Personality

[Jay Bagley]

I've read many threads about how Sulcata tortoises can have great personalities and be sociable with their keepers. I'm seeing a lot of YouTube videos as well where they demonstrate great personality. My sulcata Sheldon, whenever I touch him he always sucks his head into his shell with a loud hiss. Whenever my hand is in his enclosure, he walks up to it and almost always retracts his head and bulldozes himself into my hand. I was just wondering from anybody who has raised them from hatchling to adulthood, if their personalities change as they get older. Do they get more personable and friendlier as they get older? I'm sure every tortoise has his own personality, I'm just hoping Sheldon's demeanor isn't always going to be so grumpy.

 

[Big Charlie]

Yes, they get more friendly as they get older. Being grumpy when they are small is standard. It is still important to interact with them every day so they get used to you. And giving them treats helps them see you as the food god. Charlie becomes friendlier in the summer when he is out more and I spend more time out with him. He will still startle and pull his head in if I approach too quickly. He is never going to be as friendly as a dog.

I'd say he is more curious than friendly, and more interested in whether I have any treats than in spending time with me.

 

[Jay Bagley]

Yes, they get more friendly as they get older. Being grumpy when they are small is standard. It is still important to interact with them every day so they get used to you. And giving them treats helps them see you as the food god. Charlie becomes friendlier in the summer when he is out more and I spend more time out with him. He will still startle and pull his head in if I approach too quickly. He is never going to be as friendly as a dog.

I'd say he is more curious than friendly, and more interested in whether I have any treats than in spending time with me.

Thanks for the reply Big Charlie. That's good to know they get friendlier. We have some good days and we have some bad days together lol. He seems to get most agitated about his food dish. As soon as he notices my hand is going in to pick up his dish, and any remnants of food he first comes in to investigate. Sometimes he will just do a circle around my hand, other times he gains momentum and goes in for the charge. Every pound heavier he gets, I can feel it. He will take treats from my hands sometimes, but sometimes in the middle of chewing he'll do a surprise sneak attack. I will definitely continue to socialize myself with him and hopefully sooner rather than later he will come to realize I don't want to eat him.

 

[wellington]

Just keep in mind, they all will not get friendlier and may always want too ram you. Luckily they can't move as fast as you can.

 

[Tom]

I find that most of them get significantly bolder and less defensive at around 14".

The vast majority of large sulcatas are bold curious and friendly. I can't say that I've ever seen one that was aggressive toward people. I won't say that its impossible or doesn't exist, but it would be very unusual. Male Testudo, Gopherus, or SA leopards… well that's a different story.

 

[Jay Bagley]

I find that most of them get significantly bolder and less defensive at around 14".

The vast majority of large sulcatas are bold curious and friendly. I can't say that I've ever seen one that was aggressive toward people. I won't say that its impossible or doesn't exist, but it would be very unusual. Male Testudo, Gopherus, or SA leopards… well that's a different story.

That sounds good to me, he's right around 10 inches long right now and just under 6 lb. It seems to be just my hand he dislikes. It's kind of comical in a way to see him zero in on it like he does. I didn't know maybe if he thought it was possibly another tortoise invading his territory. I'm very much looking forward to the bold friendly stage

 

[Jay Bagley]

Just keep in mind, they all will not get friendlier and may always want too ram you. Luckily they can't move as fast as you can.

I'm very happy for that, I hope I can always outrun the mini bulldozer.

 

[vladimir]

@Jay Bagley have you gotten to get Sheldon outside much since you got him back? Or is this going to be your first outside season with him?

Vladimir was a bit more shy in the beginning, but definitely adjusted to being around us. We got Vlad in March of last year, and we were able to get a LOT of outside time with him over the spring and summer months. I suspect that that had something to do with him being less skittish.

The one time I did get him really angry was when I went to upgrade the flower pot he slept in. I bought him the next size up and went to swap it out, and he came charging across his enclosure, tucked his head in, and pushed my hand up against the wall so I couldn't get to his pot to remove it. I had to move him across the enclosure, and he came charging back at me again.

The old pot:


He was very possessive of it:


After a third attempt I was able to get the new one installed. You can see how much more room it gave him:



He's outgrown that by now though and is on to a huge terracotta pot. I've since learned to swap pots when he is NOT in the enclosure

Anyway, I suspect a combination of feeding him treats after his soaks and taking him outside for marches and grazing helped him relax and be more comfortable. He also grew a lot in that time as well.

 

[Jay Bagley]

@Jay Bagley have you gotten to get Sheldon outside much since you got him back? Or is this going to be your first outside season with him?

