- Joined
- May 18, 2012
- Messages
- 1
Hi everybody,
I'm new to this forum but really needed some advice, so hopefully you will be able to help me!
I got a Russian tortoise 2 years ago as a present, I was told it was a male, and he was 5 years old at the time.
I've really enjoyed having him, he's got a large house but I always let him out for a run and he loves having a run around the house (he's VERY fast!!)
But the last few months it's like having a different animal. He's constantly aggressive, if I go anywhere near him he opens his mouth and literally charges at me. I don't feed him by hand, but he's taken chunks out my hand when I go to take him out his house or put his food bowl in there. He bites everything he can, but he seems to really go for my flesh and now chases my feet as well.
Also, I know tortoises and dogs shouldn't mix, but when I'm at my parents house and I let him out they have a bulldog in the house. She's VERY old and doesn't take any notice of him, but he even charges at her now and bites her and she's petrified of him.
I'm thinking it's a territory/dominance or possibly mating thing. But I have limited space, and I've tried moving his house around to give him something new to explore but it hasn't worked, and getting another tortoise for a mate is really not an option.
I was hoping it was just a faze, but its been months and it's really getting me down down because he doesn't bring me any joy any more and I'm scared to let him out. Then if I don't let him out, he just charges and scratches the sides of his own house, so I don't think he can be very happy either.
I don't know what to do!
Lizzie x
I'm new to this forum but really needed some advice, so hopefully you will be able to help me!
I got a Russian tortoise 2 years ago as a present, I was told it was a male, and he was 5 years old at the time.
I've really enjoyed having him, he's got a large house but I always let him out for a run and he loves having a run around the house (he's VERY fast!!)
But the last few months it's like having a different animal. He's constantly aggressive, if I go anywhere near him he opens his mouth and literally charges at me. I don't feed him by hand, but he's taken chunks out my hand when I go to take him out his house or put his food bowl in there. He bites everything he can, but he seems to really go for my flesh and now chases my feet as well.
Also, I know tortoises and dogs shouldn't mix, but when I'm at my parents house and I let him out they have a bulldog in the house. She's VERY old and doesn't take any notice of him, but he even charges at her now and bites her and she's petrified of him.
I'm thinking it's a territory/dominance or possibly mating thing. But I have limited space, and I've tried moving his house around to give him something new to explore but it hasn't worked, and getting another tortoise for a mate is really not an option.
I was hoping it was just a faze, but its been months and it's really getting me down down because he doesn't bring me any joy any more and I'm scared to let him out. Then if I don't let him out, he just charges and scratches the sides of his own house, so I don't think he can be very happy either.
I don't know what to do!
Lizzie x