# Do tortoises love to be pet?



## TairaBacca (Jun 11, 2017)

Currently my russian tortoise is bonding very well with me. He likes it when I scratch his shell but once I go to his actual skin he gets very scared. I have heard that the Aldabra tortoise and the Galapagos like being scratched/petted on the neck.
Should i try to continue getting my tortoise to trust neck scratching? Is this specie specific? Is just rubbing the shell with a toothbrush fine?

Ps: the shell of my tortoise sometimes chips a little. Is this normal?


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## TairaBacca (Jun 11, 2017)

Heres a pic of him as well


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## Russian Tortoise Lover! (Jun 11, 2017)

I would go easy on the neck, same situation with me.


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## lisa127 (Jun 11, 2017)

I would think giant tortoises don't mind it so much because they don't feel so vulnerable due to their size. I don't pet my box turtles or redfoot. I do handle them for maintenance , etc but I don't pet them.


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## Yvonne G (Jun 11, 2017)

I second what Lisa has said.

On a side note, your tortoise could use his beak trimmed. It's a bit long.


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## Kenno (Jun 11, 2017)

A visitor once said he used to have desert torts and they liked having their necks rubbed. He gently rubbed and scratched old Duncan's neck, and the old guy didn't mind. When I try he will tolerate it briefly, then move away. 
I've also read that the giant torts like a neck scratching, but my little guys are indifferent to it.
Maybe the visitor was a Tortoise Whisperer.


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## Tom (Jun 11, 2017)

Some will tolerate it. Some will use it as a method to get food from their person. I don't think any of them "love" it.


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## RosemaryDW (Jun 11, 2017)

My Russian lets me scratch her head the tiniest bit when she's peeling, that's it. NO SHELL SCRATCHING LADY!

She's pretty calm around me but petting is definitely not her thing.


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## Pearly (Jun 11, 2017)

My 2 RFs get handled DAILY since tiny hatchilnghood so they are used to human touch. I think they really enjoy their shells being cleaned with soft bristle brush bcs they push aganst the brush and follow it from whichever direction brush strokes come. The fact that they stick their necks out really far when I rub them clean in water or with coco oil and push up with their little heads against my fingers, or stretch their chins out when I gently rub them tell me that they likely enjoy the touch/rubbing/petting them there. The places that they don't like touched are their limbs and tail! Though after 2 yrs of weekly cleaning/coco oil massaging they are bit more tolerant of me messing with their arms and legs but tails are still a big "off limits zone" lol


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## wellington (Jun 11, 2017)

I'm all for handling and petting your tortoise. I have 6 torts, 5 leopards and one Russian. Two leopards I raised from hatchling and always handled them a lot and touched their heads, feet, legs, etc. The other two I received at an older age. The Russian also received at an older age but have had him longer then the two newer leopards. All of them, except the two newer ones, have no problems me touching or letting them. They will come to me when I'm near them and I will give them a pat on the shell or a rub on the head or neck. If they didn't like it, they are free to walk away. I see it this way. If they ever need to see a vet, get a nail or beak trim, I will have a lot less problems getting it done then those that don't think you should.


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## ZEROPILOT (Jun 12, 2017)

I once received a male Redfoot tortoise from a woman who had had no other pets and petted and sat with the tortoise for extended periods of time. For about ten years.
When I got him, he quickly got into acting like a tortoise. Never seemed to want any interaction with me or anyone else. He was very interested in the 5 female Redfoot I had at that time.
I can't honestly say that that "lap" tortoise and old lady had a special bond or not. I just strongly feel that he had gotten used to so much physical human interaction for such a long period of time that he had gotten used to it.
At any rate. The tortoise was healthy. The woman was happy. It was a win, win situation.
So perceived or real, It worked.

On a side story. I have brushes screwed to the side of my pens and they are there because my tortoises will occasionally use them to rub back and forth on. Like they are scratching an itch.
I have attached a picture of one of the brushes


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## Careym13 (Jun 12, 2017)

I have 2 tortoises. They are siblings and are 2.5 years old. One is very outgoing and lets me touch him pretty much anywhere and the other one sucks into his shell the second I even look at him. They were raised under exactly the same conditions and handled daily for soaking, etc.


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## Maggie Cummings (Jun 12, 2017)

I mess with all my chelonia. I so totally agree with Barb, not one of my tortoises or turtles will pull their head in when I "pet" them. The Vet loves how easy they are to examine. I do have a desert tort that likes the top of his head rubbed, Bob hated it, but this guy will stick his head out as far as he can when I rub. The idea of scratching that tender skin gives me the willies.....


