Tortoise acting weird when picked up !

[tortoise/1]

When I pick up my tortoise he opens his mouth about a 1mm he’s done this for about about 3 weeks his Nose is clear eyes are eating and drinking and hydrated and acting Normal in enclosure just when I pick him up his substrate is eco earth humidity 40 heat temp 35 c and low temp about 15-20

Thanks !

 

[wellington]

How are you picking him up?

 

[tortoise/1]

How are you picking him up?

thanks for replying fast ! just thumb and middle finger on the side of shell

 

[Yvonne G]

What species? This usually indicates a willingness to bite you.

 

[tortoise/1]

in fact sometimes he does try to bite me sometimes! he is a russian

 

[wellington]

How long have you had him? I agree, he may want to bite you. But if you have had him long, then once he is used to you and you picking him up, he may not do it any more.
nothing really to worry about unless you get a finger in the way.

 

[tortoise/1]

thats good to hear i got him in 2020 and we bonded really well and i went travveling for a year and picked him up and ever since hes been doing that !

 

[wellington]

Well, I guess he's telling you what he thinks about you leaving lol

 

[tortoise/1]

haha

 

[Macaulay]

Several of my Hermann's do that when I reach to pick them up. I just take it as they are mad and being defensive. I only pick them up to move them quickly as to not prolong their unhappiness.

 

[tortoise/1]

thank you everyone !

 

[Cathie G]

My little Russian is so precious. But if I see him opening his mouth and heading for my leg or something I move my leg I figured if he was going to bite anyone it would be me and I was right. I don't know that it's because he's mad. He will thump his shell if he's mad. I think it's he likes the way I smell. I use herbal shower gels. I smell like edibles.

 

[tortoise/1]