TheLastGreen
Well-Known Member
One of my zombensis torts has a habit to gently bring in its legs into its shell and extend it out again repeatedly. He also does it when soaking. Is this normal?
Tort legs pulsing
- Thread starter TheLastGreen
- Start date
My tort stretches his legs out when he's basking or in his soak sometimes one more than the others.
Looks like there's some bullying behaviour going on on your pic.
That closeness is usually a sign that one tort is telling the other to get out of his territory.
Generally torts do not like sharing their space because they are solitary, territorial creatures and bullying can cause stress and illness for both and - when it becomes more aggressive - injury and even death, especially in enclosed spaces where they can't avoid each other.
Signs of dominance are staring, following, nudging , (often mistaken for affection) hogging the food and best basking spots, mounting and later barging, trying to tip the other over, and biting.
I don't know anything about your species so apologies if your species is the exception to the rule but most torts are happier on their own, so maybe look at separating them.
Looks like there's some bullying behaviour going on on your pic.
That closeness is usually a sign that one tort is telling the other to get out of his territory.
Generally torts do not like sharing their space because they are solitary, territorial creatures and bullying can cause stress and illness for both and - when it becomes more aggressive - injury and even death, especially in enclosed spaces where they can't avoid each other.
Signs of dominance are staring, following, nudging , (often mistaken for affection) hogging the food and best basking spots, mounting and later barging, trying to tip the other over, and biting.
I don't know anything about your species so apologies if your species is the exception to the rule but most torts are happier on their own, so maybe look at separating them.
Last edited:
TheLastGreen
Well-Known Member
@Lyn W, the smaller one was soaked while the other one was sleeping, she was placed by the eating bowl and moved to the same hide.
You are right, I just fed them and to my horror the bigger one saw the other one and lifted its head and bobbed up and down. Its neck pulsing! They have been seperated
You are right, I just fed them and to my horror the bigger one saw the other one and lifted its head and bobbed up and down. Its neck pulsing! They have been seperated
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Nice catch, there.
Sometimes what we see doesn't look like bullying. But even subtle bullying is stressful to the animal in captivity because they can't just leave.
ZenHerper
Well-Known Member
Turtles/tortoises that are a bit constipated with push/pull with their legs. Soaking helps hydrate the cloaca, so they frequently pump while in water.
Make sure that your pets are adequately hydrated and are eating enough fiber.
Make sure that your pets are adequately hydrated and are eating enough fiber.
ZenHerper
Well-Known Member
And exercise -- make sure each animal has sufficient square-footage to walk around a lot during the day.
TheLastGreen
Well-Known Member
@ZenHerper https://drive.google.com/file/d/1t8djYMa7uxnD6pdcJqDqJ6UjTH20zg7d/view?usp=drivesdk here is a good example of it
