shy when drinking

[pdrobber]

My girl Tori's urates have been less gritty now that I have added a water bowl she can sit in/drink from. She always comes out of her hide when she hears me when I've returned home or wake up in the morning and she will eat greens I'm holding in front of her. I can pet her head and neck but when it comes to her drinking from her water bowl, she will not do it when I'm watching...it's strange really. I tried peeking over the top into the enclosure when I saw her lowering her head/climbing in to see her take a sip but she turned her head, saw me, and climbed right out. Anyone else notice their Russians being shy at certain times?

 

[Yourlocalpoet]

Ha, aww bless. My leopard used to do that when she was younger but now she doesn't seem to care.

 

[mattluck3]

My son and I (keep saying that but find that I am becoming more fascinated then him) have only had Max for a few weeks but I rarely see him drink at all. His urates are clear with little or no grittiness at all. So apparently he is getting it when he needs it. Soaks probably help too though. He is extremely shy but like you said they sure know when it is feeding time

 

[Yvonne G]

Getting in the position to drink puts a tortoise in a pretty vulnerable place. They have to stick out their neck and lower their head. Most tortoises don't like the giant looming over them at such times.

 

[PeanutbuttER]

My russians did this as well.

I also had a Redtailed hawk that I trained that refused to bath/drink in front of me for a year. For some reason at about a year I had my hand in his waterdish flicking water around and he decided to come down and have a look, which turned into him taking a bath and having a drink with me about a foot away.

Give him time, maybe he'll turn around?