Emrys' Friend The Cuttlefish?

[cherylim]

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced similar behaviour with their tortoises, as I can't understand this?

Emrys seems to have developed a strange friendship with his cuttlefish. He's treating it like a security blanket. He lies on top of it sometimes, and he likes to drag it around his enclosure. A few times in recent weeks, I've also caught him taking it into his hide, leaving no space for himself.

It doesn't seem to be a sexual relationship. He's still quite young and he's not attempting to mate with it. I wondered if it was a possessive thing, but I've never shown any interest in/touched his cuttlefish, so I can't imagine he's protecting it.

Thoughts?

 

[laramie]

awwee..that is so cute! I have not given Wilbur a cuttlebone/cuttlefish yet. Sorry I can't help.

 

[wellington]

Very cute, can you get some pics. Tatum barely chews on his. I can't see him wanting to sleep with it.

 

[tortoises101]

A pic would make a great screensaver...

 

[ShadowRancher]

Aww that's sweet, Levi just naws on his...he might forget it for a few days but he always chomps on it a couple times a week

 

[SulcataSquirt]

Squirt does the same thing. He doesn't like to eat on it, but he LOVES to lay on it, drag it around on his slate, flip it upside, and even sometimes into his water. I'm glad ours isn't the only one with this weird obsession.

 

[cherylim]

Squirt does the same thing. He doesn't like to eat on it, but he LOVES to lay on it, drag it around on his slate, flip it upside, and even sometimes into his water. I'm glad ours isn't the only one with this weird obsession.

Good to know he's not the only one! Yes, Emrys sometimes puts it into the water as well.

Strange creatures...

It's only a behaviour he's recently developed, in the past month or so, but it's like he can't bear to be without his cuttlefish!

 

[l0velesly]

That's odd, but cute behavior Mine only eats his cuttlebone!

 

[ripper7777777]

All my little guys, naw on them. But I have seen pics of little torts sleeping on them.

 

[Momof4]

Maybe a hint for "I want a friend." Lol
That's cute! Dusty only chews his when he's in his outside enclosure.

 

[HipsterTorts]

Indie likes to move it around her enclosure by ramming it. Then when she gets it wherever it is that she wants it she'll start eating it.

 

[cherylim]

This isn't the best picture of it. He's usually much more on top of it, or dragging it around, but I was finding a picture for another thread and came across this one, which I think was taken when this behaviour first started and I wanted to capture it a little:

 

[Sammy]

So cute. My star sleeps on it like a bed, never eats it. Red foot eats it now, she use to sleep on it during the day.

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Sorry I still can't get the hang of inserting pics from my phone, duplicated.

 

[tyler0912]

Big momma will only eat it when dragged in the waterbowl and soggy.
Tiago will only eat it when it is in his hide dry......= 2 cuttlefish, but big momma get greedy and takes them both in the waterbowl,

 

[lynnedit]

funny stories! my torts have not developed an obsession with their cuttlebones yet, but I will keep an eye out.

 

[Katherine]

Cuteness. I tried a cuttlebone after reading so many people on here use them but my tortoises ANNIHILATED it. Like gone in moments; any ways it was nerve wracking and I spent a week raking for tortoise dung and measuring meals to ensure everyone was eating and defecating and there were no obstructions. So no more bones for them, they have no manners in regards to moderation! I love cuttlefish a lot anyways : )

 

[tyler0912]

Katherine did they not anihilate is as they needed the calcium, they are smart like that!

 

[Katherine]

Katherine did they not anihilate is as they needed the calcium, they are smart like that!

I don't think so... They're all healthy active adults that get calcium in their diet as well as a regular supplement plus they get some mazuri as a supplement. I suppose anything is possible but I just can't imagine them "needing" to eat a whole cuttlebone; pretty sure they are just gluttonous!