- Joined
- Nov 7, 2012
- Messages
- 5,173
- Location (City and/or State)
- South of Southern California, but not Mexico
Yeah, no they don't. They are telling you something with not so emotional behavior.
You know how we know people have emotions, because we actually feel what we feel, and can share it non-verbally with others (yeah verbally too).
We know cats and dogs have emotions because they express them to each other and us, they make sounds based on our prompting it, and they head butt us, wag their tails etc.
The key here is how they treat each other much much more than how they treat us. Dogs and cats are affectionate with each other and other animals.
Emotions are a key element in social structures.
So lets take a look see at how tortoises treat each other, lots of ramming and forcing themselves around each other, mating that by anthropocentric standards is nothing less than rape. Mating aversion by biting and ramming. Male male combat in at least some cases resulting in the 'losers' death.
We are the tree that drops fruit and tortoises do know to go to fruiting trees, flowers plants etc. when the time is right. That's what they 'love' a reliable food source, just like you love your favorite grocery store or farmer's market.
Pacing in front of glass indicates that the tortoise wants the view reduced. Use a green sharpie or low view blocking something. It might also be that the enclosure environmental parameters are not optimal, or it's just too small a space. The want better for survival, they don't hate you or the enclosure.
They have needs, anything less than fulfilling them is what makes us as keepers unhappy, the tortoises just wants what it needs.
Most tortoises are solitary players in the world. A few species have 'get-along' capabilities based on their wild counterparts needing this that are rare in the wild place, like rock shelters for pancakes, shade trees for aldabras, and localized food abundance like tropical species eating fruit under a tree.
While I'm on a rants they are not 'breeds' but species. That is all.
You know how we know people have emotions, because we actually feel what we feel, and can share it non-verbally with others (yeah verbally too).
We know cats and dogs have emotions because they express them to each other and us, they make sounds based on our prompting it, and they head butt us, wag their tails etc.
The key here is how they treat each other much much more than how they treat us. Dogs and cats are affectionate with each other and other animals.
Emotions are a key element in social structures.
So lets take a look see at how tortoises treat each other, lots of ramming and forcing themselves around each other, mating that by anthropocentric standards is nothing less than rape. Mating aversion by biting and ramming. Male male combat in at least some cases resulting in the 'losers' death.
We are the tree that drops fruit and tortoises do know to go to fruiting trees, flowers plants etc. when the time is right. That's what they 'love' a reliable food source, just like you love your favorite grocery store or farmer's market.
Pacing in front of glass indicates that the tortoise wants the view reduced. Use a green sharpie or low view blocking something. It might also be that the enclosure environmental parameters are not optimal, or it's just too small a space. The want better for survival, they don't hate you or the enclosure.
They have needs, anything less than fulfilling them is what makes us as keepers unhappy, the tortoises just wants what it needs.
Most tortoises are solitary players in the world. A few species have 'get-along' capabilities based on their wild counterparts needing this that are rare in the wild place, like rock shelters for pancakes, shade trees for aldabras, and localized food abundance like tropical species eating fruit under a tree.
While I'm on a rants they are not 'breeds' but species. That is all.