Alex77
Member
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2014
- Messages
- 50
Hi! I haven't posted in a while so a reintroduction may be in order: I got a baby Greek tort named Gaia from a pet shop 8 months ago. I soon joined this forum because she was ill and needed help. Now, she's doing great... thanks in part to this forum's advice
She's doing so great, in fact, that I've started to contemplate what my little friend's inner life might be like. she has done some stuff that, to me, seems more dog-like than reptilian. For instance, she discriminates between my guests: when a guy comes round, she's usually indifferent, and with females she's usually more curious. With one female friend, she started pawing at the sides of the enclosure, near to where my friend was standing... and she only calmed down when my friend bent down and started talking to her (in case you're wondering, my friend and I sound nothing alike, and we also look quite different. Gaia had also been fed).
Then there are the holidays: When I've gone a way for a few days, Gaia's reacted very oddly. The first time, I went away for a week and she was despondent for about a week after I returned, despite having had daily visits from a fellow tort owner. The second time, I went away for 4 days, she seemed annoyed when I got back (no pet sitter that time, but she had plenty of water and warmth, and her favorite food was only partly eaten). She had also overturned most of the decorative features in her tank, like she'd had a tantrum
This past month i was gone for a week, and had a live-in pet sitter (also a tort owner) and Gaia was a bit down when I got back. Now shes perked up and has been "knocking" to be let out of her tank all day, and seems to have insomnia or something. A friend of mine describes her as "moody"(!)
I am sure that most people in this forum are familiar with fending off the misconception that many people seem to have, that torts are "dull" impersonal pets. what are your thoughts and ideas about your tort's emotional life though? And what do you think their bond with humans is all about?
Of course, there are those who say that the bond is all about the food we give them... but I doubt this, from what I've seen. The attention we give them seems to play a role too, and as far as I can tell Gaia likes it for what it is. I've come to believe that torts can be much more "feeling" and observant than some reptiles are (I have owned snakes & lizards in the past). I think it may be in their genes to be that way.
A while back, there was a feature on gopher torts on TV, in which the tort was shown happily sharing its burrow with other, non predator species. I started to wonder if they aren't genetically predisposed to cooperate with other species for indirect benefits as well as obvious ones.
clearly tort emotions are still dramatically different from ours, since they're quite independent critters... but then again, cats are independent as well.
Hmm. Thoughts or speculations, anyone?
She's doing so great, in fact, that I've started to contemplate what my little friend's inner life might be like. she has done some stuff that, to me, seems more dog-like than reptilian. For instance, she discriminates between my guests: when a guy comes round, she's usually indifferent, and with females she's usually more curious. With one female friend, she started pawing at the sides of the enclosure, near to where my friend was standing... and she only calmed down when my friend bent down and started talking to her (in case you're wondering, my friend and I sound nothing alike, and we also look quite different. Gaia had also been fed).
Then there are the holidays: When I've gone a way for a few days, Gaia's reacted very oddly. The first time, I went away for a week and she was despondent for about a week after I returned, despite having had daily visits from a fellow tort owner. The second time, I went away for 4 days, she seemed annoyed when I got back (no pet sitter that time, but she had plenty of water and warmth, and her favorite food was only partly eaten). She had also overturned most of the decorative features in her tank, like she'd had a tantrum
This past month i was gone for a week, and had a live-in pet sitter (also a tort owner) and Gaia was a bit down when I got back. Now shes perked up and has been "knocking" to be let out of her tank all day, and seems to have insomnia or something. A friend of mine describes her as "moody"(!)
I am sure that most people in this forum are familiar with fending off the misconception that many people seem to have, that torts are "dull" impersonal pets. what are your thoughts and ideas about your tort's emotional life though? And what do you think their bond with humans is all about?
Of course, there are those who say that the bond is all about the food we give them... but I doubt this, from what I've seen. The attention we give them seems to play a role too, and as far as I can tell Gaia likes it for what it is. I've come to believe that torts can be much more "feeling" and observant than some reptiles are (I have owned snakes & lizards in the past). I think it may be in their genes to be that way.
A while back, there was a feature on gopher torts on TV, in which the tort was shown happily sharing its burrow with other, non predator species. I started to wonder if they aren't genetically predisposed to cooperate with other species for indirect benefits as well as obvious ones.
clearly tort emotions are still dramatically different from ours, since they're quite independent critters... but then again, cats are independent as well.
Hmm. Thoughts or speculations, anyone?
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