General Care Discussion :: Grumpy Turtle

[curly]

Hi guys!
Need help with my turle "Ping" I think he is really a grumpy one. If he is in the tank he seems so friendly and playful but one I try to pick him up to take him outside to bask or to clean his shell he also do a hissing sound or sometimes bite anything that goes near his face... Do you have any advise on how I can make him more comofortable if he is being held?

[megcornell]

A lot of turtles simply don't enjoy being held, it's their natural instinct to fight to get away. In fact, even the more outgoing turtles on here object to it I believe. Some turtles will swim to your hand or allow you to transfer them to a feeding tank, but that's because they know food is involved. I'd start trying to hand feed ping, but don't rush to "bond" with him. Turtles just aren't as hands on as other pets.

[curly]

Thanks megcornell for the quick response. Do you agree that I just have to accept that turtles are not the kind of pets that needs physical contact with their owner?

[SpotsMama]

what meg said is exactly correct. My turtle will swim up to me, either asking to be fed or asking to be lifted out of his tank, but he does not like to be held. He wants to be put down right away. I've had him for five years. For years, he would run away from me if I reached for him. He would hiss and snap. Gradually, though, he got confident that I wasn't going to eat him and he started running towards me instead of away. He will even follow me around when he's on the ground sometimes. He will still try to bite me, though, if I let my fingers get too close to his face. Spot isn't unusual. Lots of other turtles have been shy at first but gradually gotten quite tame to the point of following their keepers around. None, however, want to be held.

Some like to have their backs gently scratched by fingernails when they are shedding scutes.

[curly]

Thank your very much moderators (Meg & SpotsMama) for the advise. This site is really helpful for all of the RES owner all over the world. Thank you so much guys. I'll make sure consult you guys everytime I have concern with my turtle.

[Bumby's Mom]

Nyx is super friendly and sometimes enjoys being held. She lets me know when and how long she wants to be held for and how long she wants to stay out of the tank for. I put my hands in the water and she will swim up, climb ontop and sit still until I either set her down on the floor or I continue holding her. If I continue holding her and thats not what she wants then she gets really squirmy and I set her on the floor. When she is ready to get back in her tank she will walk over to her tank and sit there in front of it looking at me until I put her back in. Now if I try to pick her up when she doesn't want out of her tank she will start kicking and sometimes hisses. She does not like for other people to pick her up either, if my grandma tries then she starts hissing and gets snappy. All turtles are different and have different personailities. Good bonding time could mean you just sitting next to the tank, my turtles enjoy that, they will actually float there in their tank next to me lol.

[Bascomb]

Cly -- Sorry you are stuck with one that just doesn't like it. When you pick him up next time try and put your hand under him. Most don't like to be picked up by the edges of their shell, the carapace. If you can get him to like it at all, they feel the support under their plastron, their bottom. B.

[turts808]

my turtle, "turts" loves when i hold him. he never hisses or tries to bite. he's great!