Russians and Head Bobbing

Oxalis

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Yvonne G

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Male Russian tortoises are just like that. They're so territorial. Once in a while you'll also get a big male sulcata that will chase you out of his pen, but it seems to be standard operating practice for male Russians.

As to the food thing...most tortoises equate YOU as the food, rather than as the food giver. I've had tortoises plow right through a big pile of food in order to get to me and try to eat me instead. Best thing to do is put down the food and quickly move out of sight.

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Oxalis

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Best thing to do is put down the food and quickly move out of sight.
Oh yeah, my boyfriend and I sure figured that one out quick! ;) He's a good tortoise otherwise though (except he hates soaking time).
 

dmmj

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A russian who hates soaking, there is a surprise. :)
Russians are very territorial, they just are hard wired that way. I had a LTC for about 14 years or so, lived outdoors with another male, never bothered anyone. Awhile ago I loaned him out to breed with a female, ad he chased the guy I loaned him to, out of his yard, every time he walked in there. Once he came back, he went back to normal.
 

Yellow Turtle01

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A russian who hates soaking, there is a surprise. :)
Russians are very territorial, they just are hard wired that way. I had a LTC for about 14 years or so, lived outdoors with another male, never bothered anyone. Awhile ago I loaned him out to breed with a female, ad he chased the guy I loaned him to, out of his yard, every time he walked in there. Once he came back, he went back to normal.
:D
My male does that too, although he has never tried to eat me!
 

Oxalis

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Speaking of Russians being unique, why when I put mine out in his huge salad buffet of a garden does he eat the one dying, yellow leaf instead of the one of the hundreds of lush, green leaves?! :confused: How can he be so strange? (Or maybe he's just craving something crunchy?)
 

RainsOn

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My Russian is doing lots strange. I am so new to this that I am concerned. I feed him a lush variety of greens but when in the yard, he can't get enough crab grass. ?????? :cool:

He bobs his head when he first sees me in the morning. Isn't that cute? :)
 

Sa Ga

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My Russie LOVES crabgrass! I even let a little patch grow in "her" garden.

She doesn't purposefully bite at my fingers--or go after toes!--though I have been caught in the crossfire occasionally when she's really excited or once, when my fingers smelled esp foody. She usually lets go the second she realizes it's me (and seems to feel bad, irritatingly stopping her eating and sulking a moment), but once she really got confused and thought my finger was not only food, but a difficult piece, and clamped down to pull. OUCH!

However, if she IS aware of a small piece on my finger (which I don't typically trust her judgment!), she will be extremely careful to delicately, slowly scrape it off my finger and not chomp down.

She's just such a sweet girl!

She used to bob her head a lot more when I first got her (three or four nods in a row, at the speed of a slower human nod of "yes"), but now, at most, she just does a single one, almost as if a cool, calm greeting, " 'Sup?"

Hey, did anyone else's notice their tortie's bobs would be accompanied with a single click per bob. It sounded like snacking her lips, only of course, she isn't!
 

Casie A

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My Russie LOVES crabgrass! I even let a little patch grow in "her" garden.

She doesn't purposefully bite at my fingers--or go after toes!--though I have been caught in the crossfire occasionally when she's really excited or once, when my fingers smelled esp foody. She usually lets go the second she realizes it's me (and seems to feel bad, irritatingly stopping her eating and sulking a moment), but once she really got confused and thought my finger was not only food, but a difficult piece, and clamped down to pull. OUCH!

However, if she IS aware of a small piece on my finger (which I don't typically trust her judgment!), she will be extremely careful to delicately, slowly scrape it off my finger and not chomp down.

She's just such a sweet girl!

She used to bob her head a lot more when I first got her (three or four nods in a row, at the speed of a slower human nod of "yes"), but now, at most, she just does a single one, almost as if a cool, calm greeting, " 'Sup?"

Hey, did anyone else's notice their tortie's bobs would be accompanied with a single click per bob. It sounded like snacking her lips, only of course, she isn't!
Hello! My female Russian is doing a lot of head bobbing. She is still very new to us though. Is that normal?

I have seen her try to go after my finger but it's normally only when she has a hibiscus and she thinks I'm going to take it. She won't eat the food I give her but eats everything she can find in the yard. Silly tortoise...
 

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