Am I anthropomorphizing in such a way as to stress my desert tortoise?

[mylittlecholla]

Her name is Cholla, she's three years old, and she seems to like to "snuggle" under my chin. This has been going on for a year or more. She'll crawl up my chest and rest gently under my chin or between my cheek and shoulder. She'll do this even for a couple of hours, if, say, I'm sitting watching a movie or a baseball game on television.

I'm thinking that she may simply like the warmth and/or have a sense that she's in a comfortably familiar spot.

Or could I be projecting this onto her and stressing her out, rather than providing comfort?

Or worse, I could actually be endangering her. I've read about the risks of letting your tortoise, especially a little one, roam your house, and my husband and I do not permit that. However I do let her do this "snuggle" thing, partly, I admit, because I enjoy it. Among other things she makes little nibbling motions against my neck that feel like she's giving me a tiny tortoise hickey.

All very cute, but please let me know if I need, for Cholla's sake, to put an end to "snuggle time"

 

[Tom]

If her appetite and behavior is normal and she's not roaming loose on the floor, I see no harm in it. What's the point of having pets if we can't enjoy them? I hold my skink while I'm watching tortoises. I put my snake on my shoulders and walk around with her. It no different.

As long as you are watching for, and not seeing, signs of stress, I say enjoy your time with your tortoise how you want to.

 

[mylittlecholla]

If her appetite and behavior is normal and she's not roaming loose on the floor, I see no harm in it. What's the point of having pets if we can't enjoy them? I hold my skink while I'm watching tortoises. I put my snake on my shoulders and walk around with her. It no different.

As long as you are watching for, and not seeing, signs of stress, I say enjoy your time with your tortoise how you want to.

Thank you for your reply.

 

[mylittlecholla]

Thank you for your reply!