Stu is doing a weird dance!

[Carina and Stu]

Stu's full name is Disco Stu. I named him this because he was doing a lot of "headbutting" when I first clapped eyes on him in the reptile shop. Now he seems to have developed a new dance move. Perhaps you could shed some light as to what it means...

When I stroke down his shell at both sides at the same time from head end round to the bottom end, he lifts his botty up as high as he can stretch his legs and wiggles it from side to side! It is incredibly funny but I want to know if this frustrates him and is distressed behaviour or whether it means something else - like maybe he is a girl?

Or perhaps he really does just like to dance!

Also, when he tries to poo or wee it looks like he is struggling or it is painful in some way. He tends to lift up really high and push back, often "rocking" back and forth for a while! I can sometimes see something (whether it is his poo or something part of him I don't know) coming out and in as he tries to do his business. ?

Looking forward as to what you think Stu's dancing means!

 

[Tom]

Stu is telling you he's a male and would you please kindly dismount him. Its kind of like when you grab a male frog or toad around the waist and they start croaking, "I'm a male, I'm a male".

That's the tortoises way of saying, "Hey pal that's, an exit, not an entrance!"

My male sulcatas do this when my little girl tries to sit on them. I call it the wiggle dance. My female just sits there.

 

[Carina and Stu]

Ha ha ha! That's great, thanks!

How about when he tries to go to the toilet -

"Also, when he tries to poo or wee it looks like he is struggling or it is painful in some way. He tends to lift up really high and push back, often "rocking" back and forth for a while! I can sometimes see something (whether it is his poo or something part of him I don't know) coming out and in as he tries to do his business."

- is this normal behaviour?

 

[Tom]

Ha ha ha! That's great, thanks!

How about when he tries to go to the toilet -

"Also, when he tries to poo or wee it looks like he is struggling or it is painful in some way. He tends to lift up really high and push back, often "rocking" back and forth for a while! I can sometimes see something (whether it is his poo or something part of him I don't know) coming out and in as he tries to do his business."

- is this normal behaviour?

Seems normal to me from your description. I'd love to see pics of your snails. If I say pretty please, will you post some in the other pets section? Pretty please?

 

[Carina and Stu]

Ha ha I will try my best - I am having a little difficulty uploading photos as it says they're too big...?! But I will see what I can do...

 

[Tom]

Have you tried tinypic.com? It uploads them, no matter the size. Then all you have to do is click "copy" on the IMG code and then click "paste" when the cursor is on the spot in your post where you want the pic to go. Its really easy. You don't have to sign up, make an account, give them any info or any other such non-sense. I've been using it for a while now and its easy for someone like me who doesn't know much about computer stuff. Maggie told me about it here on the forum. Thanks Maggie.

 

[Carina and Stu]

Just done it! Thanks for the tip, I will use it in future! Check them out on the pets bit. I only have a couple of photos but I will updated later...

 

[Stephanie Logan]

Hey! What about some photos of Disco Stu doing the potty polka?

 

[Carina and Stu]

Hahaha! I will take some pictures tomorrow and upload them for you. Any way of putting a video on here? I have a fantastic one!