What does it mean?

[DAC8671]

Ralph has never been one to want to be pet. I try to rub his neck (have tried since he was little) and he doesn't care for it. He will allow me to rub the top of his head, but that's it.

Lately when I go outside to feed him, of course he comes running as usual. But he doesn't eat. He'll follow me around. If I sit down, he'll come up to me and just be near me. Then it's almost like he's scratching the very back of his shell on my leg. He'll rub the back of his shell back and forth for a few min on my leg. After he does this, he'll take a few bites of food then wander off grazing on the grass. What is he doing?

 

[tortoisenerd]

I wonder if he has an itch lol?

 

[Stephanie Logan]

Maybe he loves you?

Or maybe he loves you (wink, wink, nudge, nudge)?

 

[DAC8671]

Ya, I was hoping NOT to get the answer of "he loves me" That was almost my first thought when he first did it. hahahha

 

[Tom]

He's being a sulcata. That's what they do. Always in your business. It takes me twice as long to rake out their night houses because they are underfoot or right where I'm trying to rake. This is one of the traits that makes them so endearing. Well, at least to me.

I get people to step in to my pen and then, as the torts are charging our way, I tell them they are special attack trained guard torts like my dogs. If I can keep a straight face long enough, most people run out of the pen squealing as they keep coming right at them.

 

[maevamichelle]

lol that's funny

 

[DAC8671]

hahahaha Tom. My SIL and her mother went screaming while running away from Ralph when he was coming towards them.

(My SIL is convinced that all animals have rabies or some disease and will bite her or her family. It's very sad that she is passing that fear to her son. She won't even allow him to go into the petting zoo at the SD Zoo because the goats might bite and there is too many germs). Yes I know they may bite, but not purposely.

Funny story, I had a bbq a few weeks ago and my neighbor's daughter was sitting on the ground with a plateful of strawberries. Ralph roams the backyard during the day so I didn't think anything of it. Well he saw the strawberries and literally came running. My neighbor thought it was funny but my SIL FREAKED out, ran over and picked up my neighbor's daughter and plate and brought them inside. My neighbor is very used to Ralph so she didn't care that he was running over. She and her 2 1/2 yr old daughter handle their own pythons daily (under adult supervision).

 

[Tom]

My little girl has been RIDING my sulcatas since she was walking. Its funny the different reactions. Delores just sort of goes, "Ho hum. Not again". She gets "ridden" all day long. Bert sort of sighs and then just goes about his business. Scooter did the "Hey, get off me, I'm a male!" wiggle dance the first few times, but now he just moseys around and grazes with her now.

BTW, mine don't seem too keen on a lot of touching and rubbing. I haven't done a lot of it because it just never really occurred to me. They don't mind a little touching, but they just move away after a while... unless there's food involved.

 

[Urtle]

Haha when there's food involved I think their minds shut off everything else. You can do anything you want while their eating as long as you dont get in their way