Tort helps flipped friend.

[Eloise's mommy]

I found this video on YouTube today while browsing videos on my lunch....tooo cute not to share!! Although I will say that the person with the camera could have helped out faster but still a cute video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QK9Xj7eY0UU

 

[LaLa (karla)]

awww Wat a good friend. thanks for sharing

 

[MasterOogway]

I have watched that video too. I love it

 

[mctlong]

Awww, that's a sweet video.

The sinister side of me wonders if he's the one who flipped her over in the first place.

 

[Tom]

... Oh jeez. Not again....

We've seen this me before and argued about it. The tortoise is NOT helping the other one. This is classic tortoise aggression. That is about as bombastic and combative as leopards get. See how the upright one went right up to the face of the flipped one? That's aggression. See how he chased after him, head extended, after he flipped him? He's trying to drive him out of his territory.

I harp on this so much because I believe a lot of tortoises are living with aggression because many tortoise keepers simply do not understand or recognize aggression, or it's symptoms. I hope my ranting will cause people to look a little closer and understand what their tortoises behavior is indicating.

 

[LeopardTortLover]

... Oh jeez. Not again....

We've seen this me before and argued about it. The tortoise is NOT helping the other one. This is classic tortoise aggression. That is about as bombastic and combative as leopards get. See how the upright one went right up to the face of the flipped one? That's aggression. See how he chased after him, head extended, after he flipped him? He's trying to drive him out of his territory.

I harp on this so much because I believe a lot of tortoises are living with aggression because many tortoise keepers simply do not understand or recognize aggression, or it's symptoms. I hope my ranting will cause people to look a little closer and understand what their tortoises behavior is indicating.

Wow! I had absolutely no idea either... im going to unlike this video now have you sent a message to the video owner? or just left it? I actually feel bad for not knowing this. Luckily I only have one tort. Is there a good thread about tort agression on here that you know of?

 

[Tom]

No Laura. I have not seen a thread that specifically deals with tortoise aggression, but we are constantly telling people to separate pairs of tortoises due to aggression here on the forum. Its kind of like the myth of keeping sulcata or leopard babies dry. So many people buy pairs of Testudo or sulcatas, and it almost always leads to trouble. Many people watch a video like this and find it sweet or heroic, but have no idea that they are watching the tortoise equivalent of "Fight Club".

 

[Eloise's mommy]

Sorry I thought aggression would be, well, more aggressive...Didn't mean to share such a terrible thing..

 

[Tom]

No need to apologize. So far 164 people have viewed this thread. Hopefully this info will help someone.

 

[ascott]

LOL....Tom, you got here before I did....gotta love the human emotion forced onto this vid, huh....

A friend of mine use to say that if he sat his dog out along side of the highway and took some vid of her and then put it on you tube along with some really sad music along with some request for help....he could make a fortune....lol

...it is just out human nature to equate what we "see" in animal behavior as having to be the same as when we humans are nice....just not the case in this particular video...and as Tom said, no need for apology---it is the perfect moment to go back and re evaluate the entire vid and take it in without human emotions and you will see what is going on...along with some knowledge as to what "silent" aggression "looks" like....