Kids and biting

Morob7

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2015
Messages
60
Location (City and/or State)
New Orleans, LA
I am hoping to receive two yearling Mees from Vic this week and was wondering about experiences with biting. I have two 8 yr old boys that will want to "help" with them and of course will be curious. What advice would you offer? Should they expect to be able to pet them on them head, etc?
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,388
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Manouria are very people friendly, however, they see people as food. You can put down a nice big pile of food and they will traipse right through it to get to you because YOU are the food. So, in that sense, your kids might possible get bitten. It's just something you have to watch out for.

A Manouria tortoise moves quite slowly. They don't snap out a bite. They come at you with their mouth open, very slowly. It's easy to stay out of that mouth's way.
 

Morob7

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2015
Messages
60
Location (City and/or State)
New Orleans, LA
That helps a lot. If my kids can pay attention to what the tortoises are doing, they should be able to avoid bites. My kids have a tendency to be very paranoid if they know they may get a bite. Do they tend to care if you touch their heads while they are eating?
 

Morob7

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2015
Messages
60
Location (City and/or State)
New Orleans, LA
I assume that this slow nature would make it relatively easy to hand feed without injury. I am reluctant to put my fingers close to my box turtles mouth. He seems to be pretty quick.
 

dmmj

The member formerly known as captain awesome
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 15, 2008
Messages
19,695
Location (City and/or State)
CA
if they see people as food personally I would avoid hand feeding. it sort of feels like poking the bear with a stick you know
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,388
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
I have never hand fed my Manouria, and yet they still see me as food. I don't think there's any way around that. You might show the kids how to offer a morsel of food on a skewer (like in my avatar).
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
In general animals should not be petted or "messed with" while they are eating. That is probably the worse time to have the boys try to pet them as the tortoises are actively reaching out and biting at things on purpose during feeding time.

Also, pairs are a bad idea. Tortoises are not social. They do not see other tortoises as "friends". You should get just one, or a group of three or more.

One last thing. Its very hot where you are. I'm sure Vic has already told you, but do your best to keep these guys cool in spring and summer. Lots and lots of shade, misters, sprinklers, water and heavy cover. This species can easily die if they get overheated in the sun on a hot day.
 

Morob7

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2015
Messages
60
Location (City and/or State)
New Orleans, LA
Thanks. I have done my research on the habitat. Not much is available on biting humans though. I have a 50 gallon rubbermaid tub with moss that sits under a japanese maple nestled up next to a fence. The temperature and humidity are remarkably stable in the recommended range for Manouria. I do not have them yet, but I have been monitoring the habitat for three days. I have also made a hinged lid using copper pipe and hardware cloth that will protect them from other critters. This tub can be moved into my garage when the weather cools off.:) In the spring I will look at building a more elaborate enclosure.
 

Morob7

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2015
Messages
60
Location (City and/or State)
New Orleans, LA
I have never hand fed my Manouria, and yet they still see me as food. I don't think there's any way around that. You might show the kids how to offer a morsel of food on a skewer (like in my avatar).
And I thought that was a toothpick. ;) Sounds like a good idea.
 

X TORTOISE---MAD X

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2011
Messages
100
Location (City and/or State)
Essex England
Hi there

My son got bitten by my brown and he bled. He was younger however and climbed up to her enclosure being a curious 3 year old and she took a bite at his finger. In saying this he has never put his hand in from of her again! He now turns to me and says mummy you out the food in now! Bless my boy learnt the hard way I suppose.
 

Morob7

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2015
Messages
60
Location (City and/or State)
New Orleans, LA
We will definitely be careful. I believe that if I tell them that they think we are food, they will know to look out and not go poking fingers in front of them. Your poor guy did learn the hard way.
 

dmmj

The member formerly known as captain awesome
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 15, 2008
Messages
19,695
Location (City and/or State)
CA
because kids are very smart and they always listen right? :) sorry I couldn't resist
 

Morob7

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2015
Messages
60
Location (City and/or State)
New Orleans, LA
Oh. Mine are definitely not ones to chance bites, be they from bees, dogs or tortoises.;)
 

X TORTOISE---MAD X

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2011
Messages
100
Location (City and/or State)
Essex England
He did indeed! My tortoise was extremely pleased with her self, she had crazy eyes +++++++ lol
On serious note though they will bite it's just in their nature being meat eaters just makes them blood thirsty! & they do just see us as maybe a piece of chicken. Look forward to seeing your babies. I still have to put pictures up of my own yet
 

dmmj

The member formerly known as captain awesome
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 15, 2008
Messages
19,695
Location (City and/or State)
CA
I don't know about you guys but I'm the other white meat :)
 

Alyssa412

Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2015
Messages
42
Location (City and/or State)
South West Florida
I second what everybody else is saying! I've only had mine for a few weeks and while they are usually not interested in me at all, one of them (ron) did chase me around part of the yard when I was picking up leaves the other day. then I sat down indian-style on the ground to watch the other two eat and the third (ron again, who was finished eating) kept coming towards my upper leg and looking way too interested for my comfort!

also, make sure the kids are wearing shoes if you have the tortoises out and about! I am always barefoot or in flip flops when i'm outside, so if I get bit I will be totally to blame. but based on what I've read here and seen with my torts, toes are just as tasty looking as fingers. I've got to pick up a cheap pair of slip-ons or something.
 

Morob7

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2015
Messages
60
Location (City and/or State)
New Orleans, LA
Sounds like they are pretty funny. Ron seems to think you are either trespassing or that he can hunt you down and eat you. It is a good thing they move slowly.
 

Alyssa412

Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2015
Messages
42
Location (City and/or State)
South West Florida
Sounds like they are pretty funny. Ron seems to think you are either trespassing or that he can hunt you down and eat you. It is a good thing they move slowly.
one at a time is no problem, but if the three of them decide to gang up on me they've got some good odds :)
 
Top