TortoiseForum.org

do deserts mind being pet much or touched,my freinds dosnt mind it.just wondered if they are somewhat social.

I dont think they mind it to much.My tortoise clark likes to have his head rubbed.Clark is a very active tortoise and doesnt like to be held to long before hes over it.When i rub hes head he almost goes into a sleep its the only time he's feet stop and he almost goes into a trance.I think over handling does increase the risk of a tortoise getting sick/i always wash my hands before handling clark.I believe tortoise's are social clark seems to not fear anyone. He goes up to friends and stranger all the time when we go on our little walks together.Every tortoise has a different personality and some might shy more than others but if a person is looking to adopt or purchase a turtle,tortoise,terp i think u should find one that best matches ones personal preference.Clark came up to me while the other tortoises hid in there shells so.

I have the three adult male DT I am fostering and two are very personable and like to have their heads stroked. The third could care less. He comes to see if I brought food, if I didn't he leaves. Never stops long enough to be patted nor does he like to be held. He just pops into his shell till you put him down. So I agree each has a different personality.

thanks guys,as they get larger,is there ways to keep them from digin too deep or if i have a good border sunk down will they only dig so far.thanks for the petting replys,i would like them anyways but yoiu know its more fulfilling if they seem to like it.

I have not had mine very long. They haven't dug very deep so far and they are getting ready to hibernate so I will be hibernating them in my shed this year. I have sunk cinder bricks two deep doesn't seem to be a problem with them digging that deep so far.

My adult Desert follows people around liek apuppy. Loves attention.
Other than a small dugout, I wouldn't allow a tortoise to dig any kind of burrow. My 2 Sulcatas did this once and I thought it was kinda cool. Until I realized it was over 2 feet deep

Whats wrong with two feet deep?? they don't dig to get out, always come out the same way the went in..Its part of a tortoises nature.. I love the homes they make.. My desert tortoise thinks its a dog and actually chases my dogs.. MY sulcattas have a great tunnel dug, keeps them cozy.

As long as your soil will hold up the tunnels it should be ok. Realize however that with a really heavy rain, flooding in the tunnel is possible...and thus the increased chance of drowning.

It has also been said, that really content DTs often will never try to tunnel.

Some also think it's wiser to build them a tunnel yourself where you want it, thus hopefully keeping them for tunneling their own. Of course that won't stop some of them...lol.

A tunnel underneath the slab of a house is a problem. Foot traffic or dogs causing a collapse is bad. If you need to get them out for nay reason i.e. rain, they are almost impossible to get out.

Bansh88 Wrote:A tunnel underneath the slab of a house is a problem. Foot traffic or dogs causing a collapse is bad. If you need to get them out for nay reason i.e. rain, they are almost impossible to get out.

Mine all come out when it rains, and if there is any water in their tunnels, none go under my house..Mine have never dug a tunnel where their is any foot traffic.. Just my two cents, guess it depends on each tortoise... I live in AZ so mine are out every day all year long. go in when they want..