Socializing RT

jlachapelle94

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Hey everyone,
I am a new Russian tortoise owner. I have done a lot of research on tortoises and fell in love with the Russians. I recently bought a Russian, Angus. Angus is really shy and wary of me. I have been taking him out of his tank and letting him walk around the room while I clean or just play on my laptop. Although he walks right up to my cat to check her out, he runs away from me (well as fast as a tortoise can run). I have no idea how to get him socialized and I have no idea if I am doing it right or not. If experienced owners could let me know how they socialized their tortoises and their own methods on how they did it, that would be fantastic!
 

johnsonnboswell

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Oh, dear. You can't get him socialized the way you think. Don't try. He will come to associate you with food and trips to the garden and come to welcome that. He should not be around the cat or loose on the room. There are too many dangers and the floor does not offer the right temperature or humidity or surface for his feet and legs. Increase the size if his habitat and plan an outdoor area for him for the spring.
 

leigti

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Your tortoise will consider you the food God. Give it a little time, but he will soon start coming towards you and expecting to be fed :) when the room in the house they are usually looking for some place to hide. You can try hand feeding him some of his favorite foods. Not all the time but occasionally. For instance I found a dandelion outside yesterday, actually five of them :), and I hand fed one to my tortoise and let her eat the rest of them on her own.
 

leigti

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Oh, also talk quietly to your tortoise. Well let him get used to your voice. But don't tiptoe around so much, he also needs to get used to the sounds in the house. And get working on an outdoor enclosure ASAP.
 

Jodie

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Welcome to the forum. It takes a long time for some tortoises to warm up to you. Feeding them and caring for them, but leaving them mostly alone is what i do. Taking him out causes him stress, and is not going to help. Try offering food from your hand. I rescued 2 Russians about 2 months ago and 1 is fine with me, the other will not eat from my hand and hides still. Patience is the only answer. They have to learn to associate you with good things. Good luck.
 

Gillian M

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A very warm welcome to the forum!

One thing I mention to each and everyone who joins this forum is: tortoises take quite long to adapt to a new place, new home, new environment, and last but not least a new owner. I agree wiith Jodie as far as the patience the owner has to have when he/she decides to get a tort. I'd love to see a pic of your tort. Good luck.
 

Yvonne G

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Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

Leigti has explained it the best. A tortoise is not an interactive pet, but he will start to associate you with the food, and in that sense will come to you begging.
 

smarch

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Letting the tortoise roam even a "safe" room is unsafe, their enclosures are closely controlled and you can never make a room that safe, things can be eaten, he can hide and get lost, or someone could come in unexpected and accidentally kick or step on him.

tortoises can come to like you, but it'll never be like a dog or cat. But eventually they will interact, look at you, some even allow you to pet their head or shell.

best way to do it, pop by the enclosure every now and then and say hello or talk a little bit. avoid hovering OVER the enclosure since they're prey animals and you look like a big giant predator. Bother him as little as possible in the beginning handling wise because right now that would be a lot more stress than needed.

It took mine a few months to realize my existence wasn't poop inducing scary, and now he lets me carry him around, sit on my chest and watch a whole movie now and then, and walk over and stare at me when I talk.
 

jlachapelle94

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Thank you everyone, I'm sorry I haven't gotten back, my computer stopped working and I had to bring it in. I just want to let you guys know that I am slowly working on socializing him (the right way lol). My tort is doing great! He knows when I wake up, its time to eat and I will watch him walk out of his little hut to see if I'm awake :) He is starting to eat from my hands, and sometimes, depending on how he is feeling towards me, will enjoy a little rub under his chin :) Me and my boyfriend absolutely love this little guy! The pet store I got him from didn't take good care of him, they had him cramped in a 10 gallon tank along with four other torts. They were also feeding them cabbage and alfalfa. Now, Angus is eating fresh kale every day and loves a little piece of cucumber every now and then (he absolutely loves cucumber). As for a bigger environment, I'm waiting for spring to come so I can build him an outdoor enclosure. Here is a picture of him I took not too long ago :) I look forward to being apart of the tortoise forum community!
 

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Tidgy's Dad

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Hello, so glad you baby is settling in.
Try replacing the water bowl with a shallow, terracotta saucer, or plant pot base so the tortoise can get in and out easily and soak itself.
He may pooh and pee in it, but that's fine, just change the water as often as you can.
 
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