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## Sandy Martinez (Jun 16, 2017)

I handle daily. I have 3 - 1 russian, 1 hermann, 1 marginated - my hermann is so personable and such a sweetheart and loves his neck rubs before he eats, I can go to the other end of his enclosure after putting out his meal and he will follow me turning away from his meal until I give him a neck rub then he'll turn around and go toward his food. My russian and marginated go for their food first neck rubs later


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## Markw84 (Jun 16, 2017)

My Burmese stars are quite tolerant of their head and necks being rubbed as Brenda and my grandkids like to do that.

However it is nothing like a Galapagos tortoise that will absolutely freeze and let you pet and rub its neck and legs as long as you are willing to do it. And they will stay frozen in that position for about 5 minutes after you stop waiting for you to begin again. Brenda really enjoyed that! We were told the theory is a reflex developed to allow some birds the time to pick parasites from their skin, like cleaning stations...


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## Alaskamike (Jul 16, 2017)

It is interesting how even within siblings , there are differences in boldness and tolerance to touch. 

Animals tendencies to certain reactions come from experience as well as evolutionary genetics. Gallops & Aldabras had an environment that offered very few predators. And as was mentioned, are genetically predisposed to stand, stretch out their necks when touched. In their habitats birds would stand on their backs & "dance in front of them till the tort would stand & stretch then the birds would clean parasites off the folds of stretched out skin. A symbiotic relationship. 

One could say this was learned behavior, however my Aldabra, from less than a year old, stands if his shell is rubbed & lets me rub her legs, neck & head. I found this out quite by accident one day when I ran my hand over her shell. She also does it if sprayed with a hose. 

My Sulcata on the other hand , even though bolder than the Aldabra, will pull in & jerk if his head it touched. Same with my Leopard. By where they come from in Africa , there are big predators. All of mine are from 3 & 1/2-7 yrs old. So not babies now. 

So far , my Aldabra has not walked over to me and stretched out to be touched - not yet. If she does, I might think she " likes" it.


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## Tidgy's Dad (Jul 17, 2017)

Tidgy likes a good head rub most of all and she enjoys the raised parts over her eyes being gently stroked. She quite likes her neck being tickled but not as much as the rubbing of the top of her head. 
Sometimes when I rub her head repeatedly from front to back she will stretch her head and all four limbs out as far as they will go and stretch them all upwards. 
But she isn't asking for her limbs to be rubbed, she doesn't like that at all. 
She also likes her shell being rubbed, particularly the dividing areas between the scutes as i guess these areas are more sensitive. Most of all she likes rubbing of the rear areas of her carapace, but i guess there may be a sexual response going on there.


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## Fredkas (Jul 20, 2017)

Alaskamike said:


> It is interesting how even within siblings , there are differences in boldness and tolerance to touch.
> 
> Animals tendencies to certain reactions come from experience as well as evolutionary genetics. Gallops & Aldabras had an environment that offered very few predators. And as was mentioned, are genetically predisposed to stand, stretch out their necks when touched. In their habitats birds would stand on their backs & "dance in front of them till the tort would stand & stretch then the birds would clean parasites off the folds of stretched out skin. A symbiotic relationship.
> 
> ...


I have an aldabra and a sulcata.
Mine pose exact same behavior like alaskamike's. However from my observation, i can say that aldabra always want to strecth out and stand straight and let you pet them started from very small. It just they won't do it if they don't trust you. Mine tried to do it but i can say he was afraid. 8 days later, he stand straight at his 4 months old, and did it without looking at me (give me his butt), and one single sudden movement will make him try to run away.



Tidgy's Dad said:


> Tidgy likes a good head rub most of all and she enjoys the raised parts over her eyes being gently stroked. She quite likes her neck being tickled but not as much as the rubbing of the top of her head.
> Sometimes when I rub her head repeatedly from front to back she will stretch her head and all four limbs out as far as they will go and stretch them all upwards.
> But she isn't asking for her limbs to be rubbed, she doesn't like that at all.
> She also likes her shell being rubbed, particularly the dividing areas between the scutes as i guess these areas are more sensitive. Most of all she likes rubbing of the rear areas of her carapace, but i guess there may be a sexual response going on there.


