General Care Discussion :: A Tame Turtle

[PoisonOrchid]

Ok
So looking on the forum, Ive got jealous of people whose turtles seem to LOVE the owner...
I hand feed little lovelys and still when I pick them up, they try to nip at me...
Will they ever grow accustomed to me?

[untsmurf]

How long have you had them? How old/big are they?

Most turtles fear responses will lessen over time. Meaning, they won't dart away when you come near you, they'll become more tolerant of being held during cleanings and whatnot, etc. It's just something that comes with exposure, usually. That being said, you don't want to over-handle your turts, especially if they are still small, as it will stress them out.

I've had my turt for about five years now, and he'll still snap at me if he decides he doesn't want to be handled. But I only handle him for check-ups and cleanings.

[PoisonOrchid]

Ive had them for about 4 months plus.
They vary in size from 4-6 inches
The previous owner had handled them and they never tried to bite her.
They do swim up whenever I go out to feed them, but then its when I pick them up, they mass murder me...

[sx2r]

i've had mine for about 2 months and today was the first time i tried to handle them. one seemed fine and the other freaked out.. i wrote about it today actually.

[novroz]

Be patient! Different turtle behaves differently. Kame felt comfortamble on my hand after a few days, but Kroten needs 2years to start showing feeling toward me.

[mikee]

Overall turtles don't like to be picked up. When they don't fight back or do not struggle they are tolerating you. In the wild the only thing that picks them up are trying to eat them. These are reptiles and do not cuddle or like the kissy face types of things. They eat, poop and propagate and not much more. I have had turtles for over 25 years and not one of them loved me. I am their food source and that is all.

[novroz]

@mikee I believe it depends on how you treat them...if you treat them only as an animal to feed he is bound to think of you as a food source.

If you show them you love them more than that...they will love you back more than that.

Kame is soon to be 4years with me and Kroten is 2,5years, both of them love to sleep on my lap/leg, both of them will hang on my hand when I put my hand in the water and both of them follow me everywhere when I let them run free inside the house.

[savage Rock]

thats so cool

[mikee]

I treat them like a turtle!

[novroz]

hehe I treat them like a pet as people treat their dog-pet or cat-pet.