Yep, it's a "friendliest" torts recap thread.

[Mgridgaway]

Just for fun I was trying to find out what the friendliest tort species are. Of course by which I mean the ones that are most likely to follow you around because they're hungry...

Here's what I have so far:
Sulcatas
Russians
Redfoots
Possibly Greeks/Hermanns?

Let me know what you have to say!

 

[dmarcus]

I think its about size, the bigger the tortoise the less afraid they are and the more likely they are to either follow you or just check out what your doing.

 

[Jacqui]

My Erosa Hingebacks are my personal first place getter, even beating out my sulcatas.

 

[Mao Senpai]

Both of my Greeks are friendly... and my two of my leopards.. they will come investigate whenever I am doing stuff! The leopards even let me rub their head and little necks hehe..

 

[cherylim]

My Hermann's is a bit hit-and-miss. Sometimes, he practically begs to come out of his table, sit on my lap and have me stroke his head and neck. Other times, he makes it very clear that he doesn't want anything to do with me, and hides in his shell.

Moody adolescent years, I think.

 

[wellington]

I have a 8 month old Leopard. He let's me kiss is face and will climb up to my neck and cuddle in the crease between my neck and shoulder. Very friendly for so young. Can't wait to see what else he/she will do when bigger.

 

[The Adjustor]

I have a 8 month old Leopard. He let's me kiss is face and will climb up to my neck and cuddle in the crease between my neck and shoulder. Very friendly for so young. Can't wait to see what else he/she will do when bigger.

That sounds very cute, but I would just like to make sure you are aware that kissing a tortoise is a very easy way to contract salmonella...

 

[wellington]

I have a 8 month old Leopard. He let's me kiss is face and will climb up to my neck and cuddle in the crease between my neck and shoulder. Very friendly for so young. Can't wait to see what else he/she will do when bigger.

That sounds very cute, but I would just like to make sure you are aware that kissing a tortoise is a very easy way to contract salmonella...

No worries, I should be dead by know if salmonella was that easy to catch from tortoises, turtles, any reptile or animal. As a kid I used to handle every crawling thing that I could, and kissed all my animals, chickens, ducks, horses, rabbits, pig, many more and as a kid didn't care if I washed my hands or not. Of course as an adult, I do wash my hands, however, I should still be dead. I kiss my tort, lizard, dog, cat, bird. The biggest germs I worry about are the people you get introduced
to and they want to kiss you, you know the kind I am talking about, they always have to kiss you hello, those are the germs I worry about, never the animal ones.
Thanks for the concern though.

 

[Tccarolina]

RE: Yep, it's a "friendliest" torts recap thread.

Hermann's have been friendlier than Greeks for me, but I do have one female Greek named Dotty that ALWAYS comes racing out to investigate. She's always hoping for a grape leaf. If she doesn't get that, she starts sampling toes!

 

[Yvonne G]

I think it all depends upon how much the handler handles them as they're growing up.

 

[Mgridgaway]

RE: Yep, it's a "friendliest" torts recap thread.

Yvonne, what would you consider a good amount of handling? I hold Darwin 4-5 times per week for about 30 minutes to an hour.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

3 of my Hermann's torts (Jennifer, Ophelia and Ptolemy) are extremely friendly, my youngest/smallest (Apollonia) is a bit shy, but she's finally coming out of her shell (pardon the pun ), due to a lot of petting and tasty bribes...Hermann's torts tend to be fearless in captivity, much like a sulcata, but w/o the possibility of a hernia.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Bob is the friendliest and most personable tort I ever met...

 

[Torty Mom]

My male CDT is super friendly!!!

 

[tyler0912]

RE: Yep, it's a "friendliest" torts recap thread.

Tiago is not afraid atal,
When i am making abit of noise in the same room he will try investigate and escape his table!

**My vote Redfoots!**

 

[stells2]

I have a few groups of tortoises... and each have an individual that is more excepting of humans than the others...

 

[Tony the tank]

My male sulcatas are real friendly/inquisitive .. If they see me through the glass door of there enclosure they come quick..and if I walk in.. They follow me around like my dogs...

The other day when I was working in Tinys enclosure I had to temp place him in a XXL dog crate... As he was constantly underfoot vying For attention..And if I petted him he would do the dance....

 

[zesty_17]

I think it all depends upon how much the handler handles them as they're growing up.

i agree, all of the ones i have raised from babies are like puppies. The adopted adults tolerate me, but don't seek me out. people are shocked when they see the little box turtle that i bring as my dog to our weekly yappy hours. lol. she is my dog!

 

[Neal]

I think it all depends upon how much the handler handles them as they're growing up.

I would say the same.

To add: There are a lot of factors such interaction with humans in general, health of the animal, wild caught vs. captive bred etc. I think we have exhausted the topic of tortoise personality on this forum in other threads.

 

[nematoad1998]

RE: Yep, it's a "friendliest" torts recap thread.

I also think leopards are very friendly my leopard year old leopard will go right up to my dog and attempt to cuddle him and also shows no fear of humans