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TheComputerGremlin wrote:Doc_Moore_J:

Most people keep turtles as "look but don't touch" pets.

I feel so stupid. The kids and I hold our 1.5 inch baby several times a day. Of course, we always wash our hands before and after. She seems like she likes us. I was hoping that since she was so tiny when found that she would be accustomed to people handling her.
So we should stop doing this, yes?

I would reduce the amount. It's pretty irresistible, but he is a little baby under captivity and probably doesn't need too much attention. You also don't want to distract him from his basking duties.

However, during feeding time or when/if you have him outside are great times to interact with him.

Heez... I do that too! I will place my RES on my tummy and cover its shell using my hand. It seems to enjoy it alot. Sometimes, it will doze off too!

my turtle is like a cat..... the only time she likes me is when i feed her.

Its ok though, i'd rather watch her swim gracefully then take her out of the tank and scare her half to death. Thats no fun.

Squirt is cool with being handled, but I still don't handle him all the time. I handle him probably about once a week. Other than that I sometimes hold his lettuce for a few minutes while he takes bites, but I usually don't have the time for that.

no time for your turtle, Chris? Tisk tisk....

Well, that's because I have been swamped with finals and school work, but now that will change because I am out of school. I plan on getting a kiddy pool or something so that he can play around and be outdoors for the first time.

I took on a six-year-old RES, Herman, from a coworker. On a tight budget, my boyfriend and I turned the thermostat down at night, and I thought it too cold for Herman in his tank. I scrubbed him under tepid tap water, dried him thoroughly, and placed him on my front while laying on my back under the covers.

Our futon mattress was on the floor, so there was no potential for a fall. Not that Herman usually took off--- he'd stay on me all night. He only wet me once over the course of months, which I didn't hold against him.

As a biology major, I was aware of the Salmonella risk, but I read that chlorinated tap water was enough to kill most bacteria. I changed Herman's water daily, scrubbing his shell and rinsing all his nooks and crannies when I did. He was very tolerant:)

My parents turtle (Nostrils) is extremely friendly. He would be an awesome therapy animal, if it weren't for the salmonella. Has not bitten or hissed and is around 25 year old.

Any chance he see people....especially children he goes bananas. He's very inquisitive about peoples faces, and will get right up to your face, and smell your hair if your comfortable having him so close.

He can spend hours sitting on people, whether its your arm, hands, your leg, feet, or your chest. He's big on smelling your skin or your clothing - not sure why.
He will follow you from room to room and enjoys being part of the action, especially when the grand kids are near by. He will follow them around the house almost to the point that the kids need to make sure the turtle does not see them going downstairs, because if he could talk he would say - "hey wait for me."

I would let my turtles roam around more inside, but they seem to pick up a lot of dirt and dust. Their claws all over me doesn't help

One of my YBS turtles likes being handled. She'll swim into my hand if in the water, or walk over to my feet if she's outside of the tank. She seems to like being pet. I'm pretty sure she must like being held, because she always seems to come looking for it. She also gets jealous whenever I pick up my other turtle. She'll plop around and try to get my attention until I pick her up. Although she will start squirming after a few minutes until I put her back in the tank.

The other turtle (also a YBS) absolutely hates physical contact and hisses whenever I have to pick her up, but I have to take her out of the tank fairly frequently due to egg-related issues.

When I was young and my turtle was young I'd be able to hold her for hrs at end in the palm of my hand and just watch TV.