# Hand feeding



## Abdulla6169 (Jul 14, 2014)

Does anyone think feeding torts by hand is a problem? Any opinion? By hand feeding I mean severing them with my hand like this:


My tort seems to accept it.... Thanks in advance


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## tortoisetime565 (Jul 14, 2014)

I have hand fed but they eat so slow so I choose not to. Lol


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## Abdulla6169 (Jul 14, 2014)

He accidentally bit my finger which made me freak out a little.... Tortoises should NOT be able to bite that hard


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## dmmj (Jul 14, 2014)

Problems? a few.
They tend to get spoiled and only want to be hand fed. 
Sometimes they start associating our hand with food, and bite ( sharp beaks and all). I don't encourage, but you need to make your own choice.


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## Abdulla6169 (Jul 14, 2014)

My friend used to have a tort that liked to be hand fed... It used to follow him everywhere, I think that's why I want to hand feed.


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## Abdulla6169 (Jul 14, 2014)

dmmj said:


> Problems? a few.
> They tend to get spoiled and only want to be hand fed.
> Sometimes they start associating our hand with food, and bite ( sharp beaks and all). I don't encourage, but you need to make your own choice.


Do you think they will eat if they are not hand fed? I'm traveling in a while (Switzerland/Germany) so that's a point of concern.


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## zaroba (Jul 14, 2014)

I don't see a problem with occasional hand feeding.

It can make for some nice photos.


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## Abdulla6169 (Jul 14, 2014)

zaroba said:


> I don't see a problem with occasional hand feeding.
> 
> It can make for some nice photos.


Love this pic


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## AmRoKo (Jul 14, 2014)

I hand feed my torts every now and then. Sometimes I get bitten but I have had so many different animals I'm used to getting bit Lol.


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## mike taylor (Jul 14, 2014)

I give my tortoises treats by hand .


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## Maggie Cummings (Jul 14, 2014)

I have a 150 pound Sulcata named Bob. I used to hand feed him all the time. Then one day he went after my empty hand when I wasn't paying attention and he bit me, and he bit me hard and because he wanted what he thought was food he did not let go. That was 6 or 7 stitches. If a small child goes in to see Bob he thinks they should have food so he goes after their hands. Painted toenails are strawberries and he'll go after them. I believe Bob is smarter then the average Sulcata and much more socialized, but he will bite, magically expecting food to show up I think. He has bitten me badly several times, a kid could not handle the bites that he has done to me...so I firmly believe hand feeding large tortoises is a very bad thing. I use tongs now and they work great.
My advice is to not start hand feeding, it teaches them bad things...


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## Dizisdalife (Jul 14, 2014)

Treats only. I believe that they need to forage for food on their own. Just my opinion. And yes, I have been bitten more than once. I think that my tortoise knows it's my hand and tries very hard to avoid biting me. Or else he knows it's my hand and doesn't like the taste of it so he avoids it. I do sometimes feed by hand when I am introducing new foods to him. Usuallt that means I am tricking him into eating something he is not familiar with.


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## Abdulla6169 (Jul 15, 2014)

maggie3fan said:


> I have a 150 pound Sulcata named Bob. I used to hand feed him all the time. Then one day he went after my empty hand when I wasn't paying attention and he bit me, and he bit me hard and because he wanted what he thought was food he did not let go. That was 6 or 7 stitches. If a small child goes in to see Bob he thinks they should have food so he goes after their hands. Painted toenails are strawberries and he'll go after them. I believe Bob is smarter then the average Sulcata and much more socialized, but he will bite, magically expecting food to show up I think. He has bitten me badly several times, a kid could not handle the bites that he has done to me...so I firmly believe hand feeding large tortoises is a very bad thing. I use tongs now and they work great.
> My advice is to not start hand feeding, it teaches them bad things...


I have a Greek, but this is helpful for large tort owners


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## Kitkat1989 (Jul 15, 2014)

I think it's better to let them find their food as it gives them something to do. I luckily have never been bit (yet) as Walt won't take food from my hands however it's not something I would start again as my beardie gets lazy and won't hunt for his food


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## smarch (Jul 15, 2014)

I think as an always feeding by hand thing its not such a great thing, but I don't see huge problems doing it on occasion (I have a Russian tortoise though so I speak for small species I guess)
I only feed by hand when I'm trying to get a nice picture or for the occasional treat. The only time I've actually been bit was when I was holding a little cherry tomato in place for him and he got excited and missed. 
I think all tortoises will see painted fingernails and toes in a color that looks yummy as food. Once I had franklin on my chest watching a movie (we do that sometimes) and he saw my orange painted nails and tried to nibble them, but not with like actual biting force, I think he was just trying to "sample" the weird new thing in front of him. 
Sometimes when my mum finds a dandelion flower she'll hold it out to him to eat, and she doesn't like touching him (not a reptile fan! but she loves to watch him  )