Vladimir was a bit more shy in the beginning, but definitely adjusted to being around us. We got Vlad in March of last year, and we were able to get a LOT of outside time with him over the spring and summer months. I suspect that that had something to do with him being less skittish.

The one time I did get him really angry was when I went to upgrade the flower pot he slept in. I bought him the next size up and went to swap it out, and he came charging across his enclosure, tucked his head in, and pushed my hand up against the wall so I couldn't get to his pot to remove it. I had to move him across the enclosure, and he came charging back at me again.

The old pot:
View attachment 236319

He was very possessive of it:
View attachment 236320

After a third attempt I was able to get the new one installed. You can see how much more room it gave him:

View attachment 236321

He's outgrown that by now though and is on to a huge terracotta pot. I've since learned to swap pots when he is NOT in the enclosure

Anyway, I suspect a combination of feeding him treats after his soaks and taking him outside for marches and grazing helped him relax and be more comfortable. He also grew a lot in that time as well.

Hey, to be honest I've only had him outside a total of 5 times I believe. I got him back in October, and luckily we did have a few nice days here in Michigan I was able to take advantage of. It's been a unseasonable cold spring thus far. It's in the thirties right now, and I still have snow outside from this weekend's ice / snow storm. As soon as it does warm up I am anticipating many many field trips outside for him. I know when he was with my ex, it's pretty busy over there so I don't think he got a lot of extra attention. And I know he wasn't brought outside over there in his two and a half years. Vladimir is a good-looking tortoise by the way, love the flower pot photo.

 

[Bee62]

Hi Jay, as you might know I am raising 4 sulcatas. I got all as hatchlings. The biggest one of them, my "Leo" is very friendly. He let me rub his head thought he shows me that it is not necessary ( for him ) that I do that. My little one "Shari" react nearly the same as Leo. My other two sullies " Mathilda" and "Valentine" react like your tort.
When I put my hand slowly in front of them, they both are hissing and retracting in their shells. When I try to rub their legs they both go towards to my hand. Not nice.
I hope that these both someday learn that I am not the enemy or predator. From my point of view I can say that my 4 sullies have different personalities. My big "Leo" is the friendliest of them all.

 

[Jay Bagley]

Hi Jay, as you might know I am raising 4 sulcatas. I got all as hatchlings. The biggest one of them, my "Leo" is very friendly. He let me rub his head thought he shows me that it is not necessary ( for him ) that I do that. My little one "Shari" react nearly the same as Leo. My other two sullies " Mathilda" and "Valentine" react like your tort.
When I put my hand slowly in front of them, they both are hissing and retracting in their shells. When I try to rub their legs they both go towards to my hand. Not nice.
I hope that these both someday learn that I am not the enemy or predator. From my point of view I can say that my 4 sullies have different personalities. My big "Leo" is the friendliest of them all.

Hello Sabine(I hope I got that right[emoji4]) 4 sulcatas, you are a brave woman lol. That would be exciting, four different tortoises and four different personalities. That would be quite the adventure to see how their personalities mature, and how they differ from one another as they grow.

 

[wellington]

Don't take the head withdraw as not being friendly. It's more of a startle/let me make sure it's safe kinda reaction I think. I have two babies and three adults leopards that are very friendly. Will come right over too me for pets or will leave their heads out when I am being a nuisance to them kissing them, the babies, mostly. They will all still withdraw their heads. It's more if they leave it in or pop it back out quickly. The friendly ones pop their heads back out quickly. My not so friendly ones don't.

 

[Bee62]

Hello Sabine(I hope I got that right[emoji4]) 4 sulcatas, you are a brave woman lol. That would be exciting, four different tortoises and four different personalities. That would be quite the adventure to see how their personalities mature, and how they differ from one another as they grow.

Yepp, Sabine is right.
Why brave ? I love big animals. Have had horses...
Yes, it is exciting to see the development of these 4 torts and it is scary how fast they grow and they are already different.

 

[Jay Bagley]

Yepp, Sabine is right.
Why brave ? I love big animals. Have had horses...
Yes, it is exciting to see the development of these 4 torts and it is scary how fast they grow and they are already different.

Very true very true, it is scary how much they grow. When I said brave, I truly meant it as a compliment. Since I'm more of a rookie at this, I picture this soon-to-be 100 lb mini mountain stomping around my yard and sometimes I get mildly intimidated. So when I hear people having multiple sulcatas, I have a lot of respect for them. I've seen pictures of your tortoises, you can tell the care they receive is first class.