Behavior

[Ribena]

Hi all , I have a 6 yr old male horsfield , I let him have a stretch of his legs walking supervised in my living area and he does something I’m wondering what and why ....he walks the same route every time and if he walks past my armchair he rubs his butt quickly on it and walks on , he also does it with my boot , is this territorial or do tortoises scent like a dog to mark territory? Anyone know ? Thanks

 

[Maggie3fan]

Hi all , I have a 6 yr old male horsfield , I let him have a stretch of his legs walking supervised in my living area and he does something I’m wondering what and why ....he walks the same route every time and if he walks past my armchair he rubs his butt quickly on it and walks on , he also does it with my boot , is this territorial or do tortoises scent like a dog to mark territory? Anyone know ? Thanks

Wow...That is a brand new thing to me. I'm not an expert by any means but I have had tortoises for a lot of years. I'm dying to hear what others say

 

[Ribena]

Wow...That is a brand new thing to me. I'm not an expert by any means but I have had tortoises for a lot of years. I'm dying to hear what others say

It’s funny how it’s the same 2 things all the time I did wonder if he just had an itchy butt when first saw it , but it’s consistent now so he’s doing it for a reason , maybe only known to him haha

 

[Tom]

Hi all , I have a 6 yr old male horsfield , I let him have a stretch of his legs walking supervised in my living area and he does something I’m wondering what and why ....he walks the same route every time and if he walks past my armchair he rubs his butt quickly on it and walks on , he also does it with my boot , is this territorial or do tortoises scent like a dog to mark territory? Anyone know ? Thanks

They sometimes rub to scratch an itch.

Tortoises should never be loose on the floor. This is a recipe for disaster in one of many ways. Everyone who does it thinks it safe and they are supervising closely, right up until the day they realize they were wrong and its too late. Leave your tortoise in its enclosures. Don't learn this lesson the hard way.

 

[Maggie3fan]

They sometimes rub to scratch an itch.

Tortoises should never be loose on the floor. This is a recipe for disaster in one of many ways. Everyone who does it thinks it safe and they are supervising closely, right up until the day they realize they were wrong and its too late. Leave your tortoise in its enclosures. Don't learn this lesson the hard way.

I have seen may tortoises squirm under a bush to scratch a carapace, but butt???

 

[Chefdenoel10]

It’s funny how it’s the same 2 things all the time I did wonder if he just had an itchy butt when first saw it , but it’s consistent now so he’s doing it for a reason , maybe only known to him haha

pictures and video are NEEDED!!!! ??
What a smart tortoise!!!
I know for fact... MINE sometimes gives me the “stink eye” when I feed her something she doesn’t like... it’s like she’s going...
“ ppft! Hey B !..... what you thinkin’???
???