First, I do not know anything about turtles and tortoises. I pose the question because I have a friend that is housing her Sulcata with 4 Box turtles. I think it's 2 Eastern Boxies and 2 Florida Boxies, but don't quote me on that.

Anyways, they are housed together temporarily for the winter because it's way to cold out in NJ. Is this a safe practice? Or should they be separated. I just want to gain some knowledge about cohabitation and these species. This way I can part it onto her if they do indeed need to be separated.

During the summers they all get to free roam in their own huge enclosures.

I would say no for a couple of reasons, besides disease sharing.

Size:  what size is the sulcata?  Normally they tend to bulldozer over smaller animals.

Diets:  the diets of the boxies and the sulcata won't be the same.

I would also say personality, aggressiveness levels, and environmental needs are also different.  Once more, some of this will depend on what the current size of the sulcata is.

Absolutely not.

 

Boxies and Sulcatas are from two totally different parts of the world.  While Sulcatas need some humidity to be healthy, the amount of humidity that a boxie requires is MUCH higher.  We are talking about a semi-arid species housed with a forest floor species... there is NO way that it can work, and both species will remain healthy.

 

The diet requirements for each are VERY different.  Sulcatas need a diet that is 80-90% fibrous grass material, while boxies require animal matter and more protein intake.  Sulcatas come from a part of the world where the calcium level in the earth is much higher, therefore the grasses that they eat are very high in clacium.  It takes quite a bit to keep them from developing pyramiding or MBD.

 

Sulcatas need a diet that is mostly low in protein, low in fat, and high in fiber. 

 

Most box turtles top out in growth at 6-8".  A properly cared for Sulcata will easily attain sizes of 24" or more, and over 100lbs.  They would trample a small boxie.

 

UVB requirements are different.  One species will hibernate (boxie) and the Sulcata will not.

 

They are just plain too different.  One is a semi-aquatic turtle, the other is the thrid largest tortoise species in the world.

 

I would advise your friend to offer a seperate enclosure for the Sulcata.

I just wanted to add that not only is housing box turtles and large tortoises together not a good idea for the reasons stated above, but there are certain diseases that can pass between large tortoises and turtles that any keeper of both should be aware of.  Check out this article for more information: http://www.matts-turtles.org/docs/e_invadens.pdf 

If they are close to the same size and are strictly brumenating together probably not a problem for a shot term situation.  If they are active and feeding I wouldn't think so.

jsc

jscrick wrote: If they are close to the same size and are strictly brumenating together probably not a problem for a shot term situation.  If they are active and feeding I wouldn't think so. jsc

 

Sulcata tortoises DO NOT hibernate so this situation would NEVER come to pass.

kyryah wrote: jscrick wrote: If they are close to the same size and are strictly brumenating together probably not a problem for a shot term situation.  If they are active and feeding I wouldn't think so. jsc   Sulcata tortoises DO NOT hibernate so this situation would NEVER come to pass.

 

Did I say Hibernate?  No, I did not.  I said BRUMINATE.  Sulcata Tortoises do in fact bruminate.  Stop putting words in my mouth.

 

First of all, this post is nothing but an inquiry from a busy body wanting to mind somebody else's business.  Second, the replies are given with unprecedented authority and self rightious indignation from others that aren't nearly as qualified as they purport.

 

This is a place of opinions.  Please offer your opinions in a less emphatic and less demonstrative manner.  They are simply your opinions, not God's law.

 

I've been to Somalia and Ethiopia and seen sulcatas first hand.

 

jsc

 

Hibernation is a state of regulated hypothermia, lasting several days or weeks, that allows animals to conserve energy during the winter. During hibernation animals slow their metabolism to a very low level, with body temperature and breathing rates lowered, gradually using up the body fat reserves stored during the warmer months. Some hibernating animals stir as often as once a week; others sleep throughout the season. Some reptile species are said to bruminate or undergo brumination, but this is merely another term for hibernation, usually in the context of an induced hibernation in captivity necessary to reset the animal's biological clock for a new breeding season.

 

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Sulcata+hibernate

 

There, clarified my "opinion."

jscrick wrote: Second, the replies are given with unprecedented authority and self rightious indignation from others that aren't nearly as qualified as they purpor

 

I was simply relaying what I have learned from my own inquiries into the matter, as someone who keeps and rehabilitates eastern box turtles. I've been interested in keeping large tortoises for awhile now, but all of my enclosures are dedicated to my box turtles. I have inquired after several herp vets and herpetologists about the possbility of having tortoises cohabitate or even share neighboring pens with my boxies, and they all told me the same thing: Absolutely not. They even recommended I keep them on separate sides of the yard if possible. E. invadens is a serious threat, as are other parasites and diseases. Cross-contamination is something I work hard against every day, especially in turtle rehab when many of my patients are intended for eventual release.

 

As a rule of thumb, animals from different regions and certainly different parts of the world should never cohabitate. Yes, this is my opinion, but it is an informed one.

 

I have never been to Somalia or Ethiopia, but I have trapsed about and seen many eastern box turtles in their natural habitats. There were no sulcatas present. ;)

jscrick wrote: kyryah wrote: jscrick wrote: If they are close to the same size and are strictly brumenating together probably not a problem for a shot term situation.  If they are active and feeding I wouldn't think so. jsc   Sulcata tortoises DO NOT hibernate so this situation would NEVER come to pass.   Did I say Hibernate?  No, I did not.  I said BRUMINATE.  Sulcata Tortoises do in fact bruminate.  Stop putting words in my mouth.   First of all, this post is nothing but an inquiry from a busy body wanting to mind somebody else's business.  Second, the replies are given with unprecedented authority and self rightious indignation from others that aren't nearly as qualified as they purport.   This is a place of opinions.  Please offer your opinions in a less emphatic and less demonstrative manner.  They are simply your opinions, not God's law.   I've been to Somalia and Ethiopia and seen sulcatas first hand.   jsc

jscrick wrote: kyryah wrote: jscrick wrote: If they are close to the same size and are strictly brumenating together probably not a problem for a shot term situation.  If they are active and feeding I wouldn't think so. jsc   Sulcata tortoises DO NOT hibernate so this situation would NEVER come to pass.   Did I say Hibernate?  No, I did not.  I said BRUMINATE.  Sulcata Tortoises do in fact bruminate.  Stop putting words in my mouth.   First of all, this post is nothing but an inquiry from a busy body wanting to mind somebody else's business.  Second, the replies are given with unprecedented authority and self rightious indignation from others that aren't nearly as qualified as they purport.   This is a place of opinions.  Please offer your opinions in a less emphatic and less demonstrative manner.  They are simply your opinions, not God's law.   I've been to Somalia and Ethiopia and seen sulcatas first hand.   jsc

JSC,

I took the original question as somebody seeing a situation and just wondering if the husbandry was correct. Not being a busy body but wanting to further there knowledge.  Would being a busy body be a bad thing, if the lives of the animals would be in danger?  Not saying they are in this case, but asking if you, jsc, felt they were in a life threatening situation would you still call it being a busy body?

Next whom are you thinking isn't qualified?

Actually it's called aestivation (or estivation).  What it refers to is a summer sleep rather then the hibernation, which is a winter based one.  Because of heat and/or dryness the animals become inactive.