Weird that I don’t “interact” with my Tortoise?

Wasa77

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Outside of daily soaks and giving her access to food and sunlight, I hardly interact with my tortoise. I don’t see her as a toy, so I don’t want to hold her (etc) for my own entertainment. I just find joy in knowing I’m doing my best to provide a healthy environment for her to thrive in. I know lots of people like to engage with their tortoises like hand feed and letting them roam (nothing wrong with either), but I honestly just like to let her be. Anyone else in the same boat as me? Just curious!
 

nicoleann2214

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Outside of daily soaks and giving her access to food and sunlight, I hardly interact with my tortoise. I don’t see her as a toy, so I don’t want to hold her (etc) for my own entertainment. I just find joy in knowing I’m doing my best to provide a healthy environment for her to thrive in. I know lots of people like to engage with their tortoises like hand feed and letting them roam (nothing wrong with either), but I honestly just like to let her be. Anyone else in the same boat as me? Just curious!
I do the same as you as well. I do what I need to do and leave her be, occasionally I snap some photos of her just cause she’s adorable or try to feed her from my hand.? but I certainly don’t let her roam around my house or floors. That’s dangerous.
 

Maro2Bear

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Yep. Now that our Sully is back in the basement for the next few months, I often say to wifey that it’s funny. It’s like having another person in the house that we feed, but don’t see. Sometimes my timing is right and Sully is out walking eating, etc. other times, I feed, the food disappears & rinse repeat.
 

Tom

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Outside of daily soaks and giving her access to food and sunlight, I hardly interact with my tortoise. I don’t see her as a toy, so I don’t want to hold her (etc) for my own entertainment. I just find joy in knowing I’m doing my best to provide a healthy environment for her to thrive in. I know lots of people like to engage with their tortoises like hand feed and letting them roam (nothing wrong with either), but I honestly just like to let her be. Anyone else in the same boat as me? Just curious!
Most of us that have larger herds do it the same as you. There is nothing wrong with that.

But there is also nothing wrong with people who have just one, and like to interact with it a lot.

That is one of the things I love about tortoises. There are just so many ways to enjoy them.
 

Skip K

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Luckily I have the time to interact with all my torts...a lot. I believe it makes them more comfortable and brings out their personalities more. To me...spending time with them...means I’m not a occasional intruder in their lives...but a part of their lives. But whichever you prefer...less or more involvement...torts are adaptable to either and will thrive with proper husbandry regardless. The whole point of me having them is to interact and observe them.
 
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GBtortoises

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Not weird at all. I have not "interacted" with my tortoises and turtles for over 35 years! I believe in giving them every possible resource I can for them to act as naturally as possible (despite being in captivity). I I respect them as animals, not as playthings for my amusement. I want them to act like and be tortoises and turtles.
 

Dlamonda

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Outside of daily soaks and giving her access to food and sunlight, I hardly interact with my tortoise. I don’t see her as a toy, so I don’t want to hold her (etc) for my own entertainment. I just find joy in knowing I’m doing my best to provide a healthy environment for her to thrive in. I know lots of people like to engage with their tortoises like hand feed and letting them roam (nothing wrong with either), but I honestly just like to let her be. Anyone else in the same boat as me? Just curious!
Hi, that's how I feel. My husband built a beautiful habitat for my tort looks like a piece of furniture. He added nice plexiglass windows so I can sit and watch activities. I also added a camera to make sure when I'm gone everything good. But like you I don't hold my tort. He is a rescue and was close to death when we got him. One reason he lived with young kids that handled him played with him. Since cost me a ton of money to restore his health I love and take care of him. But I let him live in peace in a beautiful almost natural habitat.
 

Maggie3fan

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Luckily I have the time to interact with all my torts...a lot. I believe it makes them more comfortable and brings out their personalities more. To me...spending time with them...means I’m not a occasional intruder in their lives...but a part of their lives. But whichever you prefer...less or more involvement...torts are adaptable to either and will thrive with proper husbandry regardless. The whole point of me having them is to interact and observe them.
I so agree with you. I spend time with my bigger tortoises watching them in their pens grazing and being tortoises. I also spend time with my box turtles when they are outside, they swim and roam and really entertain me. While they have to be in an inside habitat I pretty much don't intrude on them as much. Probably because inside they aren't as active
 

Skip K

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I so agree with you. I spend time with my bigger tortoises watching them in their pens grazing and being tortoises. I also spend time with my box turtles when they are outside, they swim and roam and really entertain me. While they have to be in an inside habitat I pretty much don't intrude on them as much. Probably because inside they aren't as active
I get the feeling some might think I “play” with my animals when say interact. Not so. An example of interaction and personality..well...here is an example. Decades ago I had a huge a male and female iguana. They interacted with us. When my wife and I would get home from work...I’d let them out of their cage ( I don’t do this very much with the torts). The male would come toward me...bob his head to let me know he’s the boss...then climb up the drapes and relax on the curtain rod. The female would follow my wife into the kitchen and wait for her “share” of any veggies or fruit she was preparing. If she didn’t get her fair share...she would follow my wife outta the kitchen and come to me with my plate of food...and wait for her share. If I didn’t give her any...she would climb up my back to my shoulder...if I STILL didn’t give her her share...she would crawl down onto my arm. This was amusing in that she was over 5 ft long and around 10 lbs. If she still didn’t get her share...she would move further down with her head on my hand. And if she still didn’t get any food...she would simply help herself and eat the food off my fork. If I left my plate for any reason...when I’d get back...all the veggies and fruit would be gone. I miss the iguanas.
 

