Joe can't be relied on not to pee down me either. And yes, it probably is a stress reaction. It's probably enough to startle some predators into dropping them.
Scared
- Thread starter Nancyasmar
- Start date
Big Ol Tortoise
Well-Known Member
how old is your box turtle
Vertebrates all seem to have an inbuilt fear mechanism.
It is essential for survival and most of it is reaction speed-automatic,as there is no time to stop and think, that could be fatal.
Even humans can't control most of this.
We also have panic, fight or flee reactions, adrenaline surges and so on.
When people scream, panic, run and crush those in their way, faint or pee themselves or less drastically when the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and you start breathing raggedly, these are fear reactions, that to a large extent cannot be controlled.
So yes, when a tortoise ducks in its head, runs about in a storm (my Tidgy does this too, and other Greeks, so it's not just Russians) or pees when it is picked up these are fear reactions.
It is afraid.
It is essential for survival and most of it is reaction speed-automatic,as there is no time to stop and think, that could be fatal.
Even humans can't control most of this.
We also have panic, fight or flee reactions, adrenaline surges and so on.
When people scream, panic, run and crush those in their way, faint or pee themselves or less drastically when the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and you start breathing raggedly, these are fear reactions, that to a large extent cannot be controlled.
So yes, when a tortoise ducks in its head, runs about in a storm (my Tidgy does this too, and other Greeks, so it's not just Russians) or pees when it is picked up these are fear reactions.
It is afraid.
When shivering in my shoes, I strike a careless pose, and whistle a happy tune, and no-one ever knows...I's afraid!Well , I asked Speedy and he started singing ;
When you pick him up, he's afraid.
Paranub
Member
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2015
- Messages
- 77
Unless he/she is doing his own thing and left to its own devices, it probably has some level of fear involved.
Pulling heads inside shells is a natural response to anything coming close that could be a threat, this normally lasts a few seconds before it deems whatever caused him to do it to be a non threat.
I like to think tortoises and turtles have a "better safe than sorry" way of life. Hide first, ask questions later.
New enclosures, people, animals, a stone that wasnt there before.... all things ive seen cause my george to pull his head back for a few seconds..
Unless i have food in my hand, then well. Hes sprinting to his feeding slate with his head out as far as it will go.
Sadly your tortoise wont see you like a cat or dog will. You're always going to get that scared response from it to start with, it's inbuilt into them for a few million years of ruling the planet.
Pulling heads inside shells is a natural response to anything coming close that could be a threat, this normally lasts a few seconds before it deems whatever caused him to do it to be a non threat.
I like to think tortoises and turtles have a "better safe than sorry" way of life. Hide first, ask questions later.
New enclosures, people, animals, a stone that wasnt there before.... all things ive seen cause my george to pull his head back for a few seconds..
Unless i have food in my hand, then well. Hes sprinting to his feeding slate with his head out as far as it will go.
Sadly your tortoise wont see you like a cat or dog will. You're always going to get that scared response from it to start with, it's inbuilt into them for a few million years of ruling the planet.
