This box turtles behavior is incredible

ZenHerper

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So...this kind of behavior is part of what you look for when creating a Domesticated line of critters.

But. If he won't figure out how to consort with other turtles? Dead end.

Terribly cute (another thing that indicates a potential shift toward Domestication - juvenile facial features)!

Definitely not a territorial display. Interesting.
 

Skip K

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So...this kind of behavior is part of what you look for when creating a Domesticated line of critters.

But. If he won't figure out how to consort with other turtles? Dead end.

Terribly cute (another thing that indicates a potential shift toward Domestication - juvenile facial features)!

Definitely not a territorial display. Interesting.
I wish I could talk to the original owners of the boxie…raised from a baby? kept by itself? did it exhibit this behavior from the get go?. I’ve always tried to let my animals…especially my boxies…live in a natural environment with minimum intrusion to keep some wild traits. Torts have to come in during the winter so they are more human tolerant but even though the boxies come running at feeding time they still retain some of their natural (wild) behavior. The boxie in question looks well taken care of. So many questions…but I’ve never seen his level of interaction or response to a human. It truly fascinates me I must admit
 

Cathie G

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I wish I could talk to the original owners of the boxie…raised from a baby? kept by itself? did it exhibit this behavior from the get go?. I’ve always tried to let my animals…especially my boxies…live in a natural environment with minimum intrusion to keep some wild traits. Torts have to come in during the winter so they are more human tolerant but even though the boxies come running at feeding time they still retain some of their natural (wild) behavior. The boxie in question looks well taken care of. So many questions…but I’ve never seen his level of interaction or response to a human. It truly fascinates me I must admit
I do think some animals are just special. Even among domestic animals. I've seen a raccoon that was like that too. But maybe the little boxie would not have developed like that if it had to have lived in the wild. Maybe even not have survived because of that. Maybe it was a perfect pairing with that family to bring that out. I keep feeling sorry for the family that had to give that beautiful animal up.?
 

ZenHerper

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I wish I could talk to the original owners of the boxie…raised from a baby? kept by itself? did it exhibit this behavior from the get go?. I’ve always tried to let my animals…especially my boxies…live in a natural environment with minimum intrusion to keep some wild traits. Torts have to come in during the winter so they are more human tolerant but even though the boxies come running at feeding time they still retain some of their natural (wild) behavior. The boxie in question looks well taken care of. So many questions…but I’ve never seen his level of interaction or response to a human. It truly fascinates me I must admit
The shape of his head/face are not completely Typical...so is there something non-typical about his brain development and function? Is this DNA-based, or environmental? (Has he evolved into some pro-social whatnot, or has this behavior been shaped by his former owner(s)?). His anti-social stance toward other turtles is significant...but how to characterize it (lack of exposure; excessively subordinate personality; developmentally missing/damaged brain centers; blah, blah)?

There's a lot about reptile brain function and behavior that has been ignored scientifically; one out-lying individual is hard to classify.

Yes, more questions than answers. lol
 
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So...this kind of behavior is part of what you look for when creating a Domesticated line of critters.

But. If he won't figure out how to consort with other turtles? Dead end.

Terribly cute (another thing that indicates a potential shift toward Domestication - juvenile facial features)!

Definitely not a territorial display. Interesting.
Panda's brother that I rehomed had a personality like this, his new owner uses him for child reptile education because he's very social and animated. And like Otis, he doesn't play well with other turtles.
 

ZenHerper

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Panda's brother that I rehomed had a personality like this, his new owner uses him for child reptile education because he's very social and animated. And like Otis, he doesn't play well with other turtles.
Yes. Definitely not a Normal reptile behavior...and does not seem to suit them to reproduce themselves. Sort of like when a reptile develops with two heads and then has trouble staying alive because it can't make unilateral choices, and may have other internal abnormalities.


***************

Anthropomorphism is when someone unscientifically ascribes human characteristics or motivations to another species' behaviors. Like insisting that two tortoises are "snuggly best friends" when the behaviors observed are those of tortoise bullying.

These turtles are displaying behaviors that we don't understand. IF (Mega IF) these turtles are experiencing some kind of pro-social impulses, it is an aberration and not something that can be generalized to their species.

It is not unheard of for a random animal to display behaviors foreign to its species...those animals are usually unable to cope with life in general (without a lot of intervention and protection). Physical bodies are quite fragile. Gestational and developmental errors, infections, trauma, injuries...all can affect brain shape and function.
 

Cathie G

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I do think some animals are just special. Even among domestic animals. I've seen a raccoon that was like that too. But maybe the little boxie would not have developed like that if it had to have lived in the wild. Maybe even not have survived because of that. Maybe it was a perfect pairing with that family to bring that out. I keep feeling sorry for the family that had to give that beautiful animal up.?
I do have to say also that I have a brother Joe that's developmentally disabled and a deaf mute. People feel sorry for us BUTT I feel sorry for them because that don't have a Joe in their life.?
 

Cathie G

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My sulcata acts similar to this when he wants to be picked up. Of course the only reason he wants to be picked up is so he can be carried to the “good” grass. Like when a toddler puts up their hands and screams “up up up up”
Sapphire tries to stand up really tall but he does that for anyone he thinks he can charm into it.? I'm probably the only one that knows what he's thinking and I have the last say ?
 

Skip K

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Just an update on Otis the dog turtle. Garden State Tortoise is selling Otis t-shirts. I normally don’t shill for ANYONE but GST does a lot of conservation projects for wild Chelonia.
 

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