Yesterday was Franklin's 2nd "birthday" with me. Since we have no idea his age since he came from petco, someone on here told me he was probably around 5, so it was his 7th birthday as well. 2 years ago I took him home and he became a part of my family. Boy had he come a long way, I used to just look at him and he'd pee, I mean who could blame him he was yanked out of the wild he knew and thrown into an unfamiliar world with very large people. But now I can pick him up walk him to outside fine, pet his shell (nope for the head I've tried). Sometimes i'll let him sit on my chest when I'm stressed and he'll burrow right in and feel the warmth and my breathing.
I keep him somewhere between the balance of feed eat watch and snuggley house pet. I know this approach is much different than owners on here but it does work for both of us. he's more-so kept in the look at and leave alone way but we have some special times where i'll put on a movie lay down sit him on my chest and he'll lift his head out and watch the movie (he really likes the colors of ice age by the way!) and if he starts walking around or looking like he wants a place to burrow he goes in his tortoise safe enclosure, but movie nights that happen once every few months are a bonding session unlike anything. He's never pooped or peed on me either because if he's acting stressed I put him back (I actually don't think I've ever had to put him away!) He discovered my ear once and stuck his head right in it to sniff it!!
I know he cant experience "love" for me, but I do feel like he does have a special connection to me he hasn't shown others, but I feel like this has to do with the anxiety and depression I suffer from, they say pets sense those things and Franklin certainly does too, movie nights happen when i'm really down so I think he stays by me because he knows.
Anyways, I know my care isn't how most of you raise tortoises, and i'm by no means saying you should or anything, I just wanted to share our special relationship, since no one on here really speaks of care like mine. I'm not one of those uneducated people who keep there tortoise willy-nilly and pretty much never keep them in a tortoise designated safe area, the only times he's ever out of an enclosure is if he's on me, and while i'm not an expert I know when he's stressed and can leave him be, so please don't criticize my care because it's somewhat different, expressing any concerns is ok, just please don't attack.
I keep him somewhere between the balance of feed eat watch and snuggley house pet. I know this approach is much different than owners on here but it does work for both of us. he's more-so kept in the look at and leave alone way but we have some special times where i'll put on a movie lay down sit him on my chest and he'll lift his head out and watch the movie (he really likes the colors of ice age by the way!) and if he starts walking around or looking like he wants a place to burrow he goes in his tortoise safe enclosure, but movie nights that happen once every few months are a bonding session unlike anything. He's never pooped or peed on me either because if he's acting stressed I put him back (I actually don't think I've ever had to put him away!) He discovered my ear once and stuck his head right in it to sniff it!!
I know he cant experience "love" for me, but I do feel like he does have a special connection to me he hasn't shown others, but I feel like this has to do with the anxiety and depression I suffer from, they say pets sense those things and Franklin certainly does too, movie nights happen when i'm really down so I think he stays by me because he knows.
Anyways, I know my care isn't how most of you raise tortoises, and i'm by no means saying you should or anything, I just wanted to share our special relationship, since no one on here really speaks of care like mine. I'm not one of those uneducated people who keep there tortoise willy-nilly and pretty much never keep them in a tortoise designated safe area, the only times he's ever out of an enclosure is if he's on me, and while i'm not an expert I know when he's stressed and can leave him be, so please don't criticize my care because it's somewhat different, expressing any concerns is ok, just please don't attack.
