# Holding your tort



## expo tort (May 20, 2012)

I've gone all over the Internet and the forum and everyone says something different. Is it good to hold your tortoise. I would like to know for all tortoise age groups from hatchling to adult.


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## wellington (May 20, 2012)

*RE: Holding*

There are a bunch of opinions on this. Some say yes, others say no, that it stresses them. I have a 14 mo. Old leopard. I hold him every day and even kiss him on his head and scratch his head. He doesn't mind a bit. I have done this since the 4th day of having him a year ago. So I say, yes handle them. They will get to know you and respond to you. That's my opinion, you will get others that agree and some that don't. I feel if your tort never gets used to it and never really settles down then handle less, but still handle them.


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## Baoh (May 20, 2012)

*RE: Holding*

Depends on the situation. They do not need to be held, but some animals are not stressed as much by the act and some "warm up" to interaction and human contact faster when held more often.

I used to hold mine more when I was a kid, but less as I grew older. As an adult, I only hold them to move them. I will occasionally scratch their necks because the larger animals appear to enjoy it. I also do a bit more hand feeding for my Aldabra tortoises than my others, as they (well, one of two) seem overly skittish when I approach. I tend not to hand feed in general, though, as I do not want the association between hands and food to become too strong. We have neighbors with kids and grandkids, other animals that roam the yard space, and my fiancee and her female relatives like to have open-toed footwear during warmer months. With nail polish on, especially, some tortoises like to go and try to nibble on exposed toes, but I try not to strengthen the habit any further.

I think the approach one takes can be handled differently on a case-by-case basis. If I had an animal that ate well and was healthy, but was spooked by my presence, I may be inclined to hold it some. Otherwise, I do not really have a pressing need.


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## Jacob (May 20, 2012)

*RE: Holding*

Once a tortoise is used to human contact and has been held many times its okay.
Just like all things that are okay for you, too much of it can be bad.

a baby might get stressed over it, or even an adult if your over handeling.


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## vanillapooh1979 (May 20, 2012)

*RE: Holding*

We hold ours daily. They like having their heads scritched. Our baby slider likes to sleep on us.


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## Angi (May 21, 2012)

*RE: Holding*

My CDTs seem to enjoy held


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## Badger (May 21, 2012)

*RE: Holding*

I have a pair of Aldabras, they seemed to seek out attention actively. When they see us, the will normally come out of the hides and walk towards us. They love to get the head, neck, arms and legs rubbed. Shelly, takes it further, with her arms, neck and legs stretched out while getting rubbed, she will proceed to keep her mouth wide open... kinda saying "Ahhhh....... thats the spot.....ahhhhhh...."


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## JoesMum (May 21, 2012)

*RE: Holding*

I think it's important any captive animal gets used to being handled. This means it's less likely to cause stress when handling HAS to be done (that said, I don't think any animal will forgive a vet after they've had a needle stuck in them )

As for continuous handling, personally I don't. Joe is quite content to be lifted and shifted... into the bath/garden/back indoors and will let it happen without huffing too much. He even enjoys a scratch under the chin if he's in the mood. Any more than that and he'd want out.


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## Yvonne G (May 21, 2012)

*RE: Holding*

In my opinion, it should be left up to the tortoise. Some tortoises appreciate human interaction, some get really stressed out by it.


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## Herphiles (May 21, 2012)

*RE: Holding*



emysemys said:


> In my opinion, it should be left up to the tortoise. Some tortoises appreciate human interaction, some get really stressed out by it.



I'm fairly new to the tortoise thing, but I can say that after keeping snakes for years I've learned that they all have different personalities, some seem to legitimately enjoy being handled while others want nothing of it. As near as I can tell it's about the same for tortoises/turtles, our little redfoot was a bit shy about being held at first but since we've had her we make it a point to handle her at least a couple times a day and she gets to go out for walks around the "yard" (patch of grass next to our apartment lol) regularly and she really seems to enjoy (or at least tolerate and not hate) being handled now . 
Our little three-toed boxie on the other hand (who was in a bad home for a long time and probably did not get handled much) wants nothing to do with being handled, which is cool by me I love watching her in her enclosure and stuff she's just one of those, only when necessary types lol


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## qcpunk (Jul 21, 2012)

*RE: Holding*

My experiences seem to be following the trend here. I have had my tort for almost a year and handled him every day as he gets to venture outside for basking, exploring, and grazing. My lil guy actually seems to look forward to it, as though he is almost asking to go out. 