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## sibi (Jul 15, 2014)

I really don't have a choice. My salcata has MBD, and can't stretch her neck out long enough to reach grass and weeds. You should see her trying to grab a hold of larger blades of grass and weeds. It's heartbreaking. So, I feed her everyday. She sometimes bites me thinking its food, and it really hurts. She has what I call a snaggle tooth since she can't wear it down and if caugh, she can put a hurting on you. Anyways, the other monster boys I have see me feeding and singing to her, they too want to be hand fed. It takes me 1 1/2 hours to feed the three I have. I let them go out to fend for themselves, though. If I didn't have to, I wouldn't hand feed them at all. They have to learn to find and feed themselves.


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## Tom (Jul 15, 2014)

Hand feeding will give them a positive association with people. This can have good and bad consequences, as has been pointed out. Personally I like to do it with all species and ages, but I seldom have time to do it often. I find it a great way to have guests interact with tortoises and I have won over many people this way who thought tortoises were "boring" prior to their happy hand feeding experience. I always use long pieces of food and instruct the people when to let go.

I've never had one refuse to eat on their own after hand feeding sessions.


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## Neal (Jul 15, 2014)

I think it's a good practice if done moderately. I like to do it because they get accustomed to being in close proximity to me and other people, which makes it easier to examine them. I don't do this very often and have not heard of any specific instances where a tortoise refused to forage on its own because it had been hand fed too much, but as with any specific point of best practice, some variation should be made within reason.

The only side effect I have noted is that they come to expect to be hand fed when they see you. If they're grazing, mating, resting, whatever...once they see you, they'll stop whatever it is and follow you around until you give them something to eat. That could be good and bad.


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## StarSapphire22 (Jul 15, 2014)

Like Tom and Neal, I think it's fine in moderation as a great way to socialize them a little.

I think though, that if my Littlefoot was capable of laughing, he would laugh in my face whenever I tried to hand feed him. He just looks at me like, "What are you doing? Put my food down, human!"


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## Abdulla6169 (Jul 15, 2014)

Thanks, all these replies are very helpful


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## visco (Jul 20, 2014)

Here's my 2 cents for what it's worth.
I think if you are going to put your hand within the reach of the mouth of anything, care and caution should be exercised. When I feed my torts by hand I try to keep in mind that he may accidentally bite my hand while trying to eat his treat, and I try to make sure to get the treat to his beak and move it away as quickly as i can. Keep in mind that their eyes are not on the front of their head and despite their best attempts they may accidentally get your fingers occasionally.
With that said. I really only do it for an afternoon treat well after feeding time. I do not hand feed them at regular meal times. Ever. Usually when I give treats I use the Rep-Cal commercial tort pellets soaked in water. I have experimented with this quite a bit and have come to this conclusion. When they can smell the food on your fingers, wether you actually have anything in your hand, they will attempt to eat what they believe is a treat in your hand. I will feed them a couple of pellets and then return the same hand empty. They will of course, try to nip my fingers. If i present them with a hand that has not touched the food... there is no interest what so ever.

Also, it's nice to come over to the enclosure and see them come running. I really recommend giving small treats if you want to have a chance to interact with your torts. they will be more receptive to being touched if you give them the occasional treat!


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## Lyles (Sep 30, 2014)

Dangers of hand feeding. lol


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## ALDABRAMAN (Sep 30, 2014)




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## Abdulla6169 (Oct 1, 2014)

ALDABRAMAN said:


> View attachment 98146


What plant are you feeding? Looks cool


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## stojanovski92113 (Oct 1, 2014)

I hand feet mine here and there. Usually hibiscus leaves.


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## ALDABRAMAN (Oct 1, 2014)

AbdullaAli said:


> What plant are you feeding? Looks cool



* Wild vines, they grow wild and plentiful down here!


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## Abdulla6169 (Oct 2, 2014)

ALDABRAMAN said:


> * Wild vines, they grow wild and plentiful down here!
> 
> View attachment 98239


Can you send a photo of the plant, with the flowers? I would like to get it ID'ed, it would be nice if I could feed them to my tortoise...


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## ALDABRAMAN (Oct 2, 2014)

AbdullaAli said:


> Can you send a photo of the plant, with the flowers? I would like to get it ID'ed, it would be nice if I could feed them to my tortoise...


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## Abdulla6169 (Oct 2, 2014)

ALDABRAMAN said:


> View attachment 98369
> View attachment 98370


Thank you!


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## ALDABRAMAN (Oct 2, 2014)

AbdullaAli said:


> Thank you!



* That grows wild and abundant down here, they love it!


