stars personalities

[biglove4bigtorts]

This is a repost with a different title. My other title was rather general and didn't get any responses.



What can some of the experienced and not so experienced keepers tell me about the Sri Lankan Stars' personality and interaction with thier keeper? I know each tortoise is an individual and a lot depends on how secure the tortoise is in its sorroundings and how the keeper interacts with the tortoise, but I am looking for generally how they are. Please be specific as possible, giving me specific behaviors and incidents that portray thier propensity towards human interaction and demonstrate thier intelligence.
Thanks in Advance,
Andrew

 

[Starry night]

I have 5 Sri Lankans. They are sometimes shy but I have found that overall the are very cool and seem to like human contact. One of my stars when I first got him/her would always freak out when I reached into the cage for anything and would never come out of its shell to let me touch it. Now he/she comes out its shell and I can pet her/his head and it will even walk over to the food bowl as I'm putting food in. They really are beautiful and cool animals.

 

[biglove4bigtorts]

Thank you starry night. I like the stars the most, after the aldabras amd galops. I am trying to decise on which species I would likt to keep and I want more than just a specimen, I want an interactive, pet, reptile.

I have 5 Sri Lankans. They are sometimes shy but I have found that overall the are very cool and seem to like human contact. One of my stars when I first got him/her would always freak out when I reached into the cage for anything and would never come out of its shell to let me touch it. Now he/she comes out its shell and I can pet her/his head and it will even walk over to the food bowl as I'm putting food in. They really are beautiful and cool animals.

 

[Starry night]

well if you want an aldabra or galapagos then you better have a huge *** yard and some money to spend on food. Awesome animals but they get soooooo huuuuuuge. You will also have to invest in a good fence around the yard and not just a chain link or wodden fence because they would just plow those over. Stars are known to be more shy tortoises compared to others but overall I like them and they usually grow to being use to humans.

 

[elegans]

This post makes no sense! Really you don't know if you want an Aldabra, Galop or Star? Really? What could you be thinking? One you could probably care for, the other two probably not. I live in deep South Florida and still do not own either of the other two for logistical reasons, and I have almost 2 acres. Best wishes Douglas

 

[biglove4bigtorts]

Sorry, I was unclear. I was stating my preference for larger torts, not trying to imply I wasn't able to decide between Galaps, Aldabras, and stars. My decision was actually betwen red footed torts, Manouria emys ph., and the Sri Lankan stars. I have decided on the Manouria, with my eye still on the stars as a second project in the future. I agree that the logistics of keeping Galaps and Aldabras make it impossible for the average hobbiest....myself included. The price alone for a hatchling is prohibitive....then I guess it isn't, if you really wanted one, but for me, I realize my limitations and will be very happy with my plenty big enough Burmese blacks. These forest tortoises will appreciate the humidity and cooler temps where I live, do better indoors during inclement weather, and do better on the sort of diet that I can provide in the cold months of the year.
Thanks to everyone who posted their input here.

This post makes no sense! Really you don't know if you want an Aldabra, Galop or Star? Really? What could you be thinking? One you could probably care for, the other two probably not. I live in deep South Florida and still do not own either of the other two for logistical reasons, and I have almost 2 acres. Best wishes Douglas

 

[Homerist]

Hi biglove4torts,

I'm a novice tortoise owner, a Indian Star being my one and only tort at the moment. He is 3months old (I got him 12days ago), and very curious about his surroundings and us (me and my family).
He is behaving this way since he joined our family.
I believe Stars are generally responsive as I lay my hand near him, he will want to sniff and then climb onto my palm, as long as he is comfortable with the environment he is being housed in.

So bottomline, takecare of the housing issue, the appetite of the torts will come and sooner rather than later the tort will be happy and responsive.