10 month old baby tortoise scared of me

[Tinytheodore]

Hello all, and thank you for accepting me. I’m in need of a little advise. I’ve wanted a tortoise for years and 3 days ago I went and got a 10 month old baby horsefield tortoise (Theodore). He is so scared and makes a hiss noise (a deep breath in) when I touch his shell. I haven’t picked him up because I don’t want to stress him out after he has hissed at me. How can I make him be more aware of me and stop this from happening. He’s in a big tabled with lots of things to climb. Hes been walking around and exploring most of the morning. He’s eating and he’s also going to the toilet. I haven’t given him a bath just yet again don’t want to pick him up and startle him.


Also I know I’m calling Theodore a him and it could be a female. Here are some pictures. Any help would be grateful. Was any of yours like this at first?

 

[RosemaryDW]

Your baby is in a brand new space that’s unfamilar to him. He’s also a tiny creature, designed to stay low and blend into the background so a larger predator—such as you—doesn’t sweep down and grab him.

He’s not hissing, he’s pulling himself as tight as he can when he senses a predator; that sound you hear is the air swishing out of his body while he moves.

I don’t see your pictures so am asking if you have plenty of hides in there and maye some fake plants to hide under? That will let him feel the safest.

Finally, yes they are all like that in a new home to some extent. Babies do a lot more hiding because they are such easy prey. I know it’s hard but let it alone for a bit longer. He should eventually associate you with food, which helps.

It sounds like he is doing everything he should be doing, eating, exploring, and staying safe .

 

[Toddrickfl1]

Yes he's a baby and his instincts tell him to fear predators, and you are a GIANT possible predator. It will take some time for him to get used to you. Also I don't see any pics?

 

[Tom]

In addition to what the other posters have said, I think you should begin soaking ASAP. I raise 100s of babies a year. It may sound callous, but I don't have time to worry about their emotions. I worry about their health and take all the necessary steps to keep them hydrated, well fed and healthy. I just pick them up, move them inside or out as needed, and soak them daily, which is more handling and water spraying. I just go about the business of caring for them in a very matter of fact way and without ceremony. ALL of them get use to handling and when they go to their new homes, people tell me how outgoing and fearless they are. They tell me how their new baby eats anything and everything. I have one new owner who is entertained because her tortoise will eat when suspended in mid air in a moving car! I'm highly entertained by that too! Most tortoises don't like to be hanging in the air with their feet dangling. Her baby is only 3-4 months old and isn't bothered by it at all because of all the handling it got in its first couple of months with me and because she has continued on handling the tortoise daily.

My suggestion would be to just go about your business and don't worry about how the tortoise feels about it. If you want to pick him up, do so. Feel free to move him over to the food pile and soak daily. I like to let them have some outdoor time for sunshine, grazing and exercise when the weather is nice, so they get moved in and out daily too. The tortoise will get used to you, your household and the routine in time.

 

[Tinytheodore]

Your baby is in a brand new space that’s unfamilar to him. He’s also a tiny creature, designed to stay low and blend into the background so a larger predator—such as you—doesn’t sweep down and grab him.

He’s not hissing, he’s pulling himself as tight as he can when he senses a predator; that sound you hear is the air swishing out of his body while he moves.

I don’t see your pictures so am asking if you have plenty of hides in there and maye some fake plants to hide under? That will let him feel the safest.

Finally, yes they are all like that in a new home to some extent. Babies do a lot more hiding because they are such easy prey. I know it’s hard but let it alone for a bit longer. He should eventually associate you with food, which helps.

It sounds like he is doing everything he should be doing, eating, exploring, and staying safe .

Thank for getting back yeah I have a log house and a corner house and a cave conected to the table. I will look into getting some plants so thanks for that tip. Thanks again

 

[Tinytheodore]

In addition to what the other posters have said, I think you should begin soaking ASAP. I raise 100s of babies a year. It may sound callous, but I don't have time to worry about their emotions. I worry about their health and take all the necessary steps to keep them hydrated, well fed and healthy. I just pick them up, move them inside or out as needed, and soak them daily, which is more handling and water spraying. I just go about the business of caring for them in a very matter of fact way and without ceremony. ALL of them get use to handling and when they go to their new homes, people tell me how outgoing and fearless they are. They tell me how their new baby eats anything and everything. I have one new owner who is entertained because her tortoise will eat when suspended in mid air in a moving car! I'm highly entertained by that too! Most tortoises don't like to be hanging in the air with their feet dangling. Her baby is only 3-4 months old and isn't bothered by it at all because of all the handling it got in its first couple of months with me and because she has continued on handling the tortoise daily.

My suggestion would be to just go about your business and don't worry about how the tortoise feels about it. If you want to pick him up, do so. Feel free to move him over to the food pile and soak daily. I like to let them have some outdoor time for sunshine, grazing and exercise when the weather is nice, so they get moved in and out daily too. The tortoise will get used to you, your household and the routine in time.

This is brilliant thank you. I’m just going to do what I have to do and hopefully he will be ok thanks again. I just didn’t know whether I should just leave him alone for a bit or whatever first to get used to everything. I understand bathing is important

 

[Jess H]

Hello all, and thank you for accepting me. I’m in need of a little advise. I’ve wanted a tortoise for years and 3 days ago I went and got a 10 month old baby horsefield tortoise (Theodore). He is so scared and makes a hiss noise (a deep breath in) when I touch his shell. I haven’t picked him up because I don’t want to stress him out after he has hissed at me. How can I make him be more aware of me and stop this from happening. He’s in a big tabled with lots of things to climb. Hes been walking around and exploring most of the morning. He’s eating and he’s also going to the toilet. I haven’t given him a bath just yet again don’t want to pick him up and startle him.


Also I know I’m calling Theodore a him and it could be a female. Here are some pictures. Any help would be grateful. Was any of yours like this at first?

When he/she gets larger, you'll find it easy to work out whether boy or girl, as boys have a concave tummy, to stop them rolling off the female, while she has a flat to bulging tummy to make room for eggs. If a he, he's hiding his 'equipment' halfway down, right inside his tail, a very ingenious and protective arrangement. Using our Leopard as an example, I'd pick him up gently as frequently as possible, after maybe the first few days of him observing his surroundings, (including you), stroking his back gently while sitting securely on your lap. That's what we did with ours, when a baby in 1998, and he's grown up extremely friendly and tame. Think of cats, the more attention they get, the more they give back, but leave a cat to do it's own thing, as too many people do, and then the cat just lives its own life ignoring the owners, who often don't understand why it 'doesn't love them'. Who knows if Tim loves us in the way people understand it? He certainly comes to find out what we're doing whenever possible, will stay with us apparently for company, sit on our feet if available, and will follow (usually) if out for a walk somewhere, which appears to demonstrate some kind of affection/curiosity on his own terms.