# In love with a potted plant?



## Jarred james (Feb 1, 2020)

Hi, my Hermans tortoise is in love with my norfolk island pine! I have other potted plants on the floor but he goes strait to this one when I let him out to wander the house and will just do circles around it for hours! Please any ideas?


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## Maggie3fan (Feb 1, 2020)

Yes, tortoises do not belong on the floor wandering the house. Floors are cold and torts will eat dust bunnies, paper clips, cat hair...food... all manner of bad stuff. And those of us old timers on this forum remember....after many of us gave that same advice to a new member, that member accidentally squashed and killed their tort in a door. Please keep your tort in a tort habitat before it gets in trouble.


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## Jarred james (Feb 1, 2020)

Thank you for your reply Maggie, although this was not really what I was looking for. I live in Wyoming, there are very few days my tort can’t go outside, he has an amazing 3 foot by 6 foot habitat but I don’t want to keep him locked up in it all of the time so suggestions instead of criticizing would be helpful. My house is clean (I think dust, hair and random food stuff are also present outdoors and in the wild) and I have never seen him try to eat any kind of anything off the floor. He is out for time short periods to explore and goes back to his enclosure when he gets cold. 
Has anyone else heard anything about why he might be so attracted to this specific potted plant? thank you ?


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## Maro2Bear (Feb 1, 2020)

Maybe it’s more humid in that little micro climate created by deep saucer the N I pine is sitting in. Probably just found it’s spot to hide & be safe behind the pot.


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## Maggie3fan (Feb 1, 2020)

Jarred james said:


> Thank you for your reply Maggie, although this was not really what I was looking for. I live in Wyoming, there are very few days my tort can’t go outside, he has an amazing 3 foot by 6 foot habitat but I don’t want to keep him locked up in it all of the time so suggestions instead of criticizing would be helpful. My house is clean (I think dust, hair and random food stuff are also present outdoors and in the wild) and I have never seen him try to eat any kind of anything off the floor. He is out for time short periods to explore and goes back to his enclosure when he gets cold.
> Has anyone else heard anything about why he might be so attracted to this specific potted plant? thank you ?



OMGosh! I am so sorry you took my 'advice' that way. I in no way meant any disrespect. Seriously. I simply wanted to spare you the regret of losing a pet to an accident of some sort. So for that I do apologize. But now that you are offended anyway...you are stressing your tortoise out by your treatment of him...oh and my cats also prefer my Norfolk Island Pine to any of my other plants... ...now can we be friends?


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## Jarred james (Feb 1, 2020)

maggie18fan said:


> OMGosh! I am so sorry you took my 'advice' that way. I in no way meant any disrespect. Seriously. I simply wanted to spare you the regret of losing a pet to an accident of some sort. So for that I do apologize. But now that you are offended anyway...you are stressing your tortoise out by your treatment of him...oh and my cats also prefer my Norfolk Island Pine to any of my other plants... ...now can we be friends?


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## Jarred james (Feb 1, 2020)

It is fine I understand your concern. He seems bored in his inclosure though, pacing the edges and knocking his shell against the sides like he wants out. Do you think it would be bettter to just leave him in constantly?


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## Jarred james (Feb 1, 2020)

Maro2Bear said:


> Maybe it’s more humid in that little micro climate created by deep saucer the N I pine is sitting in. Probably just found it’s spot to hide & be safe behind the pot.


He has a saucer I keep in his inclosure with fresh water, what is a good humidity for herman Tortoises in your opinion I have read a wide range on different sites? He also seems more interested in the actual pot than the water dish. Do tortoises see in color? Maybe the texture color or smell reminds him of something he likes? I need a tortoise shrink ?


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## MichiganMan (Feb 1, 2020)

I heard isopod hunting does well in an enclosure. At least it will give the tort something to do.


