General Care Discussion :: how do i play with my turtles?

[charlesyim]

like how you play with dogs, how do you keep turtles happy and also have them to love you?

how do you hand feed them? cause when i feed them pellets they cant eat it unless its a little soggy cause its too hard for them!

ill post a picture up later

[jenaero]

We like to think our turtles can 'love' us but really they only tolerate us and recognize us as a food source. You could try hand feeding but you may regret it when they're larger. I hand fed mine since they were hatchlings and now, at 6 inches, if they accidentally get my finger it draws blood most times.

Really all they need to be 'happy' is the correct setup and a stimulating environment (plants, rocks to play with, feeder fish)

[missibsu]

Turtles unlike dogs or cats, don't need to be petted, or held. In fact recommend that you don't hold you turtle. They are slippery, and strong. It's to easy to drop them, and it can stress them out.

Some people who have felt that their turtle is bored have tried pingpong balls and mirrors on the outside of the tank.

[charlesyim]

can i throw random items for them to play? my turtles literally stare at one place for hours i dont know, maybe its a habit it or something?

[CountryGirl68]

My turtle amuses himself by rearranging his decorations. Since he's in the living room, we've even seen him on occasion "watching" TV.

[marisa]

Keep them healthy and have a few objects in the tank (like rocks) for them to push around. Greenery is nice as well. They are not like dogs or cats.

[steve]

You really just can't put anything into the tank. A few people have used ping-pong balls and mirrors outside the tank, but I imagine those get boring fast.

[BullDog]

My turtle amuses himself by rearranging his decorations. Since he's in the living room, we've even seen him on occasion "watching" TV.

Same with Ralph! The TV is adjacent to his tank, and often the tv will be on when his lights go out. He always goes over to that side of the tank and swims into the glass
But as everyone has already touched on, a few river rocks are always good, and your turt may even form a friendship with one of these rocks!

[industrial_girl_2000]

I let my Sheba (11 inch RES) out periodically to walk around in my living room. She loves to explore the house and will "beg" to be let out anytime I am at home! I even bought her a cat toy plush shoe (big enough for a cat to go in) and she likes to go inside her shoe & disappear for hours when I don't actively play with her. What I mean when I say "play": I let her walk, and then follow her on my hands/knees, or she will follow me around the living room. I talk to her, pet her gently on her shell or under her chin as I talk to her. I assume she likes this "play" because she doesn't try to get away. Sometimes I let her sit on my warm belly as I lay down on the floor & watch TV. She sits there sometimes for as long as 15 minutes so I assume she isn't stressed out.

I don't actually hold her (or pick her up) a lot. I just let her walk & do her own thing as she discovers my living room with me in it. This seems to work best & my turtle is very comfortable with people now.

Handfeeding: I do this too. I feed Sheba with a baby spoon though so she doesn't nab my fingers! A turtle that large can really pinch HARD.

[Tyler Martin]

You can presoak the pellets in a small dish with just a squirt of water until they just start to get soft. But now when I drop food in they just keep their eyes fixed on my fingers, takes them a minute to see the food, spoiled!