on.
cheers

As long as they are both healthy, need the same conditions and aren't aggressive towards each other (or have enough room to escape if they are) then there's no problem. In other words, the rules are the same as if you were keeping a mixed fishtank, or an aviary with several different bird species. Reptiles are no different in this respect. I assume your friend either bought them as a group or quarantined any new arrivals.

Many people maintain mixed groups of torts and have done successfully for long periods of time.

[Denise aka Martini]

Ok without getting shouted at, it is possible to keep
some different species together as long as they are of the same habitat ie tropical or desert,and are of course compatable only reason im saying this is ive worked in
a wildlife park and they do keep certain breeds together. But you cant just all of a sudden introduce a new tortoise there are certain measures you have to take first to ensure against health risks.
But as i said, thats wildlife parks and some zoos do...

[AnythingWithAShell]

I personally think one of the biggest reasons not to is as Mrs M said, cross species contamination.

I know some zoos and parks do it, but realistically, who can provide enclosures like that in their house/garden? Those enclosures are usually big enough that half of one would be more than adequate for a pet in the home. Meaning that different species in mixed zoo enclosures probably rarely come into contact with each other. This is the way it is in the places I've seen it anyway

Maybe it can be done with adequate quarantine, but quarantine makes zero difference to the bacteria that each animal carries around with no effect. Quarantine doesn't get rid of them, so they may cause problems in a different species anyway.

[Mrs Mental]

I think some people are forgetting that Horsfields do have slightly different requirements to spur thighs - for a start my Horsfield temps are sligthly lower as he prefers it a little cooler to them.

I think most people/zoos like to mix things up cos they cant be arsed to have the correct space and they see one tortoise and get it and then see another and want it so they get it etc etc. People should be thinking of what is best for the tortoise instead of themselves

Sorry but things like this get on my top bits

[AnythingWithAShell]

Originally Posted by Mrs Mental

Sorry but things like this get on my top bits

I know what you mean though.

[Denise aka Martini]

i do agree with what you ar saying hun, as houses/gardens dont have the space of a zoo/wildlife park, but one sure fact is wherever the heat lamps are situated you will find both species of tortoises huddled together...
The guys/girls who look after the animals in the zoos/parks really do know what they are doing and each keeper does have their particular animals well being as a number 1 priority
Sorry if i sound abit defensive!!!

[Mrs Mental]

Originally Posted by Denise aka Martini

i do agree with what you ar saying hun, as houses/gardens dont have the space of a zoo/wildlife park, but one sure fact is wherever the heat lamps are situated you will find both species of tortoises huddled together...

I arent actually qure wht you're saying??? Doh!!!

If there's only one lamp though where else would they bask? Of course they'll huddle together under it. I wouldnt have thought the Horsfield is gonna wander over and check out the make and model of the thing sitting under the lamp, he's just gonna bulldoze his way in and try to shove whoever outta the way so he can have some more room to bask in. Basking is totally natural behaviour so surely if there were 2 lamps the tortoises aren't gonna be saying 'right all Horsfield down this end and you spur thigh lot get up there' I dont think they're that organised