Female - male mating behaviour!!
Female - male mating behaviour!!
Achillea, you may remember, came to me nearly 3 years ago, as a 9y/o male called Achilles, & then laid some eggs.....
Recently she has become fascinated by my plastic indoor 'shoes' - those sort of slip-ons, that I think might be beach-wear - that I wear all the time indoors. They are mauve, & I rather thought that her repeated biting at them was mirroring her liking for purple & mauve pansies. She started chasing my feet if I walked away. For several hours this evening she has been mating with one of them - yes - biting & attempting to mate as if she was a he - including occasionally making that squeaking noise I've heard males make while mating (on TV Programs)! She won't settle - usually she's asleep early evening in a quiet, dark corner.
What's going on? She's behaving completely demented!
Heather
Recently she has become fascinated by my plastic indoor 'shoes' - those sort of slip-ons, that I think might be beach-wear - that I wear all the time indoors. They are mauve, & I rather thought that her repeated biting at them was mirroring her liking for purple & mauve pansies. She started chasing my feet if I walked away. For several hours this evening she has been mating with one of them - yes - biting & attempting to mate as if she was a he - including occasionally making that squeaking noise I've heard males make while mating (on TV Programs)! She won't settle - usually she's asleep early evening in a quiet, dark corner.
What's going on? She's behaving completely demented!
Heather
Re: Female - male mating behaviour!!
Hiya Heather. Hope you had a nice Christmas and the year ahead is going to be good for you.
Regarding Achillea and her behaviour. I had exactly the same when one of mine came out of hibernation, he was not eating, very lethargic and was being force fed!!! That was until one day she see my pink slippers and started behaving exactly like Achillea, being dominent towards one of them, running up to me if I had them on...As you say it was weird but it did bring her out of whatever she was in. She started eating and looked as if she wanted a mate or to be a mate.
I would not worry about her. As she has laid eggs she knows what 'the maternal' instinct feels like and she is preparing her body.
Lin
Regarding Achillea and her behaviour. I had exactly the same when one of mine came out of hibernation, he was not eating, very lethargic and was being force fed!!! That was until one day she see my pink slippers and started behaving exactly like Achillea, being dominent towards one of them, running up to me if I had them on...As you say it was weird but it did bring her out of whatever she was in. She started eating and looked as if she wanted a mate or to be a mate.
I would not worry about her. As she has laid eggs she knows what 'the maternal' instinct feels like and she is preparing her body.
Lin
Re: Female - male mating behaviour!!
Thanks Lin!!
Phew
Heather
ps - Sorry - forgetting my manners!....Happy New Year to Tortoise Table folks around the world, but especially to Lin & Nina, & others who reply & are so very positive & helpful with their advice. MUCH appreciated.
Last edited by Heather on 05 Jan 2019, 11:15, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Female - male mating behaviour!!
Your welcome, anytine Heather.
Lin
Lin
Re: Female - male mating behaviour!!
...be sure to see my ps (edit)
Re: Female - male mating behaviour!!
Thanks so much for the kind thoughts, Heather, and Happy New Year to you too!
For information (sorry, I've come in late on this thread), my Dolly (who is definitely female) mounts and 'mates' with Doris each year after they wake up from hibernation. She is relentless in doing tis and sometimes she doesn't even mount her at the right end! What is interesting is that about six weeks after waking from hibernation Doris then lays a batch of eggs and Dolly stops that behaviour for the rest of the year. The eggs aren't fertile, of course, but I've often wondered if Dolly's faux mating has stimulated Doris to produce those eggs.
Nina x
For information (sorry, I've come in late on this thread), my Dolly (who is definitely female) mounts and 'mates' with Doris each year after they wake up from hibernation. She is relentless in doing tis and sometimes she doesn't even mount her at the right end! What is interesting is that about six weeks after waking from hibernation Doris then lays a batch of eggs and Dolly stops that behaviour for the rest of the year. The eggs aren't fertile, of course, but I've often wondered if Dolly's faux mating has stimulated Doris to produce those eggs.
Nina x
Re: Female - male mating behaviour!!
I also meant to say that it is well known that tortoises will mate with old trainers, rubber balls etc. At the risk of getting your new year off to a shocking start, here is a video of a male tortoise trying to mate with a rubber ball. Sorry if it is offputting, but it's also kind of educational to see the male tortoise's sex organ, which is amazing (and slightly disgusting).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jA7m7QEo2s
Nina
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jA7m7QEo2s
Nina
Re: Female - male mating behaviour!!
Yep, and right back to you too.
Lin
Heather wrote:
> ...be sure to see my ps (edit)
>
>
Lin
Heather wrote:
> ...be sure to see my ps (edit)
>
>
Re: Female - male mating behaviour!!
Happy New Year everyone and ditto Heather, such helpful advice from Nina and Lin.
Well after seeing that video (shock horror!) and having recently posted about my little squeaky boy Horsfield, who has been thru a spell of mounting his big pebbles, it's a relief to hear (and see) stories of other torts mating rituals.
Slightly concerned that I 've just treated myself to a pair of those slip on plastic croc shoes!! At present 'young sir' is in his indoor tortoise table but I have visions of being chased around the garden by him in the summer, as my new neighbours (we ve just moved and have delightful neighbours) look on in amazement.!!
Well after seeing that video (shock horror!) and having recently posted about my little squeaky boy Horsfield, who has been thru a spell of mounting his big pebbles, it's a relief to hear (and see) stories of other torts mating rituals.
Slightly concerned that I 've just treated myself to a pair of those slip on plastic croc shoes!! At present 'young sir' is in his indoor tortoise table but I have visions of being chased around the garden by him in the summer, as my new neighbours (we ve just moved and have delightful neighbours) look on in amazement.!!
Re: Female - male mating behaviour!!
And a very happy 2019 to you Teddy28.
Lin
Re: Female - male mating behaviour!!
Ha, ha, the thought of you scampering around your garden in your crocs, tryng to escape the amorous attentions of Tortilla, has really made my day. It might be wise to prepare your neighbours in advance for the sexual mayhem that is going to be taking place in your garden this summer!
Happy New Year to you and Tortilla!
Nina
Happy New Year to you and Tortilla!
Nina
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