how to get tortoise to like you??

[25 lemons]

i recently adopted a 8 year old tortoise and he is very timidi spend about 20 mins with him every day any tips to make him more friendly (he won't even eat from my hand)

 

[Fish Breath]

Looks like you’ve got a salty guy

 

[Yvonne G]

He'll come around once he has claimed his new territory. May take a while.

 

[Fish Breath]

Looks like you’ve got a salty guy

Actually, 20 minutes a day to truest make him give in isn’t enough. If he’s small enough, go and sit down on a couch or so, SLOWLY stroking his shell until his head comes out, SLOWLY moving you hand on his head and then stroking that too. Also try shell rubs.

 

[25 lemons]

Actually, 20 minutes a day to truest make him give in isn’t enough. If he’s small enough, go and sit down on a couch or so, SLOWLY stroking his shell until his head comes out, SLOWLY moving you hand on his head and then stroking that too. Also try shell rubs.

I do that he does like his shell being scratched

 

[LasTortugasNinja]

How recent is "recently adopted"? Torts can take 2 months or more to get used to new surroundings and keepers. Also, reptiles don't have the capacity to form emotional connections and "like" you. That part of the brain is simply not developed in reptiles. At most, you'll only achieve the status of "The thing that brings me food." or "The warm thing I can absorb heat from".

Just mild interactions during its baths and while in it's enclosure and it will slowly acclimate to you and not see you as a threat. Do not bother it while eating. Feeding from hand has no benefits for the tort and puts you at risk for a nasty nip. Reptiles harbor all sorts of bacteria in their mouths that can cause nasty inflammation and illness in humans.

 

[Fish Breath]

I do that he does like his shell being scratched

How about rubbed? Preferably the back? If it’s a big tort then use a brush and if it’s small use your hands

 

[Fish Breath]

How recent is "recently adopted"? Torts can take 2 months or more to get used to new surroundings and keepers. Also, reptiles don't have the capacity to form emotional connections and "like" you. That part of the brain is simply not developed in reptiles. At most, you'll only achieve the status of "The thing that brings me food." or "The warm thing I can absorb heat from".

Just mild interactions during its baths and while in it's enclosure and it will slowly acclimate to you and not see you as a threat. Do not bother it while eating. Feeding from hand has no benefits for the tort and puts you at risk for a nasty nip. Reptiles harbor all sorts of bacteria in their mouths that can cause nasty inflammation and illness in humans.

So wait kissing them isn’t ok? Especially in the mouth?...I might need to go to the hospital now

 

[25 lemons]

How recent is "recently adopted"? Torts can take 2 months or more to get used to new surroundings and keepers. Also, reptiles don't have the capacity to form emotional connections and "like" you. That part of the brain is simply not developed in reptiles. At most, you'll only achieve the status of "The thing that brings me food." or "The warm thing I can absorb heat from".

Just mild interactions during its baths and while in it's enclosure and it will slowly acclimate to you and not see you as a threat. Do not bother it while eating. Feeding from hand has no benefits for the tort and puts you at risk for a nasty nip. Reptiles harbor all sorts of bacteria in their mouths that can cause nasty inflammation and illness in humans.

about a month

 

[Erisna]

I’m definitely no tortoise expert, but with small animals I think the usual thing is to just spend a lot of time with them so they accept you as part of their world and something that isn’t going to hurt them.

If the enclosure is large enough for you to sit in it, maybe just pick a nice day when you have little to do, take a book (or entertainment of your choice) and park yourself there for a few hours while ignoring your tort: don’t look at him, don’t talk to him, just read your book and let him go about his business. Keep doing this as often as you can and his attitude might change from “oh there’s something that could be scary!!” To “oh yeah that big animal is here again. NBD.“ When he starts chilling out he might come to investigate you, and then you can try touching him or hand feeding some tort safe foods?

That’s how I got a stray domestic rabbit I found running wild in our neighborhood to trust me after I caught him; I literally laid on the floor and ignored him until he decided to initiate contact. He eventually became the sweetest most affectionate bun, I’m still sad I couldn’t keep him.

 

[Fish Breath]

I’m definitely no tortoise expert, but with small animals I think the usual thing is to just spend a lot of time with them so they accept you as part of their world and something that isn’t going to hurt them.