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## Richard Davis (Feb 2, 2020)

Jarred james said:


> View attachment 285674
> Hi, my Hermans tortoise is in love with my norfolk island pine! I have other potted plants on the floor but he goes strait to this one when I let him out to wander the house and will just do circles around it for hours! Please any ideas?


I understand your concern my buddy is in love with my outdoor Air Conditioning unit. He spends the entire summer next to the unit and if he could he would get between it and the house. He can't get back there because I keep it blocked off. I keep it blocked off for fear he will get back there and rub a wire bare and get electrocuted.


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## Farcryjj (Feb 2, 2020)

I think each tort has its own thing. This one just loves that pot. They are just all so stubborn in their own way...


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## Blackdog1714 (Feb 2, 2020)

Farcryjj said:


> I think each tort has its own thing. This one just loves that pot. They are just all so stubborn in their own way...


OMG that is so correct. There lives on TFO a toroise that fell in love with a boot!


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## Sa Ga (Feb 2, 2020)

maggie18fan said:


> Yes, tortoises do not belong on the floor wandering the house. Floors are cold and torts will eat dust bunnies, paper clips, cat hair...food... all manner of bad stuff. And those of us old timers on this forum remember....after many of us gave that same advice to a new member, that member accidentally squashed and killed their tort in a door. Please keep your tort in a tort habitat before it gets in trouble.



I think you point out a very important warning, Maggie. Thank you for sharing that warning to people who might not know or think about those factors. 

Jarred, indeed, there are random things in the wild too--and torts DO sometimes eat the wrong things and they die. They are tough creatures, but they obviously meet their demise frequently enough in nature too, or given their long lifespan, there'd be way more running around than there are. 

Your home may be clean but remember, others read these post and may learn something they didn't think of--like elusive dust bunnies or pet hair they missed! And NO ONE can guarantee against all accidents. We can only work to minimize their chances of happening. Please don't take offense if someone gives a suggestion/information. People do it all the time here, and it saves very precious lives.


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## Maggie3fan (Feb 2, 2020)

Jarred james said:


> It is fine I understand your concern. He seems bored in his inclosure though, pacing the edges and knocking his shell against the sides like he wants out. Do you think it would be bettter to just leave him in constantly?



Jarred....Yes it is...the biggest thing is that tortoises don't like change. If you don't think he should stay in his habitat it needs to be bigger. I had Queenie, a beautiful Hermanni and she lived in a 9x4 tort table when she couldn't be outside...There's an article here about tortoises don't like change by Yvonne. I couldn't find it for lack of time. But you should read it...interesting...


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## Maggie3fan (Feb 2, 2020)

Jarred...I meant that article is here on the forum...


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## Jnics10 (Feb 11, 2020)

This reminds me of the story about the penguin who fell in love with a life-size cutout of an anime character that was in his enclosure at a zoo in Japan. He would just sit there and stare at it all day, and when they took it away he became extremely depressed and his health started declining, so they put it back!

Also, funny enough, I just posted in another thread about my redfoot and his romantic relationships with his rubber duckies and my feet. Like, he just won't leave them alone. If I'm in the room, he needs to be as close to my feet as physically possible. Smh... Teenagers!

This also made me think of a study I read recently on tortoise's memory. Nine captive tortoises of different species were taught a behavior that was heavily and daily reinforced with treats and praise over the course of one year. Ten years later, the researchers returned to each one and made the hand sign that was the signal for the behavior from ten years prior. I believe like 8 of them did the behavior right away! And the other one remembered quite quickly after only a few tries! Pretty amazing stuff. The study goes on to talk about other research done on tortoise's memory and calls them "the elephants of the reptile kingdom"

Long story short, it's very possible the scent or shape of the plant reminds your tort of something from their past!!

P.S. -- I'm going to try to find both the penguin article and the study and link to it here if I can!!


