Jnics10

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Ugh, for some reason I'm getting kicked out every time I try to post...

Anyway, I'm heartbroken because my Red-footed best friend Tyrus has gone from being nicknamed "cuddletort" to "the angry baby" It all started a couple months ago when he was still super friendly and cuddly, but started showing off his ****... a lot. Then it became nipping, then a little ramming, now he chases me around as soon as he sees me and bites EVERYTHING--me, my clothes, his toys, his humidifier, his bowls, furniture legs, the walls.

I've googled and googled but I'm at a loss here. I love this little guy to death and I'm terrified that hes acting this way because something's wrong with him!

Background info:
--He is a rescue. I found him on my property about a year and a half ago.
--I live in the midwest, so he must have been somebody's pet previously. Most likely, his asshole previous owner abandoned him along the creek that runs through my property.
--He was found in bad shape: severe pyramiding, watery eyes, shell damage (looked like a coyote used him as a chew toy), flaky skin. Nowadays, you would never know that; he's healthy, active, and has a lot of healthy new shell growth.
--Obviously don't know his age, but his carpace is about 13 inches long. He's got to be well past sexual maturity, so I doubt this behavior has anything to do with hormones.
--He has his own temperature-controlled room (I know...) with a humidifier, UV lamps, a huge hide (dog-house sized), pool, and a "play area" with soil substrate.
--Also has a huge outdoor enclosure that he's in as often as weather permits. It started getting cold here last month, so he hasn't been outside in a few weeks. I wonder if part of this is frustration because of the weather?
--Widely varied diet, fed every other day, although lately he's been eating A TON. Like, I'll give him a giant bowl of food, he'll finish it in a couple hours, then start acting hungry/trying to get treats soon after! Sometimes I've had to feed him every day instead of every other day!
--He is an only child. I don't have any other torts. I do have two dogs, but they aren't allowed in Ty's room.

pics are attached

If you have any ideas or suggestions at all, please reply. This is my last resort before the (very very expensive) vet in my area. Thank you!!!

--jess

(ps -- sorry for the long post, i owe you a potato)
 

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JoesMum

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Basically he’s a male and he’s discovering his manhood. Think moody teenage boy.

Tortoises aren’t cuddly pets. They’re happiest in a proper sized enclosure with all 4 feet on the ground.

If you’re in his space then he’s going to defend his territory. If you’re bringing him into your space, you’re taking him away from the place he feels safe and where he knows the rivals have been chased away and he will also become more aggressive.

I had this to extreme with Joe where his determination to defend his territory from all comers led to him stopping eating and drinking and he made himself very sick indeed. It required a hormone implant to control his excess testosterone which was at bull elephant levels rather than male Greek.

Joe was an exception. What you describe is entirely normal. Make sure you have an enclosure that’s big enough for him to live in 24/7. Keep the handling to what’s needed for checking him over and bathing.

Accept that, if you want a cuddly pet, you should get a social one and not a territorial one... perhaps a dog.
 

Jnics10

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Thank you for the quick response!

I totally understand that his behaviour is not outside of the normal realm for a tortoise. I've had many different types of reptiles as pets in the past so I get that their brains are wired completely different than a mammal's. In fact, I was just having a conversation with my gf today about how interesting it was that some of my reptiles display some rather "mammalian" behaviours despite having little more than a brainstem.

I guess my concern lies in how quickly and drastically his temperament has changed. And its odd that he would be "discovering his manhood" at such an old age? He's more than 13 inches long, and I know red foots hit sexual maturity around 7-8 inches. That would've been years ago for him!

The only thing that comes to mind here is that perhaps he had been so poorly kept previously that he now finally feels comfortable enough to be a "real tortoise"... is that even possible?

Oh and attached is a better picture, you can see some of the shell damage that's still healing.
 

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JoesMum

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Yeah, I guess he is feeling comfortable enough in his identity to decide that it os time to establish himself as boss. He is a handsome chap :)
 

Anyfoot

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Maybe he is reasserting he is number 1 in the pecking order or feeling sexually frustrated.
 

ZEROPILOT

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o_OWhen he became sexually mature, he suddenly started seeing you as a trespasser.
It's kinda tortoise 101.
Instinctively, they are not pack animals and males especially are often protective of their home turf.
In a large, outdoors enclosure with a couple of females, he would likely calm down.
But for now....You are another tortoise to him.
And a male.o_O
 

Jnics10

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LOL! So wanted to update for anyone having a similar issue. I saw on another post on here (which I can't find right now), there was a girl that suggested making your hand look like a tortoise by making a fist and sticking out your index finger, and then bobbing your finger just like a tortoise would bob his head at another tortoise. So I've been trying this, as silly as it sounds!! So ill do this only outside of his room so that he knows the rest of the house is "my territory" and his room is his territory.and

And it seems to help!!!! However, now he is kind of scared of me so... working on that by bribing him with little treats every time I approach him. He seems to be warming up a bit.

Also in answer to @ZEROPILOT -- I think he is sexually frustrated, however hes well past sexual maturity age, so it's not like he suddenly just discovered his ****, lol, he's probably like 15-20 years old? I don't think he has much experience with females -- I mean im not sure how things were before I found him, but I know he hasn't had a chance to mats for at least 2 years. So my next adventure will be to find him a couple females and maybe get a nice little family going!!!! we'll see!!!!
 

TammyJ

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I was just wondering why you normally feed him every other day and not every day? Maybe he is trying to tell you to "get with the food program". Feed him with all the good healthy food he can eat every day.
He's adorable. Looks alert and feisty...lol!!!
 

Jnics10

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I was told by my vet and multiple other sources that redfoots should eat every other day or so. But like I said, lately since he's been so hungry, I've been feeding him every day. This has seemed to help at least a little bit.

Also he does get quite a decent amount of protein already. When I feed him, I usually make a plate of a ton of greens (mixed with a bit of banana because he's a picky eater lol), a bit of a few different fruits, and about an ounce of protein. I've heard too much can be harmful.

Haha yes he is definitely feisty!!!!
 

JoesMum

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Tortoises should be fed every day. They don’t deliberately starve themselves in the wild.

Natural behaviour is to spend the day browsing for food and snoozing. Ignore the vet and feed him daily.

I am not going to comment on how much protein is correct, someone like @Anyfoot or @ZEROPILOT are the ones for that, but they should be fed the volume that they want to eat. They won’t deliberately overeat.

A hard boiled egg mashed with its shell is a good source of both protein and calcium.
 

ZEROPILOT

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I was told by my vet and multiple other sources that redfoots should eat every other day or so. But like I said, lately since he's been so hungry, I've been feeding him every day. This has seemed to help at least a little bit.

Also he does get quite a decent amount of protein already. When I feed him, I usually make a plate of a ton of greens (mixed with a bit of banana because he's a picky eater lol), a bit of a few different fruits, and about an ounce of protein. I've heard too much can be harmful.

Haha yes he is definitely feisty!!!!
I feed mine everyday.
What they eat and how much varies a bit. But they DO all eat each day.
Fruit often is fine. Up to 40-50% even. But banana every day isn't a great idea. Try other fruit like figs and dates.
For protein I use Mazuri, Dog food and boiled eggs, whole but mashed.
These tortoises eat a lot of fallen, rotten fruit and flowers in the wild and will also gorge themselves on dead animal carcasses on the forest floor. Protein is a staple for them.
Just mix it up and vary the diet.
Feed as much as he'll eat and remove the remainder before it attracts insects.
 

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