turtle polish

[tikifrog]

Greetings All,

Are tortoises capable of much feeling through the carapace? When Tommy comes strolling by I reach out and start rubbing him down with a polishing motion, mainly over his anterior vertebral and pleural scutes, and he will park himself down and remain there as long as I continue.

Any else come across this?

 

[Yvonne G]

Most tortoises seem to really like a carapace rub. Some will even do what Maggie calls the hootchie kootchie dance while you rub them. Yes, they can feel it.

 

[tikifrog]

Tommy will just sit when the front of his shell is rubbed, and will do a hootchie kootchie when I rub the the posterior portion of his carapace. I wasn't sure if the amount of "hootchie" movement was a sign of displeasure or not. He will also wiggle his booty when I need to hose off his vent area.

 

[Tom]

The "hootchie kootchie" dance is their way of saying "Hey! Get off of me. I don't want to be bred." Same way a male bullfrog will start croaking if you circle your thumb and forefinger around their waist.

 

[tikifrog]

Thanks, I thought that was a "get off my back" message.

 

[RV's mom]

I try to clean RV's rear end with the hose and rubbing when she sits in poo and has a dirty bottom (what's a mom to do?). She is very abrupt with her 'hootchie kootchie' and will go so far as to plant herself on my hand - hard. ouch.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I don't know about that Tom...I just can't remember the last time I tried to breed Bob but he loves to do a hootchie cootchie dance when I rub his carapace or hose off his carapace...he will also do that dance if he walks under a sprinkler...