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## Relic (Feb 12, 2020)

Jnics10 said:


> This reminds me of the story about the penguin who fell in love with a life-size cutout of an anime character that was in his enclosure at a zoo in Japan. He would just sit there and stare at it all day, and when they took it away he became extremely depressed and his health started declining, so they put it back!
> 
> Also, funny enough, I just posted in another thread about my redfoot and his romantic relationships with his rubber duckies and my feet. Like, he just won't leave them alone. If I'm in the room, he needs to be as close to my feet as physically possible. Smh... Teenagers!
> 
> ...


I can attest to the hand sign stimulated behavior. My wife has developed several hand signs that immediately modify my behavior...


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## Kipley (Mar 8, 2020)

I adopted an 8+ year old Redfoot last August. It had lived in either a glass 4' x 4' enclosure, a rabbit cage with a rabbit, or free roamed the house, or a combo of the above in the years prior to moving here. All I had time to prepare was an enclosed 3" x 6" stock tank. He wasn't happy with the change and being enclosed. So several times a week he gets out to roam the kitchen for 15 minutes to an hour. I turn the heat up and keep him in visual range at all times. He gorges on Mazuri LS when he is out, and won't eat it in his enclosure, no matter how I offer it, or on what surface. Odd guy. He only will eat greens in his enclosure, but fruit or animal protein is happily gobbled up no matter where he is at the time.

I have Greyhounds and use raised feeders that look like wrought iron plant stands - his favorite spot is sitting directly under one of these stands.


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## Crush da Baum (Mar 19, 2020)

maggie18fan said:


> Yes, tortoises do not belong on the floor wandering the house. Floors are cold and torts will eat dust bunnies, paper clips, cat hair...food... all manner of bad stuff. And those of us old timers on this forum remember....after many of us gave that same advice to a new member, that member accidentally squashed and killed their tort in a door. Please keep your tort in a tort habitat before it gets in trouble.


that is soo terrible


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## Sue Ann (Mar 19, 2020)

Kipley said:


> I adopted an 8+ year old Redfoot last August. It had lived in either a glass 4' x 4' enclosure, a rabbit cage with a rabbit, or free roamed the house, or a combo of the above in the years prior to moving here. All I had time to prepare was an enclosed 3" x 6" stock tank. He wasn't happy with the change and being enclosed. So several times a week he gets out to roam the kitchen for 15 minutes to an hour. I turn the heat up and keep him in visual range at all times. He gorges on Mazuri LS when he is out, and won't eat it in his enclosure, no matter how I offer it, or on what surface. Odd guy. He only will eat greens in his enclosure, but fruit or animal protein is happily gobbled up no matter where he is at the time.
> 
> I have Greyhounds and use raised feeders that look like wrought iron plant stands - his favorite spot is sitting directly under one of these stands.


I think that’s their safe spot. Even outside Dexter has a special place he hides when done roaming


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## Juan20669 (Mar 19, 2020)

maggie18fan said:


> OMGosh! I am so sorry you took my 'advice' that way. I in no way meant any disrespect. Seriously. I simply wanted to spare you the regret of losing a pet to an accident of some sort. So for that I do apologize. But now that you are offended anyway...you are stressing your tortoise out by your treatment of him...oh and my cats also prefer my Norfolk Island Pine to any of my other plants... ...now can we be friends?


There was no need for you to apologize, if he got offended its on him, At the end of the day you are doing what is best for the animal, i've dealt with many people that are horrible keepers and the best way to deal with them is to tell them the facts straight up, unapologetic.


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## Juan20669 (Mar 19, 2020)

Juan20669 said:


> There was no need for you to apologize, if he got offended its on him, At the end of the day you are doing what is best for the animal, i've dealt with many people that are horrible keepers and the best way to deal with them is to tell them the facts straight up, unapologetic.


One time I rescued two red foot tortoises that had severe pyramiding one of them was seriously stunted and deformed. They kept them indoors, in a tiny corner, cold, dry, no sunshine. I assume their diet was sh*t too. Even after I let them know what was going on with their animals, basically told them they where going to die, they still wanted to keep them because of sentimental attachment. I had to basically force them to give them to me, I had them crying on me and sh*t. I kinda felt bad for a moment but then I realized that who tf cares if they get sad or mad, think about the poor tortoises that have been living like **** for decades, as a matter of fact f*ck the owners.


