If my tortoise naps on me is that a sign of trust?

OtisTheTort

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So I noticed I think baby Otis likes the warmth my body heat gives him. When I hold him still in my hand or put him on my stomach I noticed he will fall right asleep. Right now even he was making direct eye contact with me and was not fidgety at all and just fell right asleep with his head up in the air facing me, not hiding at all. Would you say this is a sign of trust? I think it is but wanted opinions.
 

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Cicitina

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So I noticed I think baby Otis likes the warmth my body heat gives him. When I hold him still in my hand or put him on my stomach I noticed he will fall right asleep. Right now even he was making direct eye contact with me and was not fidgety at all and just fell right asleep with his head up in the air facing me, not hiding at all. Would you say this is a sign of trust? I think it is but wanted opinions.
I’m just here to comment on how cute his little face is. That is all.
 

KarenSoCal

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I think it is a sign of trust. He obviously doesn't think you are going to eat him, which would be his biggest worry.

The body heat idea also has merit, but I don't think he'd hang around for long if he thought you would eat him, no matter how warm you were.
 

zolasmum

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I think it is a sign of trust. He obviously doesn't think you are going to eat him, which would be his biggest worry.

The body heat idea also has merit, but I don't think he'd hang around for long if he thought you would eat him, no matter how warm you were.
I think he definitely trusts you, which is a great thing - do go on handling him - gently, with respect, and eventually also stroking his legs and head. As well as being a very enjoyable experience for you both, it will make things a lot easier if you ever have to take him to a vet, for instance. Our 21 year old tortoise has always been held and stroked a lot, and if he is agitated for any reason, if I hold him close to me, fairly firmly, he almost always calms down quite quickly.
Angie
 

zolasmum

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Just wait till he shows his happiness with :tort:?!!! Enjoy!
There is that, of course ! I usually put a pad of paper towels between us in the critical place - today ,for instance, we had a loud thunderstorm, and he didn't like it at all - I held him, and he soon calmed down -and he calmed me down too!
Angie
 

TaylorTortoise

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So I noticed I think baby Otis likes the warmth my body heat gives him. When I hold him still in my hand or put him on my stomach I noticed he will fall right asleep. Right now even he was making direct eye contact with me and was not fidgety at all and just fell right asleep with his head up in the air facing me, not hiding at all. Would you say this is a sign of trust? I think it is but wanted opinions.
I am utterly obsessed.
Does he pee on you ever? whenever I hold my baby western hermann he will pee sometimes as I am holding him. Pee obviously will go right through a paper towel. Your tort is adorable. Can you post more lovely pics
 

TaylorTortoise

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Our little tort does the same thing! My wife gets him out sometimes and she'll have him sitting on top of her wrapped in a blanket. He always goes to sleep and I do think it's because he trusts her. When this happens, he does ? fairly often too lol.
WILL HE POOP/PEE IN THE PLANET?
 

TurtzInMyYard

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So I noticed I think baby Otis likes the warmth my body heat gives him. When I hold him still in my hand or put him on my stomach I noticed he will fall right asleep. Right now even he was making direct eye contact with me and was not fidgety at all and just fell right asleep with his head up in the air facing me, not hiding at all. Would you say this is a sign of trust? I think it is but wanted opinions.
Just the cutest thing ever! Trust? Well, being a baby, what choice does he really have? lol. But I would say he's definitely comfortable, which can only lend itself to fostering trust. Enjoy him...what a really sweet face.
 

Diane771

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I think he definitely trusts you, which is a great thing - do go on handling him - gently, with respect, and eventually also stroking his legs and head. As well as being a very enjoyable experience for you both, it will make things a lot easier if you ever have to take him to a vet, for instance. Our 21 year old tortoise has always been held and stroked a lot, and if he is agitated for any reason, if I hold him close to me, fairly firmly, he almost always calms down quite quickly.
Angie
My Sally loves to sleep with me at night. When I got her I talked to her, stroke her head top & bottom. She doesn't even hide in her shell when others come around, she even keeps her head out for a little rub
 

zolasmum

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My Sally loves to sleep with me at night. When I got her I talked to her, stroke her head top & bottom. She doesn't even hide in her shell when others come around, she even keeps her head out for a little rub
That's lovely. I certainly think it is a really good thing to encourage your tortoise to accept and enjoy human contact - not just tolerate it to get food. Not all tortoises will put up with it- I know a lady who hatched a sulcata baby, and although she really loved it, the tortoise seemed to hate her, and peed every time she picked it up - but didn't pee or object much to anyone else picking it up.
If our Hermanns tortoise is eating, he will leave his food and come running to me, which I consider a great compliment ! It sounds like your Sally is a very friendly and trusting girl, which must be thanks to your care - that's great.
Angie
 

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