But, for the first while with your new companion, I would handle daily, but not for too long at a time, and watch for any signs of it stressing out the tort. If the tort does not like to be handled, it will stay all scrunched up in it's shell, you may see the legs pulsing rapidly as their breathing/heart rate goes up, and the always enjoyable, peeing in your hands.

Keep an eye on it, and just sort of ease them into being comfortable


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## clare n (Jul 21, 2012)

*RE: Holding*

Flo doesn't mind at all and comes to the front when I'm there, doesn't pull in, doesn't wriggle and seems comfortable with it. I handle her to bath, put out, weigh etc daily. (not weigh daily ill add) Phillip on the other hand is a particularly grumpy old man. Hell race to the front, but that's only because he know I'm there for "out". As soon as I pick him up he battles me all the way to the garden. And it's surprising how far round and up those little legs can reach! And hurt! He knows me, trusts me to be the "food lady" but I handle him only when I have to. I tried doing it more to get him used to it, but hes just "one of them" haha. He's not shy, he will barge me about in the garden, walk across my feet, come for food, Just really dislikes physical contact on my terms  I think I have to be thankful that Phillip is only a small russian with that attitude, not a 100lb sulcata. I wouldn't stand a chance haha.


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## TortoiseBoy1999 (Jul 22, 2012)

I say holding is good for them to get to know you.


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## ALDABRAMAN (Jul 22, 2012)

The majority of ours like attention, however not picked up!


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## CactusVinnie (Jul 22, 2012)

I also think that they should be handled, if they are able to get used to the owner. At least the Mediteraneans are easy to tame, they will behave like chickens- follow you for food, and not protesting if handled carefully and not for too long. 
The most important reason is that they are captive animals and there are lots of situations in wich we should handle them- moving, bathing, treatments, examination, put in and out hibernation etc.; an unhandled animal will react in a very stressful manner if not used with his owner, and his suffering would be obvious. 
I captured once an wild Ibera male to put him in a good place- few meters away- for a picture... He was eating a wild Myrobalan plum... he was not cooperating at all... he wrestled, and his defensive hissing was so desperate and acute, that it sounded like short cries!! I just LET HIM BE, crazy bastard, forgot the pictures... he was REALLY SCARED, although my approach was very gentle. 
Back home, tortoises are... well... tame like chickens!


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## clare n (Jul 22, 2012)

ALDABRAMAN said:


> The majority of ours like attention, however not picked up!



Is that even physically possible!


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## terryo (Jul 22, 2012)

Although I consider all mine (tortoises and box turtles) pets, I rarely handle them, yet, when I go outside they all come running to me and all will eat out of my had. I think they learn my repitition. Late in the afternoon every day, I go out and give each box turtle a worm. They are usually waiting for me at the end of the garden. The tortoises get a strawberry or a piece of melon and they are there waiting just like the boxies. The only time I pick anyone up is if I have to more them or check them out. I never soak either. This is for the adults, of course. The babies and hatchlings are a different thing


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## dmmj (Jul 22, 2012)

Personally I don't handle mine if I don't have to, I like to try and interact with them as tortoises. Of course I do handle when needed, to right one, or to move one, or to soak babies.


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## yagyujubei (Jul 22, 2012)

I have to lug all of mine up from the basement everyday. That's about it for me. I do think it's good to do to a point, though. Less shy adults that way.


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## ALDABRAMAN (Jul 22, 2012)

clare n said:


> ALDABRAMAN said:
> 
> 
> > The majority of ours like attention, however not picked up!
> ...



 *Small ones....lol!*


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## Nixxy (Jul 27, 2012)

My small Red Foot does like to sit on my lap, at times. And sometimes even be held for a bit.

But for any extended period of time, he gets pretty restless.


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## Mgridgaway (Jul 27, 2012)

My two redfoots have pretty distinct personalities at this point. Darwin is still pretty shy at 4", and he won't really let me pet him or anything like that. At 5.5", Harper loves attention. She'll walk circles around my feet and likes be petted. Neither one particularly enjoy being lifted up though.

As for holding, I do only very occasionally nowadays, because very often they'll poop on me.


