Nancyasmar
Member
How u know if your tortoise is scared?
Scared
- Thread starter Nancyasmar
- Start date
Big Ol Tortoise
Well-Known Member
If it puts its head in..
If you put a tortoise down in the middle of a wide open space and he moves quickly around trying to find a hiding place, he's scared.
A scared tortoise will hide. They frequently stop eating too.
Hi @Nancyasmar and a very warm welcome to the forum.
Oli (my beloved Greek tort) tucks his head into his shell when he's scared.
Oli (my beloved Greek tort) tucks his head into his shell when he's scared.
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2016
- Messages
- 1,281
Mine runs frantically and lunges when I try to pick her up. Also, of course, tucking her head in. Usually rain or heavy wind triggers her to become scared.
They poop and pee a lot too.
Speedy-1
Well-Known Member
Well , I asked Speedy and he started singing ; 
Nancyasmar
Member
Hello nice to be here and thx for the warm welcome
Hi @Nancyasmar . I just noticed live in Lebanon. I am very near: I live in Jordan.Hello nice to be here and thx for the warm welcome
Nancyasmar
Member
Oh waw ya hala haha how r u?Hi @Nancyasmar . I just noticed live in Lebanon. I am very near: I live in Jordan.
Interesting responses! In 38+ years of rescuing tortoises & turtles, I can't remember a single time when I've seen one that has showed fear. Yes, they often pull their heads in, but that's a conditioned response to having anything right above their heads. And of course I've seen them take off, but it's usually because they're seeking shade, or food. We've had hurricanes hit us, with no reaction at all from any of our rescues. What is it that frightens your tortoise or turtle?
Ken
Ken
TheSulcata
Active Member
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2016
- Messages
- 208
Yeah all mine do are suck their heads in, they don't run around
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2016
- Messages
- 1,281
Maybe it's a Russian thing?
Nancyasmar
Member
Hello courage turtle. well i think it was scared when i put it in the garden it dont move as fast as it is normally i thought it got scared!!!!! maybe it is moving slowly it is new place u think?!
Most people forget that tortoises really have no natural enemies - other than us humans, of course - so why would they develop a fear reflex? The head-retraction reflex is pretty common in all species, although the best we can do is to jerk back or step away, while tortoises can actually get under cover without moving their feet. I'm pretty sure that if they didn't have shells, then they would move as fast as lizards & other non-shelled reptiles. But after 100 million years or so, there's no reason for them to be afraid.
Ken
Ken
Oh yes they do.
Have you never seen footage of Eagles dropping Testudo on rocks to crack them open? Raccoons will happily take box turtles.
At full adult size they're pretty safe, but smaller torts and turtles are picked off by predators all the time.
Sure, I've heard of that, Joe, but do you really think it happens often enough to build in a fear reaction? I doubt it.
Ken
Ken
Being scared is a fundamental of survival in the wild for all creatures . Yes I do think it happens often enough.
So....I got a box turtle that pees on me about every time I pick her up. Does this mean she's a fearful nervous pee'er or something more sinister....she's doing it on purpose??lol!
