Other Turtle Discussion :: Is it okay to let your turtle on the floor?

[myrtle1123]

I was just wonder can I let my turtle on the florr to walk around [b]while I'm watching her..

Will she get used to me like that? [/b]

[Breigh]

Some people do this with their turtles but I don't with mine. I think people try to imagine their turtles as having temperments and thoughts like dogs, cats or other animals like that but they just simply aren't the same.

What a lot of people see as a turtle happily exploring, in my opinion, is an unhappy turtle searching desperately for water and safety.

I think it's very stressful for them and is very unnecessary.

[jenaero]

Breigh, I couldn't have said it better myself.

[myrtle1123]

Okay Thanks I really dont want to stress her out!

[SpotsMama]

Ok, I've got to differ with some of these comments. My turtle definitely has a personality and temperament. He is curious and active. When I let him out he likes to explore - he doesn't just run and hide. He knows me (I'm the one that feeds him) and distinguishes me from other people. Most of the time he's friendly and sociable but when he doesn't like something - like when I changed his habitat - he gets grumpy.

Spot's about four years old. When he was little his personality was very different. He would run and hide in his tank when I (or anyone) came into the room. He gained confidence slowly over time as he got bigger and stronger and he got used to me. I would not have let him out to explore when he was little because it would have stressed him out. I think you are correct not to be taking your little Myrtle out while she's a baby but if you feel she would enjoy it when she gets older I think it would be fine.

[camee1991]

Ditto Spotsmama! When Tobi was a baby...I didnt let her out much, she was to skittish and scared acting. Also so small that if you EVER took your eye off her you would NEVER find her again. But now, its totally different. She LOOKS happy! Her head is ALL the way out looking and "cruising" and following us around. I feel that she likes it and is sorta sad to go back to the tank... I dont take her out alot, but she DOES come out for long periods and I think it is a fun bonding time for us both!

Camee

[SpotsMama]

I know what you mean Camee. Spot literally swims into my hand when I reach in the tank for him. I don't think he'd do that if something bad was about to happen. Wasn't like that when he was a hatchling, of course.

I agree that turtles are different from cats and dogs. And cats and dogs are different from each other. They're all different from people. All the animals have their own personalities and talents. I wouldn't want to compare Spot to my dog or my cats. But of the four, he's by far the best turtle!

[myrtle1123]

Okay Myrtles still a baby but when she gets older I will let her run around.. i just got her about 3 months ago and I dont want to stress her out.. Thanks for the Advice!

[camee1991]

You're welcome Myrtle! You're gonna be a gooood turtle mommy!!!

Camee

[industrial_girl_2000]

It's smart to wait to let her walk around, Myrtle1123. It sounds like your turtle is still too small to actually enjoy being let out. Hopefully as she grows she will mellow out.

I realize that Sheba is an exception to the rule. I let her out because she gets upset with me if I don't. In her mind, being let out is associated with food because I've fed her in a separate dish outside her tank for the last 17 yrs I had her. So in her case, she isn't looking for water, she is looking for ME!

The other exception to the rule was my 2" Painted turtle Binky that I had just before I got Sheba. Binky was my first turtle & I let her walk around the living room (supervised). She would always stop when she reached the heater vent beause it was blowing warm air in the winter. Then she would sit on it & flare her legs as if she was basking! She would sit there the whole time the air was on (about 15 minutes). She loved sitting on the heater. It was hilarious. Similarly, this turtle would sit next to me in the summer time & bask under the sunshine without running away. We shared some nice quiet moments outside in the summer. I still miss Binky (she died of pneumonia).

[myrtle1123]

Sorry to hear about Binky!
Thank you for your advice everyone!

[CrossKnight]

I have a turtle that is about 2 1/2 inches. Everytime I take it out of the tank it crawls away from the tank and sniffs a lot of the stuff around it, like my desk, paper on the ground, my back pack, video game controllers etc for awhile then it crawls back towards the tank and just puts both hands on the tank and looks up, I'm guessing that's when it's satisfied with exploring.

Also now when I give it food outside the tank it runs around looking for water for about 30 secs and when it can't find water it crawls towards me and usually right next to my knee and looks up at me (staying in one place), to me it feels like it knows I would pick him up and put him back into his tank.

He does this so often my family and my girlfriend say he is like a little puppy, especially when he is on the ground and a new person enters my room, my turtle would always run up to the person, look at the person and sniff whatever body part is closes to him.

[Starchick]

I agree with a little bit of everyone here. I've got one turtle who loves being out and exploring and climbing, and one who seems really stressed out about it and pretty much hides as much as he can. The first time we took Napoleon out of his tank, we wrapped him in a towel to dry him off and set him on the floor. He spent about 5 minutes in the same spot, looking around and getting his bearings. Then he was off! Hercules would just take off running toward anything that looked like shelter. When your turtle's a little older, try it out and see what happens. Then just respect your turtle's reaction in deciding whether it's a good idea as a habit.

[yertle_the_girl_turtle]

Oops... I have two baby turtles and I let them run around on the floor, and they seem to enjoy it, and they're quite adorable running around, but they usually head for under the sofa. Wich is not good. And, the funny part about all this is that my baby RES, Emmie, tries to burrow into my hand. It's quite entertaining. The bad thing is that it hurts, but not too much. They're cute when they run next to each other. They're two peas in a pod. Almost literaly, because they're green and round. Lol!

[turtle nut]

i let my turtles get on the floor