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## Maggie3fan (Mar 19, 2020)

Jarred james said:


> It is fine I understand your concern. He seems bored in his inclosure though, pacing the edges and knocking his shell against the sides like he wants out. Do you think it would be bettter to just leave him in constantly?


Yes, I do and other members here will tell you the same..as an OTR truck driver I have picked up and delivered in Wyoming, one of my favorites. But your weather stinks. I am not a Redfoot expert by any means...but I am educated in most tortoises. My advice to you as should have different I caught the word 'glass'...take something like newspaper and wrap it around the outside of the tank to up abt 6 inches so the tortoise does not become confused by looking out and thinking he can go thru the glass and get out. If he can't see out he will settle...I'm sorry I didn't realize he was in a glass habitat..I hope this helps this late, I didn't catch that glass word...


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## Maggie3fan (Mar 19, 2020)

Crush da Baum said:


> that is soo terrible


 He was hiding behind the door and his head was in the part of the door that is connected by hinges...she squashed his head in it...gosh, it was awful to me then...and still. I operate a small special need turtle and tortoise rescue... so I have had them die on me...but never squashed any like that...


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## Maggie3fan (Mar 19, 2020)

Juan20669 said:


> One time I rescued two red foot tortoises that had severe pyramiding one of them was seriously stunted and deformed. They kept them indoors, in a tiny corner, cold, dry, no sunshine. I assume their diet was sh*t too. Even after I let them know what was going on with their animals, basically told them they where going to die, they still wanted to keep them because of sentimental attachment. I had to basically force them to give them to me, I had them crying on me and sh*t. I kinda felt bad for a moment but then I realized that who tf cares if they get sad or mad, think about the poor tortoises that have been living like **** for decades, as a matter of fact f*ck the owners.


I feel exactly that way also...I am constant finding sick, leg less, mentally disturbed and blind turtles or tortoises in a box at my door. So generally I don't know how they had lived. I have been brought t and tortoises that were so sick they died on me in a few days...the owner treated the whatever it was so badly...then drop it off in a box, so this old lady has to afford my Exotic Vet $75 a visit to help them...so I pay for their treatment...and I am the one who cries when they die. And I always think why didn't you drop the animal sooner...I 'might' have been able to save then


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## Sa Ga (Mar 19, 2020)

maggie18fan said:


> I feel exactly that way also...I am constant finding sick, leg less, mentally disturbed and blind turtles or tortoises in a box at my door. So generally I don't know how they had lived. I have been brought t and tortoises that were so sick they died on me in a few days...the owner treated the whatever it was so badly...then drop it off in a box, so this old lady has to afford my Exotic Vet $75 a visit to help them...so I pay for their treatment...and I am the one who cries when they die. And I always think why didn't you drop the animal sooner...I 'might' have been able to save then


Bless you, Mags. ❤


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## KBeam (May 1, 2020)

Jarred james said:


> View attachment 285674
> Hi, my Hermans tortoise is in love with my norfolk island pine! I have other potted plants on the floor but he goes strait to this one when I let him out to wander the house and will just do circles around it for hours! Please any ideas?


Hello fellow Wyomingite! Although now I‘m in illinois. One thing I do in my house is have radiant floor heating in my master bath. Something I learned from a cousin in Thermopolis. It’s a people and tortoise pleaser in the winter! The tortoise under supervision, of course!


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## Blastoise (May 24, 2020)

It's a nice spot on a good piece of slate, what's not to love? My spot is on the couch. That's like his version of the couch lol.


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## Jnics10 (Jun 15, 2020)

Oooohhhh yes, my tort and I have plans to install radiant heat throughout the house when we move... Although we're moving to Arizona, so maybe it's just as well that I keep the air off, lol


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