So, one of the turtles that I am watching has been very, very spoiled. My friend hand feeds her. Now she's used to being hand fed, and it's kind of cute, and not really that much trouble, so I went along with it. Messy stuff she can eat on her own, but I feed her carrots and reptomin sticks by hand.
She's about an 8 inch turtle, and every once in a while she misses and bites me. Usually with animals, the best thing to do is relax the hand because fighting will make them bite down harder. Without any reason to think turtles would be otherwise, I have generally taken this approach.
But it hurts! Usually it takes her a minute or two to figure out I'm not food. During this time she will often relax a bit and then bite harder. She has yet to draw blood, and I'm not worried about sustaining any permanent injuries, but I'm wondering what the best way to deal with a clamped on turtle.
Obviously, I'm more concerned about her saftey than mine. I can stand a few turtle bites, and most of the problem I've fixed by becoming more skilled in how I feed her. But what is the best way to un-latch a turtle, and the safest way for them?
Pi