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Do RES turtles like to be handled often??

For the most part, RES are see and not touch pets. While some may not mind being taken out of the tank for a trip outside, or cleaning, it doesn't mean that they like to be held. For a turtle who doesn't, it causes a lot of extra stress. Best to just leave holding to when it is needed.

My large female will some times let me touch the back of her head while she is in the water, but other then that she doesn't like to be held... I only hold her like Missibsu said "for a trip outside, or for a tank cleaning"....

I think a lot of it depends on their age. Tilly seems to enjoy it when I get her out. I can pet her head and even touch her nose and she doesn't retreat into her shell.

When I first got her she had not been taken care of properly and was covered in slim and algae. I gave her a good scrubbing and bath and she liked it!

She will even eat some foods out of my hand.

I beleive that turtles have very distinct personalaties and even though, in general, most would not like to be held very much, some are more outgoing and don't mind it.

Batcsh wrote:Do RES turtles like to be handled often??

That depends on the turtle. I had one little turtle (2" painted) a long time ago who just *loved* being held. She would sleep in my hand for hours when I would watch TV or whatever (I think she liked the warmth of my hand). Sometimes she would crawl into my sleeve. It was very cute!

My current turtle (RES, fully grown 11") doesn't like to be held. She would rather walk & follow me rather than have me pick her up & take her to her feeding bin. So I take her out of her tank, put her down on her towel (to dry her off), and let her walk!

So it depends on the turtle. If you handle, handle them gently & slowly (no quick movements toward them). Sometimes they can adapt.

Yeah, when they're babies I would not advise handling them a lot until they get used to you which should take about a year. I only handle them when I check their bottom shells for any signs of sickness which is not often since they're always so alert and excited. I don't know if your turtle is a baby ofcourse, but that's my advise. It really does depend on the turtle.

industrial_girl_2000 Your turtle sounds soooo cool. I would love it if Kaylee watches TV with me. She's the more outspoken turtle of the two, she'll let me touch her shell whiel she's in the tnk and stuff...but not Kobe..i dont even think he likes you to look at him. LOL. When i take them out and put them out on their play towel, it's Kobe who gets up and running first...I dont know if it's because he likes to run of if he's trying to run away from me...but he'll try to climb over my leg and everything.

JuelisKaylee wrote:industrial_girl_2000 Your turtle sounds soooo cool. I would love it if Kaylee watches TV with me. She's the more outspoken turtle of the two, she'll let me touch her shell whiel she's in the tnk and stuff...but not Kobe..i dont even think he likes you to look at him. LOL. When i take them out and put them out on their play towel, it's Kobe who gets up and running first...I dont know if it's because he likes to run of if he's trying to run away from me...but he'll try to climb over my leg and everything.

It took about a month with Binky to adjust to sitting in my hand (the 2" painted). I handled her a lot when I got her, let her walk from hand to hand to hand and then at some point, she stopped walking and stayed still. It used to drive me crazy that all she would do is walk across my hands constantly, but I just let her walk (I was the "treadmill"), & spent a lot of time with her daily (I was on summer vacation from highschool at the time). I think she realized that she couldn't get rid of me, and then we became buddies! After that, I took her everywhere. Outside, I would let her sit on the pavement in the sun (I would put her down next to me, and she would stay right there & bask, complete with legs/arms fanned out). It was very cute!

Unfortunately she was my first turtle & there was not much information about turtle care back then. She died about 3 months into winter season from pneumonia because her water was too cold. Even though she was indoors & our heat was on, our house was drafty, and the water was not warm enough. I spent a lot of time researching as much info I could find on turtles after that, determined that I would never have another sick turtle. It paid off, and my next turtle Sheba has been with me (healthy) for 16 yrs.

Just wanted to know that are RES shell "Carapace" sensitive in certain area's ?

Around the seams of the scutes are sensitive. Be very gentle when picking him up or when cleaning the shell.

WOW Sixteen years...that's a LONG time. The last time I handled Kaylee was to take her out for her eye medication (when she had an eye infection) last month. So now when i take her out she stays tucked waayyy in there, but comes out after a while. I'm gonna try to let her run around on her mat at least once a week...so she's used to being handled.

Question, Does anyone know what they like to do for fun? I had this funny idea of getting them a small ball to put int he tank...see if they would push it around with their heads and play turtle ball. Can't find the ball yet, but just wondering.

Try to go to Dollar Tree and get the golf balls... I got the ones with the holes in them, my turtle played with it for awhile then lost intrest...

OK, thanks for the suggestion.

They can feel through their shells, not only at the seam (the area in between the scutes).

My RES likes to have his chin rubbed, and will tolerate being picked up (especially if he sees I'm taking him somewhere like outside). Some of my painteds don't mind being picked up, some scramble to try to get away from me.

marisa wrote:They can feel through their shells, not only at the seam (the area in between the scutes).

My RES likes to have his chin rubbed, and will tolerate being picked up (especially if he sees I'm taking him somewhere like outside). Some of my painteds don't mind being picked up, some scramble to try to get away from me.

Can you keep RES an Painteds together?