I think my Desert Tortoise needs glasses.

[JohnnyB65]

My 11 year old DT can’t seem to find his food and usually walks right over it. He can see and hear me walking around preparing his food and immediately comes out of his burrow directly toward me. But if I move away from his food he can’t see it. I found that I have to stand right behind his food so that he stops just before my feet where he finally looks down and sees his food. I used to think he just didn’t eat much, but he’s been eating 2 to 3 times a day every day since I’ve been going through this ritual.

 

[MPRC]

I have a tortoise who tromps his food and sits and stares at me looking for love or affection or treats. I have to put his food down and walk away or he is distracted by my presence.

 

[JohnnyB65]

I have a tortoise who tromps his food and sits and stares at me looking for love or affection or treats. I have to put his food down and walk away or he is distracted by my presence.

Yes that kind of sounds like mine except he will eat if I block him from walking into his bowl. LOL

 

[JohnnyB65]

Yesterday my 2yr old granddaughter tried doing what I do except she had bare feet with her toe nails painted pink. I had turned away for just minute when I heard her scream in excitement and turned to see the tortoise mouth on one of her toes. I freaked out fearing she got bit, but she was laughing saying Mr. T had tickled her toe.

Wow, I told her that she had to be careful because he might bite her toe with those painted toenails. Mr. T was given to me 10 years ago because he bit a little girl’s finger so I was surprised that my granddaughter didn’t get bit.

 

[Big Charlie]

If I put food down in front of Charlie on the ground, he doesn't see it. If I hold a flower by the stem up near his mouth, he will chomp on it.

 

[MPRC]

Yesterday my 2yr old granddaughter tried doing what I do except she had bare feet with her toe nails painted pink. I had turned away for just minute when I heard her scream in excitement and turned to see the tortoise mouth on one of her toes. I freaked out fearing she got bit, but she was laughing saying Mr. T had tickled her toe.

Wow, I told her that she had to be careful because he might bite her toe with those painted toenails. Mr. T was given to me 10 years ago because he bit a little girl’s finger so I was surprised that my granddaughter didn’t get bit.

Mine give warning before eating toes, they will gently nibble or sort of "boop" your toe with their nose before they go for it. So far I have't been bitten on the foot.
I DID get bit on the arm once. I was sitting on the porch with multiple torts around me and wasn't paying attention to the ones who weren't eating from my hand and Vern grabbed on to me for just a second.

 

[JohnnyB65]

Mine give warning before eating toes, they will gently nibble or sort of "boop" your toe with their nose before they go for it. So far I have't been bitten on the foot.
I DID get bit on the arm once. I was sitting on the porch with multiple torts around me and wasn't paying attention to the ones who weren't eating from my hand and Vern grabbed on to me for just a second.

So did it hurt much when you got bit? I have no idea what damage they can do, but envision losing a toe or something.

 

[MPRC]

He broke skin but it didn't bleed, I don't think he was really TRYING though, I've seen them crunch bones and snails, I really wouldn't want a full-on chomp.

 

[JohnnyB65]

He broke skin but it didn't bleed, I don't think he was really TRYING though, I've seen them crunch bones and snails, I really wouldn't want a full-on chomp.

Oh OK, I used to hear horror stories about snapping turtles when I was a kid, but I guess Desert Tortoises have a different bite.

 

[Yvonne G]

this is quite normal for tortoises. All of them consider that the food god/goddess is actually the food, and not the food bringer. You have to put the food down then quickly step behind the tortoise or out of sight. The smell of the food will bring the tortoise to it. It used to irritate me no end to put down this beautiful pile of food - food I spent so much time cleaning, cutting and assembling - only to have the tortoises bulldoze their way through it to get to me. I quickly learned to get out of sight once I place the food.

 

[JohnnyB65]

Thank you Yvonne. I have to admit that I was a little worried that maybe something happened to his eyes. I retired last year and I'm noticing things now that I didn't before since I'm spending more time outside around him.