The Attack of Affection

[Len B]

He finally collapsed my legs and climbed over them...I am now bruised on both thighs. I had to put down the camera and get out from under him. I was kind of afraid he'd hurt me. Not on purpose, but because he's so strong....and he likes to sit on my lap...
HINT to noobies, don't teach your growing Sulcata to eat from your hand or sit on your lap. I have learned the hard way....

Sorry to hear about the bruises, I thought you were working hard to get the pics and keeping him off you at the same time. I have been in that position with both feet on Walker to hold him off and never even thought about trying to get pics. The only time Walker acts that way is when I go into his house, so when I need to go in I usually time it when he is busy with something away from his "personal domain". like cantaloupe, watermelon, bananas, etc, you know, stuff he loves but very seldom gets. We got about 10 inches of snow last night,and he was was busy playing in snow several times today.

 

[alex_ornelas]

He just wants to loved

 

[Carol S]

Bob sure does love his Mom. Love the pictures.

 

[Morla_theancientone]

I love this. That's really great to see!

 

[Prairie Mom]

oh my goodness, Maggie!!! How did I miss this until now!?!?!?!?!?! I love the photo of you cradling his head in your hand. So the entire struggle was really so he could sit on your lap?? Really? Wow! The warning you gave about hand feeding and lap sitting....WOOPS! Too late! I need to get some body armor

I you don't mind I'm going to gush about this thread and post a link to it in "Human touch." I don't want anyone to miss it like I was

 

[lighthiker2]

I love it... Esp the one covered in hay

 

[pepsiandjac]

Bob is adorable,love the first picture,off down shed to do some bonding lol

 

[aundreagwen]

"Let me looooove you"

 

[edricivan]

Awesome pics!

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I read this from time to time. It makes me smile, dmmj was so right. And the first pix of his head in my hand is priceless.....it does bring tears tho...this is freakin bonding, no question to me. I don't believe those people who don't believe tortoises are capable of some kind of feeling. Too bad they didn't meet Bob. They missed someone very special....

 

[MPRC]

Dang it @maggie3fan - you just made me tear up. I am so glad you have these sweet pics of Bob to look back on. My boyfriend and I still talk fondly and share stories about my 15 year old dragon who passed a few months ago. They may be 'just reptiles' but they have more personality than most people.

 

[SGT Fish]

my 15-20lb sulcata likes to follow everyone around the kitchen. when it hears or sees the fridge open, it will run up and plop itself right onto the ground so you can't close the fridge door without giving it some greens or, if its lucky, a strawberry. Oftentimes it will come up to you and start sniffing your socks on your feet to see if they're tasty. but It has never bit me or anyone else, except for one time i was feeding it and it got real close to nipping me with kale in my hands. It also has climbed up onto my legs if i sit in the kitchen and hold food, but it won't climb up unless you have food. All the kids that visit my place absolutely love hand feeding it. I have another friend bringing his daughter over to see the animals this weekend. Not many people get to hold and hand feed lizards, turtles, and a snake very often. Most people prefer it over going to the zoo where you just look at them in a pen. I'm hoping at my next house I can have more kids and other people visit, especially when i expand the family. Heck, they even like petting the chickens, ducks, and rabbits in the backyard

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Bad bad bad..... 2 lessons I learned....never hand feed a growing Sulcata, you'll end up with stitches when he gets to be an adult, no joke. The floor is too cold for him. He needs his own house, pen area etc....

Bob died August 23rd at 2 am, 2015. At 17 yrs old. And I did everything right for him. Please read the "stickies" on the beginning of the Sulcata section.

 

[SGT Fish]

he doesnt just live in the kitchen, but he is open to roam it. he has his own heated enclosure with proper substrate and humidity. He is only on the floor when he is roaming. Sorry for your loss of Bob. And the kitchen floor is much warmer than the 18 degree ground outside right now

 

[Maggie Cummings]

he doesnt just live in the kitchen, but he is open to roam it. he has his own heated enclosure with proper substrate and humidity. He is only on the floor when he is roaming. Sorry for your loss of Bob. And the kitchen floor is much warmer than the 18 degree ground outside right now

Thanks....when he gets bigger, and you are a little distracted he'll bite your hand thinking either that's food or it has food. And because they pull tough weeds from the ground they don't let go of your fingers or hand. You think your love won't do that later, you're wrong. So was I, to the tune of 7 stitches. Bob loved me, but he was still a Sulcata. As a large adult he bit me numerous times, as I was the "food goddess". My BEST advice to you is to start now using tongs instead of losing your fingers or some little kid could lose their hand. Tongs man....

 

[SGT Fish]

i will definitely keep that in mind. Thank you

 

[Yvonne G]

I feed my big guys off a skewer:

 

[Tippiethetortoise]

How cute! I give my Tippie loving every day, but I can't imagine having him on my lap at that size lol He must be heavy!

 

[surfergirl]

So cool and I love how affectionate sully's are. Mine always likes to put his front feet on my foot while he drinks out of his water bowl. it is a routine for him he always wants to be close to me while he eats and drinks. Learned a lesson about wearing flip flops in his enclosure with my toe nails painted watermelon red. watch out for hungry torts thinking your toe is a strawberry ...lol! Thanks for sharing, made my early morning catching up om the forum posts.