General Care Discussion :: biting me

[fric and frax mom]

My 2 res are starting to bite me if I leave my hand still for to long over there tank. I am not sure if I am not feeding them enough or what is going on. Any thoughts on this? They are both about 1 1/2 years old. Not sure exactly how to measure them so figured them to be about 8" long. I feed them once a day with pellets and 2 x a week I add some carrots. when they bite me they do not break the skin just startles me.

[megcornell]

I'd imagine they're investigating what might be a food source. They can't recognize fingers.
If you don't want to be bitten don't dangle your fingers. It's not likely that the turtles will catch on that you're not food

[fric and frax mom]

I have already done this. It only took once for them to catch hold of me.

[untsmurf]

If you feed your turtles by hand, they might be associating your hand with food. Which would explain why they'd try to eat it. My turtle bit my finger when he was about a year old and he held on and it hurt. I don't feed him by hand anymore.

[spaceapple]

I totally agree with untsmurf. I feed my two turtles by hand. I've only them since last month, and they already get a hungry look in their eyes whenever they see my fingers coming towards the water, whether any food is in them or not!