DakotaFlash

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Hi, that's how I feel. My husband built a beautiful habitat for my tort looks like a piece of furniture. He added nice plexiglass windows so I can sit and watch activities. I also added a camera to make sure when I'm gone everything good. But like you I don't hold my tort. He is a rescue and was close to death when we got him. One reason he lived with young kids that handled him played with him. Since cost me a ton of money to restore his health I love and take care of him. But I let him live in peace in a beautiful almost natural habitat.
Would love to see pictures of the habitat !
 

Prince's mom

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Hi, that's how I feel. My husband built a beautiful habitat for my tort looks like a piece of furniture. He added nice plexiglass windows so I can sit and watch activities. I also added a camera to make sure when I'm gone everything good. But like you I don't hold my tort. He is a rescue and was close to death when we got him. One reason he lived with young kids that handled him played with him. Since cost me a ton of money to restore his health I love and take care of him. But I let him live in peace in a beautiful almost natural habitat.
Pics please
 

William Lee Kohler

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I get the feeling some might think I “play” with my animals when say interact. Not so. An example of interaction and personality..well...here is an example. Decades ago I had a huge a male and female iguana. They interacted with us. When my wife and I would get home from work...I’d let them out of their cage ( I don’t do this very much with the torts). The male would come toward me...bob his head to let me know he’s the boss...then climb up the drapes and relax on the curtain rod. The female would follow my wife into the kitchen and wait for her “share” of any veggies or fruit she was preparing. If she didn’t get her fair share...she would follow my wife outta the kitchen and come to me with my plate of food...and wait for her share. If I didn’t give her any...she would climb up my back to my shoulder...if I STILL didn’t give her her share...she would crawl down onto my arm. This was amusing in that she was over 5 ft long and around 10 lbs. If she still didn’t get her share...she would move further down with her head on my hand. And if she still didn’t get any food...she would simply help herself and eat the food off my fork. If I left my plate for any reason...when I’d get back...all the veggies and fruit would be gone. I miss the iguanas.

Love that story?!
 

Maggie3fan

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Bob was about 5 years old when I got him, I think. My first bigger tortoise. I was medically retired from my truckin career and started to help my sister. I couldn't do a whole lot becuz of my injury, so I spent time with Bob. I would go out to the shed and just spent time with him, in his house on his floor or outside pen. I literally spent hours a day with him. At Christmas he used to go to Petco and your kid could have his picture with Bob for $5 to go to the Senior Dog Rescue. Then he'd spend a couple of hours walking around the store entertaining the shoppers. It was fun. Bob was about 70 lbs when I taught him how to play soccer using a 5 gallon bucket I would roll the bucket at him and he'd then attack it and send it back my way (sorta).It was common for me to have a nap in the sweet smelling hay in the tort shed, with Bob sleeping on some part of me Honestly, I miss that closeness with him. Bob was seriously worse than Mary Knobbins as far as getting into trouble and escapes. And I have not played with or taught or slept with any other Sulcata since Bob died.
 

Skip K

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Virginia
Bob was about 5 years old when I got him, I think. My first bigger tortoise. I was medically retired from my truckin career and started to help my sister. I couldn't do a whole lot becuz of my injury, so I spent time with Bob. I would go out to the shed and just spent time with him, in his house on his floor or outside pen. I literally spent hours a day with him. At Christmas he used to go to Petco and your kid could have his picture with Bob for $5 to go to the Senior Dog Rescue. Then he'd spend a couple of hours walking around the store entertaining the shoppers. It was fun. Bob was about 70 lbs when I taught him how to play soccer using a 5 gallon bucket I would roll the bucket at him and he'd then attack it and send it back my way (sorta).It was common for me to have a nap in the sweet smelling hay in the tort shed, with Bob sleeping on some part of me Honestly, I miss that closeness with him. Bob was seriously worse than Mary Knobbins as far as getting into trouble and escapes. And I have not played with or taught or slept with any other Sulcata since Bob died.
It always amazes me what you can get out of an animal...if you just put a little time in with them. Just like children...the more time you put in...the more they learn...the more they grow. It’s this growth that has always fascinated me. I just smile when unknowledgeable people call reptiles “dumb animals”. I truly believe interaction enriches both the owner and the animals lives.
 

Cathie G

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Outside of daily soaks and giving her access to food and sunlight, I hardly interact with my tortoise. I don’t see her as a toy, so I don’t want to hold her (etc) for my own entertainment. I just find joy in knowing I’m doing my best to provide a healthy environment for her to thrive in. I know lots of people like to engage with their tortoises like hand feed and letting them roam (nothing wrong with either), but I honestly just like to let her be. Anyone else in the same boat as me? Just curious!
I kinda do the same also. I just do regular care but I don't handle him a lot. I do carry him outside in my hand in the summer and back in in the evening. So we do have a rapor. He starts wanting to go outside in the spring. He tries to stand really tall so that I'll pick him up and take him out. We've had different little moments over the years. But I think he prefers to not be fussed over.
 

TammyJ

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What I get from all this is that some people like and even need to interact with their tortoises/reptiles/whatever, and some people do not.
 

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