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## terryo (Jul 27, 2012)

Please don't criticize, as I've heard it all before......but..... Pio (my female Cherry Head) has lived with my box turtles, who are the same age as she is. When she was three months old I kept her with a Boxie of the same age until they were two years old. Then for the first Summer she was outside she was with box turtles in her garden, and then again while I was renovating my yard she had to share her garden with them. She is extremely friendly, and will go to any stranger coming to see her, allows me or anyone to pet and scratch her shell, and will come right over to me and sit on my foot....but..Solo who was raised alone is not as friendly and won't let anyone she doesn't know come near her. She is also very nasty to Pio and I'm having a hard time keeping them together. I don't know what all this means, but for a person like myself, who doesn't believe in handling them, I really think living with the box turtles helped her be more outgoing and friendly.


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## mctlong (Jul 27, 2012)

My adult RT is almost never picked up, but he's hand fed often and is very tame.

I'll pick up my sully hatchling once a day to place her in her soaking dish, but I try not to handle her too much - don't want to stress her. I talk to her and hand feed her regularly to get her accustomed to being around people.


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## StudentoftheReptile (Jul 27, 2012)

Do they require human handling? Absolutely not. A tortoise will be perfectly fine living on its own in a properly set-up habitat with the most minimal interaction from its caretaker (spot-cleaning feces, bringing/taking away food, changing water, etc.).

Do they benefit from it at all? Will they get stressed out from getting handled?
My simple answers are no and yes (respectively to each quesiton in that order!), and this is why. Getting picked up in the wild usually means they're about to be torn apart and eaten by a predator, probably while still alive. Tortoises typically prefer to be on firm ground. However, in captivity, some tortoises acclimate well to the presence of their owners, and some indeed seem to seek out human company. This, in my opinion, is mostly stemmed from hunger, as the tortoise in question associates its keeper as the "bringer of good eats" and likewise will tromp eagerly in their direction whenever they're in sight in hopes of fulfilling that desire (i.e. hunger!). And there are possibly some cases of tortoises learning to associate their keeper with warmth and/or security, and not necessarily food.

Bottom line: You should not force yourself on the tortoise, trying to get them to conform into the pet you want them to be. Some tortoises do not like to be petted, and certainly do not like being handled or picked up as much as others. INstead, YOU should conform to the unique nature and personality of your tortoise. If it enjoys human interaction, great; slowly cultivate that behavior. But if it doesn't, do not pout because your tortoise "doesn't seem to like you." We're talking about creatures that are still essentially wild animals, not domesticated. They have basic instincts and behaviors that mostly replicate what they would do in their natural environments.

If regular handling is something that is important to you, perhaps you should look into a reptile that is more conducive to that, like a bearded dragon or a cornsnake.

Personally, my tortoises are fascinating to me for their appearance, personalities and behaviors. My enjoyment comes from watching them tromp eagerly from their huts every morning as I bring them food, or simply letting them explore my yard. I have a ball python if I want to hold something reptilian in my lap.


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## mctlong (Jul 27, 2012)

StudentoftheReptile said:
 

> Bottom line: You should not force yourself on the tortoise, trying to get them to conform into the pet you want them to be. Some tortoises do not like to be petted, and certainly do not like being handled or picked up as much as others. INstead, YOU should conform to the unique nature and personality of your tortoise. If it enjoys human interaction, great; slowly cultivate that behavior. But if it doesn't, do not pout because your tortoise "doesn't seem to like you." We're talking about creatures that are still essentially wild animals, not domesticated. They have basic instincts and behaviors that mostly replicate what they would do in their natural environments.



Well said.


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## diaboliqueturtle (Aug 22, 2012)

I had a 3 toe box turtle, from childhood to adulthood, which I used to handle a lot. She certainly seemed to enjoy it, she would become animated at the sight of me, follow me like a puppy, and climb up my shirt to "snuggle" and settle in the crook of my neck. She was my best friend.

My current red foot, though, which I've raised from hatchling, is still slightly skittish with me, as though "today's the day the big human is gonna hurt me!". lol. I don't force myself on her, she seems more at ease with my kids so they help out a lot. And no worries, no one get near the tank without a safety training lecture from my 5 year old! Safety first is her motto, she loves her tortoises :-D Slowly but surely, she's coming around, on her terms, I'm more than ok with that. 

The 3 toe hatchling already seems comfortable with all of us, very much interacting and climbing us


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