Hi everyone

I would love some advice on my 2 horsefields. We have had them 2 years now so they are approaching 3 years old. We were tortoise novices when we got them and trusted the person we got them from that they were 2 females. It now obviously transpires they are both male and getting randy and very aggressive to one another.

Having just seen one of them biting the other in the neck very hard and not letting go, I'm horrified keeping them together is getting cruel. In the long run we were hoping to keep them in the garden together. Is this a 'teenage' phase? Or is it likely to happen every spring/early summer?

Many thanks for any advice! 

What size & type is their enclosure ?

Regards,

Tom

In the absence of a reply - you can try giving then much more space. 

They can be housed outside, but there are complications with horsfields as you are probably aware. Click on "The Tortoise" box for more info..

If fighting continues or becomes even more aggressive, separation is the only option.

Regards,

Tom

Their enclosure is 100cmX100cm. One of them has a lot more outgoing personality so spends his time wondering outside the enclosure including outside. 

Thanks for your advice, we'll see if we can separate them whilst both having a decent amount of space

Best wishes,

Tom

Many thanks!

Hi - pairs of tortoises rarely works. One of them becomes dominant and bullies the other causing injury, stress, illness and even death.  It may not be aggressive to start it could just be following or pushing around which some people assume is snuggling and cute - but torts don't do that - they are solitary, territorial  creatures and don't need or like company. Even the bully just staring at the weaker tort is enough to intimidate it.  So very subtle bullying indeed and if I were you I would help save the tort on the receiving end by separating them asap and letting them have their own areas in the garden.

Groups of torts is OK if the gender mix is right and you have loads of space that they can avoid each other in, but pairs can be very risky especially Russians who can be quite scrappy.