Male female sulcata personality?

Reptilony

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I heard many times that males sulcatas are more outgoing and less shy. What does that mean? Does females hide all the time and males roam around? Are they less active? Or is it more like they won't tolerate as much being touched etc? Id'like to get your experience on the matter. Thanks
 

Reptilony

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Does anyone have a male and female sulcata and notice any difference in behavior?
 

Tom

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In general, males are more bold, inquisitive and outgoing. My females aren't fearful, but they do seem to be less curious or inclined to come see what I'm doing in their enclosure.

Males will also fight another male to the death once mature, where females usually get along and show no aggression.

Exceptions to these broad generalities abound. I have one female, Daisy, who wants to kill any new or smaller tortoise she finds in her territory. Interestingly, to me, Daisy's father was a tortoise assassin. He killed three other males before the dumb owner finally realized he needed to live alone. Daisy is also more apt to approach me and beg for food than the other females. I've seen shy males and bold females too.
 

Reptilony

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Wow thank you that's exactly what kind of input I wanted! You can only know that with experience. I guess the males go see what's up in their enclosure more often because they are simply more territorial? Also bigger so more confidence? Daisy's got killer blood in her!
 

Tom

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I don't think size has anything to do with it. They are all usually pretty similar in temperament and personality as juveniles. It is when they begin nearing maturity and the hormones begin flowing that these differences become more pronounced.
 

TriciaStringer

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Our male always gets in the way when we are doing things. He comes out to see anyone that enters his yard. We have a 2 yo that was incubated for female, but I have no idea. She freezes anytime I enter her yard and hides in the tall grass. I try not to go near her yard if she is grazing because she will stop and go back to her tall grass and hide. She will stay in one spot for ten minutes after I put her food on her stone before she will cautiously start making her way towards it. Who knows, she may just end up being a timid male. We’ve only had her five months.
 

Reptilony

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Our male always gets in the way when we are doing things. He comes out to see anyone that enters his yard. We have a 2 yo that was incubated for female, but I have no idea. She freezes anytime I enter her yard and hides in the tall grass. I try not to go near her yard if she is grazing because she will stop and go back to her tall grass and hide. She will stay in one spot for ten minutes after I put her food on her stone before she will cautiously start making her way towards it. Who knows, she may just end up being a timid male. We’ve only had her five months.
Maybe she is still too young to be confident, how much does she weigh? How old is the male?
 

jojay327

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I would imagine the interaction the tortoise has had during it's lifetime would have an impact on behavior. Our male has always been treated very much like a member of the family his behavior is almost dog like. He has been hand fed with treats every day and loves head and neck rubs. I guess what I'm saying is the more you interact the more they have to. Or maybe I'm just lucky and have a friendly one.
 

TriciaStringer

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I would imagine the interaction the tortoise has had during it's lifetime would have an impact on behavior. Our male has always been treated very much like a member of the family his behavior is almost dog like. He has been hand fed with treats every day and loves head and neck rubs. I guess what I'm saying is the more you interact the more they have to. Or maybe I'm just lucky and have a friendly one.
The previous owner did say they didn’t give her much attention. I try to hand feed her every day. I also talk to her all the time.
 

Reptilony

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I would imagine the interaction the tortoise has had during it's lifetime would have an impact on behavior. Our male has always been treated very much like a member of the family his behavior is almost dog like. He has been hand fed with treats every day and loves head and neck rubs. I guess what I'm saying is the more you interact the more they have to. Or maybe I'm just lucky and have a friendly one.
From what age did you start handfeeding? Because there's no way I could handfeed my baby now.
 

EllieMay

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How do you do it with a baby? After a soak? Do you have to wait a really long time for it to come to your hand?

My babies will eat from my hand. Try to start by holding something the like just a few inches in front of them. Usually they will come get it.... something colorful maybe?
 

Reptilony

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Ok i’ll try, maybe if I find red endives or maybe the sweet smell of mazuri will do. The thing is when I put my hand in the enclosure she go away and hide.
 

Beasty_Artemis

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I've been feeding my red foot by hand since she was a hatching. And she is super friendly and curious. Now she follows me around expecting treats! She also likes to come over and then sit for some shell petting.
 

Tom

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I would imagine the interaction the tortoise has had during it's lifetime would have an impact on behavior. Our male has always been treated very much like a member of the family his behavior is almost dog like. He has been hand fed with treats every day and loves head and neck rubs. I guess what I'm saying is the more you interact the more they have to. Or maybe I'm just lucky and have a friendly one.
I think you have a typical male sulcata. Most all of them are friendly like this. Interaction and time spent is certainly a factor, but most of them are just outgoing and bold. I think sulcatas have the best personality of any tortoises species. RFs are similar from what little I've seen and Desert tortoises are a close second. Some male DTs get excessively territorial and aggressive toward people, where I've never seen a male sulcata go that way. Sulcatas are bold and gregarious, but never aggressive toward their people. They'll try to kill another male sulcata, but not usually people.
 

Tom

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what are your thoughts about leopards personalities?
Regular leopards tend to be shy. SA leopards tend to be bold and fearless. Adult male SA leopards can be aggressive territorial jerks, but I still love them. Most leopards in this country are a mix of all these genetics, so it can go either way with "regular" leopards.
 
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