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## ALDABRAMAN (Oct 2, 2014)

ALDABRAMAN said:


> * That grows wild and abundant down here, they love it!


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## Abdulla6169 (Oct 2, 2014)

ALDABRAMAN said:


> View attachment 98372


The plant you posted reminds me of creeping oxeye, which I am allergic to (but I still handle it, it grows too quickly)








I read somewhere it's not good for mammals...


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## ALDABRAMAN (Oct 2, 2014)

AbdullaAli said:


> The plant you posted reminds me of creeping oxeye, which I am allergic to (but I still handle it, it grows too quickly)
> View attachment 98373
> 
> View attachment 98374
> ...





AbdullaAli said:


> The plant you posted reminds me of creeping oxeye, which I am allergic to (but I still handle it, it grows too quickly)
> View attachment 98373
> 
> View attachment 98374
> ...



* It looks similar, also could be different types. I really have no idea!


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## Abdulla6169 (Oct 2, 2014)

ALDABRAMAN said:


> * It looks similar, also could be different types. I really have no idea!


This appears to be a creeping daisy. In the Sunflower family, this vining plant is low maintenance and flowers best in full sun.

In Florida it is considered a noxious weed to be eliminated.


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## ALDABRAMAN (Oct 2, 2014)




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## ALDABRAMAN (Oct 2, 2014)




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## TigsMom (Oct 2, 2014)

With one of my DT's there was a concerning underbite, (both of DT's were rescue's from poor diets, lighting and care their first several years from their previous owners). I did hand feed to help him (who I thought was a her) learn tearing and biting from the side of it's mouth/beak. They were both starved and ate for weeks non-stop when I first got them. Alarming me just by their appetites, they both were seen by vets. Our vet assured us they were making up for poor diet, both in good health. Still, worried about the overbite, I hand fed periodically, not everyday, but in my mind it simulated a more natural environment, as eating from a strong plant in what would be their natural habitat, than just tossing in good diet and hoping he'd eat it. Through the following years of the rehab, feeding them the right foods, in right temps, with right uv exposures, and not chopping foods, but whole leaves, they both improved in health. It did take years before I felt they were healthy enough for outdoor full time living. I still hand feed them on occassion and they obviously enjoy it (absolutely careful). My 5 yr old grandkids beg to hand feed them and they love it. Yep might get a pinch if they aren't careful, but that doesn't stop the grand kids. We wash our hands (TOP and BOTTOM, IN BETWEEN, it's a song to sing while sterilizing hands) before and after we're finished (again not very often) but it's great education for the kiddo's and the torts love it too.

Hand feeding my 24 hr rescued Sulcata (only 24 hours before we located his owners) was hilarious, that boy followed me around forever, wanting to be hand fed, placed food on the ground, not so interested, but in my hand, holy moly it was gone in a second. We had a blast getting to know him, and he was awesome. I'm a firm believer in everything (healthy, proper foods or treat) in moderation. So Yes, absolutely interact and hand feed with caution and moderation. 

Just my opinion and experience. 

(A dream would be to visit Aldabraman's ranch and help feed and interact, although my desert blood just doesn't do humidity pretty (been to Florida, it's pretty, but I sure don't look pretty or enjoy that humidity, I'd almost be willing to tough it out, to visit for a day or two).


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## Yellow Turtle01 (Oct 3, 2014)

I feed mine by hand sometimes. My russian is okay about it, but I agree, they should NOT be able to bite that hard ! *Ouch. 
I usually only give him treats by hand, but other than that, he just eats out of his bowl. It could be a great way to get to know them, and to let them trust you more. Now I know what his face looks like when 'going in for the kill'. VERY handy, lol! 
I give my turtles chicken by hand sometimes, but they easily mistake my finger as food afterwards, I mean, similar color and all. Now, THEY pack a powerful punch! And you can hardly know when they're coming! 
I don't feed my suclata by hand. She's perfectly friendly, but I would feel very iffy about having my hand so close to her chomper... I've seen what she's done to plants! 
I think if you do just every now and then, it could be fun for everybody, and your tort gets to try out something new and friendly


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## tglazie (Oct 4, 2014)

As usual, Tom is right. I think feeding tortoises, especially giant ones, by hand is a good way to bond with them, but I am under no illusions that this is good for the tortoise. The enjoyment of hand feeding is all on this primate's side of the table, I'll tell you. As for the biting, that's just always a risk. Everything bites. Bugs bite, dogs bite, cats bite, and even people bite. My nephew bit me just the other day when I wouldn't let him go play outside in the rain, and I've never fed him by hand, not even once. 

T.G.


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## Gillian M (Nov 14, 2014)

AbdullaAli said:


> He accidentally bit my finger which made me freak out a little.... Tortoises should NOT be able to bite that hard


 So sorry to have just read that your tort bit you.


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