# Hedgehogs and Tortoises?



## lmsoft (Sep 9, 2008)

(sorry if this double-posts!)

I seem to remember a topic about this before (on the old forum), but I couldn't find it, so...

My godsister has a sweet desert tortoise, and we think it would be cute for he and Sophie to play in her yard together...but, I've heard of some reptiles carrying deceases, and, though I'm pretty sure he doesn't carry anything, the idea makes me a bit nervious. However, since they're such different creatures, I'm thinking it might not matter? Anyway, I wanted to check here before I did anything.


----------



## Reaper (Aug 22, 2008)

If you do try to put them together remember that hedgehogs are predators. In the wild they have been known to eat birds, mice, lizards, snakes, to name a few. They are also opportunistic scavengers and will eat anything that they come across that smells yummy to them. So supervision is a MUST. As to disease transfer it is possible but I don't know enough about tortoises to give you an answer whether or not it is probable.


----------



## lmsoft (Sep 9, 2008)

Well, Luigi (the tortoise) is a little under twice the size of Sophie, so I don't forsee her being too interested...but yes, I'll definately be sitting right beside both of them the whole time, for both their safety.


----------



## AllQuills (Sep 19, 2008)

How did it turn out?


----------



## lmsoft (Sep 9, 2008)

We didn't end up having a chance to do the little "play date", but hopefully we'll have time next time I'm visiting! Thanks for asking


----------



## Zalea (Sep 12, 2008)

I don't know how easy it would be to transfer, but I thought a heads-up might be in order just in case: Tortoises (and most other reptiles) often carry salmonella, which is why you're supposed to wash your hands well after holding/touching them. So if you have them near each other, you might want to be really careful about how much they're interacting (and definitely keep Sophie from licking all over Luigi). I know hedgies can pick salmonella up just as easily as people can, so I thought I'd just let you know about the possibility. I do not know if it can be transferred like that to hedgies, but there is always the possibility.


----------



## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

I'm not sure about Tortoises, but I know some reptiles will naturally carry some diseases that can be transmitted to other animals/people. For example, I think (don't quote me) that bearded dragons naturally carry coccidia in their feces. So, if you were to put a hedgie and a beardie together, then you'd need to be careful about that. Just a thought...


----------

