head bobbing, hatchling born in Oct.

[cordell]

I have a redfoot hatchling from October, captive breed as well. He bobs his head when walking around. He bobs his head a awful lot, I read this is done between males but I have only the one tort. Is he OK? We got him/her it still had a bit of yolk sack on the stomache, also it still has egg tooth. We bought him directly from the breeder so he wasnt shipped and he was and still is eating very well.

thanks
cordell

 

[TortieGal]

My sulcata head was bobbing and he was sick it stopped when he got better.
Make sure he is breathing good and no runny nose.

 

[terracolson]

Mine are not head bobbers, but i can see there little bodies move with breathing....

 

[cordell]

So some bob and some dont? It is related to breathing from what I can tell. His neck seems to fill with air as well. I dont see any discharge from the nose but it looks like he has some of the cypress/forest floor in his eye. I am trying to clean it but he pulls away every time I try! He like to go under this leaf and dig down and over. Should he hide all the time, or be exploring all the time?

thanks
cordell

 

[Chewbecca]

Mine bobs his head occasionally.
And he head butts his food.
ALL THE TIME.

SO CUTE.

 

[terracolson]

head butts his food, how cute

 

[terryo]

When my Cherry Head was a hatchling, all he did was eat and then go into his hide and bury himself in his moss. He only came out once a day in the AM to eat but as he got older he started to come out in the late afternoon again to finish any food he left. That's the only time I ever saw him. Now that he's older, he still doesn't come out much, when indoors for the winter. He spends more time out of his hide in the summer when outside.
It's really the same with all hatchlings...I think...I don't know about other species of tortoises, but all my boxie hatchlings hide all day too.

 

[cordell]

I figured they would hide more than roam. The breeder who also owned a cool reptile shop had the hatchling torts on rabbit pellets for substrate. He went on about how it is good for them because they can eat it and it soaks up urine. I bought into it, yeah a $20 bag of it! I started noticing my lil hatchlings eyes appear to be crying. It didnt take much searching to relate this to dehydration and the lack of humidity, hmmm the rabbit pellets? lol So Dots (our hatchling) is on a layer of potting soil with a layer of forest floor on top. It stays humid now and the crying has stopped. The head bobbing though, I guess I am not worried as of yet. He is young and it could be a bit of fear involved too. I havent seen a head butt yet but I will keep a eye out! lol

thanks
cordell

 

[terryo]

Mine is two now, and if I change his enclosure or put something new in there, or am trying out a new food , he will bob his head too. It might have something to do with him being nervous.

 

[My Little Louie]

My redfoot is 1 and he still does the head bobbing thing. Its usually when he is exploring his cage and stops to look at something or waiting for his food. He sits by the food bowl and looks up at me and then the bowl,like where is it??? then he starts the head bobbing.

 

[cordell]

My redfoot is 1 and he still does the head bobbing thing. Its usually when he is exploring his cage and stops to look at something or waiting for his food. He sits by the food bowl and looks up at me and then the bowl,like where is it??? then he starts the head bobbing.

Thats what I am talking about! Its not like he is gasping for air but I can tell he is breathing with it, at least I think. When he roams around or even when I grab him, wait for food, ect. Its kind of funny looking, almost like he has a Ipod on his little head, lol.

thanks
cordell

 

[Stephanie Logan]

Mine bobs his head occasionally.
And he head butts his food.
ALL THE TIME.

SO CUTE.

Chewbecca! You're back!

I'm dying from Stagger Lee withdrawal...quick, save me by posting some photos of him butting his food! Hurry!

 

[PeanutbuttER]

My redfoot does it as well. I always assumed it was a sign of interest and that's why she would do it when 1) food is offered, 2) something is new, and 3) I just changed the water.

I had some birds that used to do that and they would do it because of interest. It was a way for them to get a better look at something.

 

[sachmn]

My little hatchling does it too. I' had asked about it but no one responded so I'm glad someone else asked about it as well.

 

[cordell]

My redfoot does it as well. I always assumed it was a sign of interest

I have noticed that he does not do the head bob when he wants out of a situation. Dots (hatchling redfoot) had some forest floor in his eye. I tried to use a Q-tip to help remove it but he did not like the idea of a Q-tip poking him in the head. So I was soaking him for 30 minutes, help loosen it up. It had been there for about 2 days so it also had eye discharge. The soaking help but my observations where while he was soaking he got annoyed with being in a tupperware. He started out with the head bob and once he realized he was trapped in this container full of water he went into excape mode. He climbed at the sides, tried all possible means to get out. No head bobbing at all. I put him back into his enclosure and once he mellowed out and found food, head bobbing returned. So I agree interest is a major player in the bobbing of the head. Thanks for all the replies, I feel better knowing I dont have a odd-ball redfoot. They all seem to possess this trait, its sort of, whats the word, cute? lol And we are all dieing to see some pics of the head butting!

thanks
cordell

 

[Chewbecca]

This is Stagger head butting the mushroom I was giving him.

 

[Redfoot NERD]

Remember guys/gals [ is that better? since nobody ID's themselves! ]
that these little guys can't 'expand' the way we can.. so we see each breath taken.

Eyes water to protect their eyes during low humidity.

They are 'growing' babies so they get excited and react a lot to anything that scares them.. like this BIG thing in their face!

"Let's see if this thing is alive ( or how it smells ) before I bite it"!

NERD

 

[Chewbecca]

Remember guys/gals [ is that better? since nobody ID's themselves! ]
that these little guys can't 'expand' the way we can.. so we see each breath taken.

Eyes water to protect their eyes during low humidity.

They are 'growing' babies so they get excited and react a lot to anything that scares them.. like this BIG thing in their face!

"Let's see if this thing is alive ( or how it smells ) before I bite it"!

NERD

Well, yes, Terry, but we can still comment on how ADORABLE it is when they head butt EVERYTHING.
Well, I can. Because my tortoise is the cutest tortoise ever.

 

[13Fox150]

Well in all my extensive Redfoot experience (3 days now) I have seen my little guy/gal do it quite a bit. It seems to coincide with me putting my hand in his enclosure. I'm guessing he does it when he's nervous or wants me to back off.

 

[cordell]

Yeah, It seems to be a breathing thing. So excitement or nervousness will make it happen. I think it is ind of cute, lol.

cordell

That head butting pic is AWESOME!