Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2005 3:58 pm
Maybe your turtle will begin to behave differently after he gets used to you. A month is still too soon. My turtle was scared at the very beginning but now hes not. I can even walk up to him while hes basking and he will look directly at me and not move. Very rare for him to now jump off the basking rock anymore. He only does it when I open the front door. I guess the light scares him.
I never handle my turtle unless its for feeding or cleaning purposes, Im too much of a sanitation freak. I always use a "cage" like technique with my hand. He knows Im going to get him so he just stays still floating in the water and then I encircle my hand around him so hes supported on all sides especially the bottom and cant accidentally jump free and get hurt. Also by doing this, Im not putting any pressure on his body at all. Hes just sort of sitting in my caged hand and hes not uncomfortable. Maybe this is why he doesnt mind being handled. Ive never let him swim through the air. It looks like its something that could frighten him. I put him directly in a temp container very quickly so he has as little contact with me as possible.
Of course, this will change when he gets big and wont fit in my hand anymore.
"See the turtle of enormous girth,
On his shell he holds the Earth,
His thought is slow but always kind;
He holds us all within his mind."
--The Dark Tower
Just don't push your turtle to be handled if he's not comfortable;this will only stress him which isn't good for him. They aren't like a cat or dog that you can cuddle or pet all the time. 
