Aggressive Testudo Graeca!! Help!!

[MichaelNguyen7396]

My Testudo called Ray, oftern try and bite my fingers when I try to rub his head on the top and bottom lightly, and also when he sees my fingers he will automatically run towards and try to bite it! Does anyone else have this problem?

 

[LoutheRussian]

I am completely new to tortoise care so I can't give you any definitive answer that being said from my experience with other animals I found that the ones that did this were ones I would often feed from my hand. Therefore associating my hand(fingers) with the arrival of food. So most times when I would attempt to pet them they would nip at my hand. I quickly had to stop feeding from my hands. Eventually they learned that hands no longer provided food so they then stopped biting me and I was able to give affection without fear of losing appendages. I hope this helps and if I'm totally wrong someone with more knowledge than I will correct me and give you proper advice.


[TURTLE]LoutheRussian

 

[Yellow Turtle]

Might be your fingers reddish color attract him and he assumes them as food. My aldabra used to do that also, until recently he pretty much stops doing that. Might be he recognizes that they are not food anymore.

 

[ascott]

Oh those yummy looking wiggly things.....yes, there are some torts that are wiggly finger confused...if you do indeed have this tortoise in your care....I would either;

Stop feeding by hand, also when you place the food for the tort be sure that the tort is away from that spot so he does not associate your hand (the yummy looking wiggly things) with the food...

Or, be quicker than the tortoise my friend

It is nothing personal though...so don't take it that way

 

[MichaelNguyen7396]

I though that too! So whenever I put food in his plate i always do it when he isn't looking! But even if he thinks my fingers look like food, he always smell his food before eating so I don't think it because it is my wingly fingers [FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY]

 

[ascott]

I am 100% confident it is the wiggly fingers....