Shell scratches

[Tim Carlisle]

As a career animal behaviorist, it seems pretty obvious to me that the "kabuki dance" thing is the tortoise showing annoyance at the least. Kind of like when you grab a male frog or toad around the waist and they start croaking. They are telling you: "Hey dummy! I'm not a female, Get OFF me!"

I've yet to see a tortoise walk up and "ask" for a scratch like that, or stick around for one after it happens.

I'll admit right up front that I could be wrong about this, but one of my early mentors told to to always trust your gut. Him following that advice is how he avoided being eaten by big cats or dismembered by large apes. My gut tells me that those tortoises flinging themselves side to side don't like what you are doing. That sort of flailing in any other reptile is usually a predator escape mechanism.

That was my impression as well, but difficult to say for sure. None of my turtles/torts seem to appreciate and appear rather apprehensive about the ordeal. Others I've seen "appear" to really be into it (from a human perspective). Be nice if they would teach chelonian psychology in college. lol

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

With turtles I have seen videos where they go to spot to scratch themselves on purpose. The common explanation is that they are shedding scutes. Would they return to these same spots if they were uncomfortable? Is this different on tortoises versus turtles?

Here is one example:

 

[Tim Carlisle]

With turtles I have seen videos where they go to spot to scratch themselves on purpose. The common explanation is that they are shedding scutes. Would they return to these same spots if they were uncomfortable? Is this different on tortoises versus turtles?

Here is one example:

Hmmm. The plot thickens.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

I have also seen these scratching posts made for tortoises? If they don't like it, wouldn't they avoid it?

 

[wellington]

With turtles I have seen videos where they go to spot to scratch themselves on purpose. The common explanation is that they are shedding scutes. Would they return to these same spots if they were uncomfortable? Is this different on tortoises versus turtles?

Here is one example:

Not sure you can compare sea turtles with tortoises or even fresh water turtles.
All very different living conditions and species.

 

[Tom]

With turtles I have seen videos where they go to spot to scratch themselves on purpose. The common explanation is that they are shedding scutes. Would they return to these same spots if they were uncomfortable? Is this different on tortoises versus turtles?

Here is one example:

A male frog that gets grab by another male frog and be described as uncomfortable. Does that male leave the area and never return, or is there something else drawing him in that over rides the discomfort level?

Also, self-scratching is different than a person reaching down and scratching a tortoise.

 

[ryan57]

That's what I'm trying to differentiate here. Is it pleasure or is it defensive?

I read defensive and more aggressively by males that can't see behind themselves for obvious reasons. I have watched mine use the serrated scutes toward the rear to actually cut vegetation that is hindering his movement through tall and thick brush so the sensation must lead to that back and forth motion in most all circumstances.

 

[Spathologist]

Mine enjoys them. She’ll come stomping straight to me for scritches and spin in circles as I lightly scratch her shell, sometimes for ten or fifteen minutes. When she’s had enough she sprints off, like scratching her shell charged her batteries.

 

[Renee_H]

Alright, serious question here. Do tortoises really like shell scratches? I see videos all the time of sulcatas doing a kabuki dance when someone scratches their shell. Is this something they actually enjoy?

I’ve never scratched my girls shell. That said typically after I feed her I find a spot to sit within her enclosure and most days after she’s done eating she walks over and lays down next to me and I rub her shell. I choose to assume she likes it because she stretches out all four limbs and often closes her eyes and maybe sleeps? She will typically hang out like this for a good 15min and then get up and walk away to her favorite hiding spot and go to sleep. lol.

 

[MythrilDelight]

Mine doesn't do the "dance"and he hates being brushed while soaking. When I tried to brush loose ticks of him in his soaking tub he would try to run away. He also hates any kind of petting almost always. Sometimes he likes under the neck scratches, but again not every time.

Once he did kinda dance when passing under a stick, but I am not sure.

I don't know whether this is a personality thing or is there difference between WC versus CB animals.

Bubba will do the butt wiggle dance when you give him scratches! My kiddo thinks it’s hilarious. I have a video of it too! He had just had a bath in this video and I had finished drying him when he ran over to her. He gets up pretty high on his back legs haha.
(Notice her toes are tucked? Yea he has a thing for biting toes )

He loves being scratched with a soft toothbrush but he really likes the ones with the mixed ones with the rubber bristles

Sometimes he will turn his body to move her hand to a spot he wants scratched or lean into the scratches. I think it’s just like us asking for a back scratch. I personally say, If he didn’t like it, he would walk away or try to bite.

Behaviourally, I don’t see animals of any kind sticking around or not giving warning signs of discontent if you’re doing something they don’t enjoy. Cats will swat your hand or whip their tail, dogs will growl or move away. Even bearded dragons will swat your hand away or simple move. I can’t see a tortoise being any different.

 

[TammyJ]

Some like it sometimes. Some hate it sometimes. Some like it all the time. Some...

 

[TammyJ]

Some like it sometimes. Some hate it sometimes. Some like it all the time. Some...

OK Tammy. We get the point.