Does anyone think feeding torts by hand is a problem? Any opinion? By hand feeding I mean severing them with my hand like this:
My tort seems to accept it.... Thanks in advance
My tort seems to accept it.... Thanks in advance
Hand feeding
- Thread starter Abdulla6169
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tortoisetime565
Well-Known Member
I have hand fed but they eat so slow so I choose not to. Lol
He accidentally bit my finger which made me freak out a little.... Tortoises should NOT be able to bite that hard
Problems? a few.
They tend to get spoiled and only want to be hand fed.
Sometimes they start associating our hand with food, and bite ( sharp beaks and all). I don't encourage, but you need to make your own choice.
They tend to get spoiled and only want to be hand fed.
Sometimes they start associating our hand with food, and bite ( sharp beaks and all). I don't encourage, but you need to make your own choice.
My friend used to have a tort that liked to be hand fed... It used to follow him everywhere, I think that's why I want to hand feed.
Do you think they will eat if they are not hand fed? I'm traveling in a while (Switzerland/Germany) so that's a point of concern.
zaroba
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I don't see a problem with occasional hand feeding.
It can make for some nice photos.
It can make for some nice photos.
Love this picI don't see a problem with occasional hand feeding.
It can make for some nice photos.
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I give my tortoises treats by hand .
M
Maggie Cummings
Guest
I have a 150 pound Sulcata named Bob. I used to hand feed him all the time. Then one day he went after my empty hand when I wasn't paying attention and he bit me, and he bit me hard and because he wanted what he thought was food he did not let go. That was 6 or 7 stitches. If a small child goes in to see Bob he thinks they should have food so he goes after their hands. Painted toenails are strawberries and he'll go after them. I believe Bob is smarter then the average Sulcata and much more socialized, but he will bite, magically expecting food to show up I think. He has bitten me badly several times, a kid could not handle the bites that he has done to me...so I firmly believe hand feeding large tortoises is a very bad thing. I use tongs now and they work great.
My advice is to not start hand feeding, it teaches them bad things...
My advice is to not start hand feeding, it teaches them bad things...
Treats only. I believe that they need to forage for food on their own. Just my opinion. And yes, I have been bitten more than once. I think that my tortoise knows it's my hand and tries very hard to avoid biting me. Or else he knows it's my hand and doesn't like the taste of it so he avoids it. I do sometimes feed by hand when I am introducing new foods to him. Usuallt that means I am tricking him into eating something he is not familiar with.
I have a Greek, but this is helpful for large tort owners
Kitkat1989
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I think it's better to let them find their food as it gives them something to do. I luckily have never been bit (yet) as Walt won't take food from my hands however it's not something I would start again as my beardie gets lazy and won't hunt for his food
I think as an always feeding by hand thing its not such a great thing, but I don't see huge problems doing it on occasion (I have a Russian tortoise though so I speak for small species I guess)
I only feed by hand when I'm trying to get a nice picture or for the occasional treat. The only time I've actually been bit was when I was holding a little cherry tomato in place for him and he got excited and missed.
I think all tortoises will see painted fingernails and toes in a color that looks yummy as food. Once I had franklin on my chest watching a movie (we do that sometimes) and he saw my orange painted nails and tried to nibble them, but not with like actual biting force, I think he was just trying to "sample" the weird new thing in front of him.
Sometimes when my mum finds a dandelion flower she'll hold it out to him to eat, and she doesn't like touching him (not a reptile fan! but she loves to watch him )
I only feed by hand when I'm trying to get a nice picture or for the occasional treat. The only time I've actually been bit was when I was holding a little cherry tomato in place for him and he got excited and missed.
I think all tortoises will see painted fingernails and toes in a color that looks yummy as food. Once I had franklin on my chest watching a movie (we do that sometimes) and he saw my orange painted nails and tried to nibble them, but not with like actual biting force, I think he was just trying to "sample" the weird new thing in front of him.
Sometimes when my mum finds a dandelion flower she'll hold it out to him to eat, and she doesn't like touching him (not a reptile fan! but she loves to watch him
)
I really don't have a choice. My salcata has MBD, and can't stretch her neck out long enough to reach grass and weeds. You should see her trying to grab a hold of larger blades of grass and weeds. It's heartbreaking. So, I feed her everyday. She sometimes bites me thinking its food, and it really hurts. She has what I call a snaggle tooth since she can't wear it down and if caugh, she can put a hurting on you. Anyways, the other monster boys I have see me feeding and singing to her, they too want to be hand fed. It takes me 1 1/2 hours to feed the three I have. I let them go out to fend for themselves, though. If I didn't have to, I wouldn't hand feed them at all. They have to learn to find and feed themselves.
Hand feeding will give them a positive association with people. This can have good and bad consequences, as has been pointed out. Personally I like to do it with all species and ages, but I seldom have time to do it often. I find it a great way to have guests interact with tortoises and I have won over many people this way who thought tortoises were "boring" prior to their happy hand feeding experience. I always use long pieces of food and instruct the people when to let go.
I've never had one refuse to eat on their own after hand feeding sessions.
I've never had one refuse to eat on their own after hand feeding sessions.
I think it's a good practice if done moderately. I like to do it because they get accustomed to being in close proximity to me and other people, which makes it easier to examine them. I don't do this very often and have not heard of any specific instances where a tortoise refused to forage on its own because it had been hand fed too much, but as with any specific point of best practice, some variation should be made within reason.
The only side effect I have noted is that they come to expect to be hand fed when they see you. If they're grazing, mating, resting, whatever...once they see you, they'll stop whatever it is and follow you around until you give them something to eat. That could be good and bad.
The only side effect I have noted is that they come to expect to be hand fed when they see you. If they're grazing, mating, resting, whatever...once they see you, they'll stop whatever it is and follow you around until you give them something to eat. That could be good and bad.
Like Tom and Neal, I think it's fine in moderation as a great way to socialize them a little.
I think though, that if my Littlefoot was capable of laughing, he would laugh in my face whenever I tried to hand feed him. He just looks at me like, "What are you doing? Put my food down, human!"
I think though, that if my Littlefoot was capable of laughing, he would laugh in my face whenever I tried to hand feed him. He just looks at me like, "What are you doing? Put my food down, human!"
Thanks, all these replies are very helpful
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