Do male turtles get stressed if they can't mate?

[kitt3nfangs]

Yesterday, I figured out that my turtle is a male, and that some odd behavior I've noticed is likely attempts at mating. Unfortunately, this behavior has been aimed at me (my feet/hands/hair) which obviously isn't gonna fly, so I move him away when I notice "excited" behavior. He especially seems to be attracted to the color red (which my hair is right now) and will start aggressively trying to climb up to my head when he notices it. He also tends to "pee" or at least let out a lot of water when he gets like this, which has been frustrating as far as having to change shirts lol.

Most importantly, I want to know if I should be doing something for him. Is he going to be stressed from not being able to find a mate? I'm not going to get another turtle for any reason, at least nowhere in the near future, but should I get him something to uh... love on? ? The obsessive attention is kind of annoying when he gets like this, but I feel bad just putting him back in his tank when he clearly wants my attention or something, but maybe we should put him away when he's in this mood.

Also for context, he does not free-roam, we take him out for turtle-time when he shows interest in interacting and let him walk around in a designated area near his tank, or hold him or let him crawl on the couch/us where we watch him the whole time. Most of the time his behavior is pretty calm, he likes to chill on the couch or in bed when one of us is resting and be held or kept warm.

 

[Blackdog1714]

Just be prepared to be flashed! They are quite proud of themselves. Maybe an old leather boot, I heard of another tort an here having quite the fun with one!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

They certainly do if they KNOW a female is around.
And they absolutely CAN TELL.
Otherwise, that is a excellent question. One I can't fully answer.

 

[kitt3nfangs]

He hasn't been around other turtles as far as I know, so I'm not even sure if he knows what another turtle looks like lol

 

[ZEROPILOT]

He hasn't been around other turtles as far as I know, so I'm not even sure if he knows what another turtle looks like lol

Then he may flash and might " hump" items like a male dog.
But he shouldn't go berserk like one that sees or smells a female nearby.

 

[kitt3nfangs]

I don't think he really knows what to do, he keeps trying to find things to grip on, including my fingers, will pee/release water, flash a little bit sometimes, and then keep moving around and do the same. I'm like, sorry buddy, I don' t have what you're looking for. Then when I put him away, he keeps clawing at the tank for a while like "No! Pick me up again!" ?