OliveW
Well-Known Member
Sorry, kids, I know I just posted another thread, but didn't want to put this on the same subject line.
As I've mentioned before, I've wanted a tortoise my entire life but I always assumed it would be a very one sided relationship. While I enjoy all turtles and tortoises very much, I thought it would just be me enjoying watching them and the tortoise just existing in my world.
I'm extremely stunned and happy by how smart and interactive our Sulcata is! He is far from a living rock! He shows extreme intelligence and memory skills, and clearly knows who my husband and I are and differentiates us from others. His interactions with us are not reward based, as he is mostly a grazer. He really just likes us! It's so cool to realize.
We take him on walks every day, but usually carry him to parts of the property we want him to walk in. He doesn't mind being carried at all. He actually seems to enjoy it as long as he's held up to our body, level, and feels secure. He likes to just look at the scenery. If we pass his favorite grazing spots, he will start flailing wildly to get down. He is so smart! It's not like we are talking about a suburban back yard, or small space. We have many acres and take him over a very large area to graze and explore. He flails around as if to say, "Hey, that's my stop!" and if we pass it and put him down, he will turn around and run back to where he wanted to be. He's so cute! 🥰😘
Of course he knows where the wild grapes fall, and tries to sneak into that area. He KNOWS he's not allowed to eat those so he will walk all nonchalantly past it, and then when he thinks we are caught off guard, he stick his legs out as far as they go and RUN to the fallen grapes to gobble as fast as he can. 🤣😂 He loves the clover patches as well, and we let him graze there as long as he wants to.
Yesterday evening, for the first time, he followed me. Usually I follow him. We had him out walking/grazing and I told my husband to keep an eye on him while I went to get his tub ready for his soak. My husband yelled to me that he was following me, and I looked back and he sure was! He caught up with me and followed me all the way back to the house.
As I've mentioned before, I've wanted a tortoise my entire life but I always assumed it would be a very one sided relationship. While I enjoy all turtles and tortoises very much, I thought it would just be me enjoying watching them and the tortoise just existing in my world.
I'm extremely stunned and happy by how smart and interactive our Sulcata is! He is far from a living rock! He shows extreme intelligence and memory skills, and clearly knows who my husband and I are and differentiates us from others. His interactions with us are not reward based, as he is mostly a grazer. He really just likes us! It's so cool to realize.
We take him on walks every day, but usually carry him to parts of the property we want him to walk in. He doesn't mind being carried at all. He actually seems to enjoy it as long as he's held up to our body, level, and feels secure. He likes to just look at the scenery. If we pass his favorite grazing spots, he will start flailing wildly to get down. He is so smart! It's not like we are talking about a suburban back yard, or small space. We have many acres and take him over a very large area to graze and explore. He flails around as if to say, "Hey, that's my stop!" and if we pass it and put him down, he will turn around and run back to where he wanted to be. He's so cute! 🥰😘
Of course he knows where the wild grapes fall, and tries to sneak into that area. He KNOWS he's not allowed to eat those so he will walk all nonchalantly past it, and then when he thinks we are caught off guard, he stick his legs out as far as they go and RUN to the fallen grapes to gobble as fast as he can. 🤣😂 He loves the clover patches as well, and we let him graze there as long as he wants to.
Yesterday evening, for the first time, he followed me. Usually I follow him. We had him out walking/grazing and I told my husband to keep an eye on him while I went to get his tub ready for his soak. My husband yelled to me that he was following me, and I looked back and he sure was! He caught up with me and followed me all the way back to the house.