My sulcata will not let me touch his limb too. He will let me pet his head, but i don't see that he really enjoy it.
However if i am cleaning him, which is holding his carapace and put him below running water, he will let me touch any of his body part,including limb, including mouth, and i even can hold his head and move it anywhere i like without seeing any single refusement.


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## Franco F (Jul 20, 2017)

Markw84 said:


> My Burmese stars are quite tolerant of their head and necks being rubbed as Brenda and my grandkids like to do that.
> 
> However it is nothing like a Galapagos tortoise that will absolutely freeze and let you pet and rub its neck and legs as long as you are willing to do it. And they will stay frozen in that position for about 5 minutes after you stop waiting for you to begin again. Brenda really enjoyed that! We were told the theory is a reflex developed to allow some birds the time to pick parasites from their skin, like cleaning stations...
> 
> View attachment 210448



It looks like he/she is enjoying that very much. The life these tortoises have!


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## crimson_lotus (Jul 20, 2017)

My tortoise likes leg rubs, or at least I think she does. When I rub her back feet, she will slowly lift herself to get as tall as possible. I follow it up with a pet on the head/neck and she will close her eyes, but not shy away. 

She might also just be waiting for food and she's being really tolerant of me. Who knows.


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## Beasty_Artemis (Jul 23, 2017)

Some days my red foot Artemis is really outgoing, and others not as much. But on her "friendly" days, she will follow me around the perimeter of her table and put her head all the way out. She lets me pet her head all that i want. Though she usually will try to taste my finger.


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## TairaBacca (Jul 24, 2017)

Really great news! My tortoise now stretches out his neck whenever he is on my lap. If I pet his head then he stretches out even farther to let me give his neck a good scratch. I guess I just needed to give my RT some time to get used to me. Thanks for all of your replies


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## Maggie Cummings (Jul 24, 2017)

Several of mine love a head rub....


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## the Turtle Shepherd (Jul 26, 2017)

ZEROPILOT said:


> I once received a male Redfoot tortoise from a woman who had had no other pets and petted and sat with the tortoise for extended periods of time. For about ten years.
> When I got him, he quickly got into acting like a tortoise. Never seemed to want any interaction with me or anyone else. He was very interested in the 5 female Redfoot I had at that time.
> I can't honestly say that that "lap" tortoise and old lady had a special bond or not. I just strongly feel that he had gotten used to so much physical human interaction for such a long period of time that he had gotten used to it.
> At any rate. The tortoise was healthy. The woman was happy. It was a win, win situation.
> ...


this post is full of precious information and your brushes just take the cake


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## the Turtle Shepherd (Jul 26, 2017)

Careym13 said:


> I have 2 tortoises. They are siblings and are 2.5 years old. One is very outgoing and lets me touch him pretty much anywhere and the other one sucks into his shell the second I even look at him. They were raised under exactly the same conditions and handled daily for soaking, etc.


oh oh, i had this going on, until i realized the the bigger was mentally intimidating the smaller, i had to separate.


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## the Turtle Shepherd (Jul 26, 2017)

this post is awesome first of all
all chelonians are like people - some like it and some not, depends on where they started and what they lacked. some of my mine are ok with petting, all are pretty much rescues so some came from not so fantacstic conditions and can not be happier roaming on their own, while others will come up to me and look me int he eyes, with their one eye, sideways, you know they are so funny.
but i handle and train all of my turtles and tortoises except for my read eared sliders, they just want to jump in my arms and they are huge and snaky looking, lol so the bottom line of my petting experience is that turtle and torts are easily trainable like dogs very much are, and if yo ustart a routine of any kind, including the rubs - they will get used to it too and who knows - might even enjoy it.


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## the Turtle Shepherd (Jul 26, 2017)

TairaBacca said:


> Currently my russian tortoise is bonding very well with me. He likes it when I scratch his shell but once I go to his actual skin he gets very scared. I have heard that the Aldabra tortoise and the Galapagos like being scratched/petted on the neck.
> Should i try to continue getting my tortoise to trust neck scratching? Is this specie specific? Is just rubbing the shell with a toothbrush fine?
> 
> Ps: the shell of my tortoise sometimes chips a little. Is this normal?


so, the beak on your tortoise says too things: wrong diet and wrong feeding surface.
the shell flaking screams - wrong diet, so you already have two things pointing to the wrong diet. the lose calcium usually can mean two things - vitamins and especially iron. people think that it is calcium that is the most important, yes it is but other vitamins especially certain oils and especially iron is what keeps that calcium in place.
describe his weekly diet, be specific, he is not getting something,
also another problem might be the lack of vitamin d, aka sunshine, it is free and needs to be soaked in for an hour or so daily to produce the right amount. vitamin d is super important in proper bone health, and without it the animal can get metabolic bone desease.