If the enclosure is large enough for you to sit in it, maybe just pick a nice day when you have little to do, take a book (or entertainment of your choice) and park yourself there for a few hours while ignoring your tort: don’t look at him, don’t talk to him, just read your book and let him go about his business. Keep doing this as often as you can and his attitude might change from “oh there’s something that could be scary!!” To “oh yeah that big animal is here again. NBD.“ When he starts chilling out he might come to investigate you, and then you can try touching him or hand feeding some tort safe foods?

That’s how I got a stray domestic rabbit I found running wild in our neighborhood to trust me after I caught him; I literally laid on the floor and ignored him until he decided to initiate contact. He eventually became the sweetest most affectionate bun, I’m still sad I couldn’t keep him.

Of course what you said is true, but this isn’t any ordinary animal. Tortoises are quite hard to get them to like you, the easiest being a red footed tortoise, and the hardest- a russian tortoise. That’s why I posted this, and it’s interesting how that rabbit was tamed, but I’m just investigating RTs for now, in case taming them is possible. I’ll try your method for 10 hours straight, by putting my entire hand inside of the enclosure. Thanks for the advice!

 

[KBeam]

i recently adopted a 8 year old tortoise and he is very timidi spend about 20 mins with him every day any tips to make him more friendly (he won't even eat from my hand)



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For adults, I think it helps to keep them somewhere they can hear your voice and the noises of the household. I took in an adult ornate bt and I would talk with her every time I walked by her cage and gave her a few strokes on the shell. After about 6 months she will come out and see what I’m doing. In the picture it looks like her beak might be a little long, which might be uncomfortable. A vet can grind that down and then feed her on slate or terra cotta and that will keep it trim.

 

[LasTortugasNinja]

For adults, I think it helps to keep them somewhere they can hear your voice and the noises of the household. I took in an adult ornate bt and I would talk with her every time I walked by her cage and gave her a few strokes on the shell. After about 6 months she will come out and see what I’m doing. In the picture it looks like her beak might be a little long, which might be uncomfortable. A vet can grind that down and then feed her on slate or terra cotta and that will keep it trim.

Torts and turtles don't hear airborne sounds very well, especially in the ranges of typical human speech. Their ears work similar to snakes... The ear is blocked by a membrane that blocks most sounds. They feel vibrations and low frequency (animals nearby that might step on them, or something coming down their burrow to eat them, etc) ... so if you like thumping bass rap music, it probably spooks the tort.

 

[Chubbs the tegu]

Get him drunk. ?

 

[KronksMom]

My tort took to me right away. So much so that I thought he was actually really friendly and the pet store lady was just trying to play me. But it turns out he actually doesn't let just anyone touch him all over his face the first time meeting him. But one thing that my husband credits to our bond is the fact that I talk to him like a human being. I sit down outside his enclosure, sometimes for hours at a time, and just tell him about my day, or whatever's going on in the world. He may not hear the same way we do, but he definitely recognizes my voice, and he often comes out of his bed room if he hears me talking. So in my opinion, talking to them can help them to get used to you. And it shows them that you are interested in them. Even if they don't understand why the giant food bringer just sits there and makes noise at them, they'll understand that this is a part of the deal you guys have and you're nothing to be frightened of.

 

[evansmom]

i recently adopted a 8 year old tortoise and he is very timidi spend about 20 mins with him every day any tips to make him more friendly (he won't even eat from my hand)



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Just give him some time to adapt to his new environment. Tortoises aren't very interactive to say the least, but they do get used to you eventually. I talk to our tortoise whenever I handle him and stroke him very lightly on his head when it is out of his shell. He seems to like that . Sometimes when it is cold in the house, I will sit with him quietly on my chest near my heart to warm up and he puts up with that for a while too. Just be patient.

 

[Calaveras]

This guy is lucky you were there to care for him.
Could you provide a picture of the head in profile? I am concerned that the beak is overgrown. It seems common and there are lots of topics on how to work on that.

 

[William Lee Kohler]

So wait kissing them isn’t ok? Especially in the mouth?...I might need to go to the hospital now

This is good . They like a little bite of tongue to help them bond with you.?