Biting

[JoshGoldberg]

My sulcata has just started biting me and i dont know why. Should i give her some meat or something and see?

 

[Jodie]

No meat. Have you been hand feeding? I have never had a tortoise bite unless they thought it was food.

 

[JoshGoldberg]

No meat. Have you been hand feeding? I have never had a tortoise bite unless they thought it was food.

Not for about 2 weeks. But she bites my fingers sometimes and she doesnt stop.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

No meat. You may want to offer more food. Mainly stop handling the tortoise and don't make yourself a target.

Others with experience with sulcata aggression should weigh in.

 

[JoshGoldberg]

No meat. You may want to offer more food. Mainly stop handling the tortoise and don't make yourself a target.

Others with experience with sulcata aggression should weigh in.

She doesnt eat food if it is in her tank. She will only eat if she is grazing

 

[dmmj]

no meat like said above.some tight because they're curious some bite because they're mean.it may pass just be careful their beaks are sharp

 

[Tom]

Dude. Its a tortoise. Move your hand out of the way...


And stop hand feeding...

 

[cassieopia]

I've only been bitten once- I was hand- feeding and it was all my fault. He took a chunk out of the end of my finger! Don't let him do it!

 

[Speedy-1]

Dude. Its a tortoise. Move your hand out of the way...


And stop hand feeding...

I just finished cleaning the soda off my screen !!

 

[DawnH]

Dude. Its a tortoise. Move your hand out of the way...


And stop hand feeding...

I just snorted coffee out of my nose and onto my computer.

Thank you, sir.

LOL

 

[johnsonnboswell]

I've been bitten once in 39 years, while breaking up a rumble between two male box turtles. That was the only time ever I didn't pick up a turtle or tortoise from behind. He was lunging at the smaller male with murder in mind, and my hand got in the way. Big guy glommed onto the meat of my palm, and it hurt. So here's this big old gulf coast turtle dangling in the air, holding on tighter and tighter for dear life, and I'm wondering how I'm going to convince him to let go without hurting or scaring him, and wondering if I can stand the pain while he bites through my hand.

Painful experience. I walked right into it.

 

[LDRANCH]

I have a different issue with hand feeding. When I hold Charlie's food for him, he frequently becomes so overcome with joy, that he can't hold it in (his boy part that is). Halfway through the food he gets up on his toes and starts squeeking and backing up. He gets so excited that he can't eat anymore. It's ridiculous! My husband is starting to get jealous.

 

[JoshGoldberg]

Dude. Its a tortoise. Move your hand out of the way...


And stop hand feeding...

I only hand feed when she isnt eating anything. And that is rarely. She grazes all of the time and i only put food in my hand if she is struggling to eat it. I pull on the peice of grass and she pulls on her end and it breaks off, then i feed her the tougher peices like that. But funny comment

 

[Careym13]

I've been bitten once in 39 years, while breaking up a rumble between two male box turtles. That was the only time ever I didn't pick up a turtle or tortoise from behind. He was lunging at the smaller male with murder in mind, and my hand got in the way. Big guy glommed onto the meat of my palm, and it hurt. So here's this big old gulf coast turtle dangling in the air, holding on tighter and tighter for dear life, and I'm wondering how I'm going to convince him to let go without hurting or scaring him, and wondering if I can stand the pain while he bites through my hand.

Painful experience. I walked right into it.

OUCH!

 

[leigti]

I have a different issue with hand feeding. When I hold Charlie's food for him, he frequently becomes so overcome with joy, that he can't hold it in (his boy part that is). Halfway through the food he gets up on his toes and starts squeeking and backing up. He gets so excited that he can't eat anymore. It's ridiculous! My husband is starting to get jealous.

Oh man, I almost snorted iced tea out of MY nose.

 

[Big Charlie]

I have a different issue with hand feeding. When I hold Charlie's food for him, he frequently becomes so overcome with joy, that he can't hold it in (his boy part that is). Halfway through the food he gets up on his toes and starts squeeking and backing up. He gets so excited that he can't eat anymore. It's ridiculous! My husband is starting to get jealous.

This is hilarious!

 

[Gabriel Mattei]

@JoshGoldberg This is funny because one of my sulcata in my juvenile group loves to bite my feet each time i'm in the enclosure. To me it seems to be a warning to stay out of his land because he always runs after me until he makes sure i'm not in the enclosure. Seems like some just like to keep there territory safe.

 

[LDRANCH]

This is hilarious!

This is the same animal that recognizes the sound of my truck in the driveway and is pounding on the back sliding door when I come home from work. My husband is home all day and says that there is no sign of Charlie until I'm home. He LOVES me.

 

[Alaskamike]

My little Sully "Tiny", at 9 lbs took a nip at my toes one day, didn't really bite down hard, I think he was just testing to see if they were food. When he comes around I watch my toes now.
My experience has been the bite when-
- Testing to see if something is edible (painted toenails are very vulnerable)
- Trying to get something to move out of their territory (the cat, another tortoise, a puppy, a ball)
- You hand feed them and get your fingers too close

I have great respect for the jaws of a Sulcata, especially a big one.

 

[Big Charlie]

This is the same animal that recognizes the sound of my truck in the driveway and is pounding on the back sliding door when I come home from work. My husband is home all day and says that there is no sign of Charlie until I'm home. He LOVES me.

That is adorable! I bet your husband is jealous!