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## Careym13 (Jul 27, 2017)

the Turtle Shepherd said:


> oh oh, i had this going on, until i realized the the bigger was mentally intimidating the smaller, i had to separate.


Yeah that is exactly what I had to do.


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## Maitaimommy (Jul 27, 2017)

My russian and I have started bonding and i rub the shell and head softly for a few seconds several times a day. Seems fine with it.


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## TairaBacca (Jul 27, 2017)

the Turtle Shepherd said:


> so, the beak on your tortoise says too things: wrong diet and wrong feeding surface.
> the shell flaking screams - wrong diet, so you already have two things pointing to the wrong diet. the lose calcium usually can mean two things - vitamins and especially iron. people think that it is calcium that is the most important, yes it is but other vitamins especially certain oils and especially iron is what keeps that calcium in place.
> describe his weekly diet, be specific, he is not getting something,
> also another problem might be the lack of vitamin d, aka sunshine, it is free and needs to be soaked in for an hour or so daily to produce the right amount. vitamin d is super important in proper bone health, and without it the animal can get metabolic bone desease.


Yep I agree. Just finished making an outside enclosure for sunlight. Also I am giving more calcium through collard greens and cacti(prickly pear). Dies collard greens have iron? Good sources of calcium and iron you recommend ? Thanks


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## William Lee Kohler (Aug 22, 2017)

Sometimes. Some of my hinges like to have their hinge scratched(they lean into it)and one or more of my Redfoots like their head/neck region scratched. Also I've enjoyed scratching the necks of the Galapagos at San Diego Zoo.


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## Versace (Sep 15, 2017)

I got my cherry head a few weeks ago as a hatchling. At first he was really shy, but now whenever I pet his head he rubs up against my finger and he loves it when I rub the back of his neck and under his chin. Ive seen a few things saying that Redfoots don't like their necks being touched, but if you bond with them and they're like mine they'll probably come to enjoy it


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## TammyJ (Sep 15, 2017)

Markw84 said:


> My Burmese stars are quite tolerant of their head and necks being rubbed as Brenda and my grandkids like to do that.
> 
> However it is nothing like a Galapagos tortoise that will absolutely freeze and let you pet and rub its neck and legs as long as you are willing to do it. And they will stay frozen in that position for about 5 minutes after you stop waiting for you to begin again. Brenda really enjoyed that! We were told the theory is a reflex developed to allow some birds the time to pick parasites from their skin, like cleaning stations...
> 
> View attachment 210448


I know this post is a bit old, but I love it because it reminds me of what my green iguana does when I stroke him, close his eyes, raise his head and freeze... it's the exact same thing. But I have been told that it is a kind of instinctive self-protective act almost like "playing possum". Who really knows? It sure does look like blissful enjoyment, if it was a human doing it!


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## Hayes Johnson (Dec 27, 2017)

Spourd the Russian tortoise loves to be pet on the top of his neck, and loves when i wiggle my finger in the skin near his back legs.


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## Hayes Johnson (Jan 31, 2018)

I think his beak needs to be trimmed.


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## Musa Nathan (Feb 1, 2018)

To be honest...No...the brain it’s too small...


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## Borgijo (Mar 17, 2018)

I wish I could download my video of Jewel when she lets me give her neck rubs it won’t let me. She has loved them when she was a hatchling. As you start, she stretches her neck out really long. It’s so cute. She is two now & isn’t as fond of it.


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## Hayes Johnson (May 15, 2018)

Borgijo said:


> I wish I could download my video of Jewel when she lets me give her neck rubs it won’t let me. She has loved them when she was a hatchling. As you start, she stretches her neck out really long. It’s so cute. She is two now & isn’t as fond of it.



My tortoise used to love that too!


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## Elijah (Jun 22, 2018)

My big sulcata LOVES to be touched and pet. She won't even go to bed unless I sit beside her, and hug her, and give her a neck rub before I turn out the light. She will come find you to get back rubs in the day time.


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## TammyJ (Jun 22, 2018)

Elijah said:


> My big sulcata LOVES to be touched and pet. She won't even go to bed unless I sit beside her, and hug her, and give her a neck rub before I turn out the light. She will come find you to get back rubs in the day time.


Can we get a few pics of these cuddly moments, please?


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