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Hey guys, my turtle is doing pretty well, I have had him/her for over a year now, he is probably about 3 inches long. Seems really healthy, swims around eats a lot. However, he hates being handled, and when I take him out of his tank, he looks TERRIFIED. and he just freezes and doesn't move. When I put him back in his tank, he BOLTS for cover and hides.
I just want hiim to become more friendly to humans, and also, since he is starting to get big, I don't want him to bite me, the last time he bit me by accident when I was feeding him, and it hurt A LOT and almost drew blood.
Also, when I pick him up he opens his mouth.
kind of scary lol
How do I make him more friendly?
Thanks for the help!
Stan

thats weird you have had him for a whole year. try petting him under the head. i got mine a little bit ago and when i pick him up he freaks out then i just pet him under the head and he just looks up at me all happy.

Some turtles just aren't "people turtles". Both mine don't much care for being handled (though I don't handle them much).
You could try hand feeding him to get him more used to him. But maybe try it with long strips of veggies (so your fingers are a safe distance!). Or you could put the pellets on a spoon and feed him that way (I do this sometimes). Someone also mentioned he put his hands in the water, parallel to the surface, and let the turtle come to him on its own terms.

To me that sounds like "normal" turtle behavior...
My turtles don't like being handled either.I always grab them by their sides and i was never bit (not sure if they would, but preventing is better than curing

One, of my turtles, Typhoon, only likes to be handled while in the tank, and hates to be removed from her home. (Unless it's for a tank cleaning, she knows the usual routine)

Try gently petting your turtle in the water, by approaching him from behind, and scooping him up. Make sure you don't take him from the water completely. Approaching him from the front may make him think you are a predator. Pretty much all reptiles should be picked up this way.

For anyone new around here that's wondering: Never poke, push, pinch, toss, turn upside down, or put your face near a turtle. (Staring at them closely makes them behave territorially towards you, which you don't want). I always pick up my turtles b clasping them between my forefingers and thumb, my thumb resting on their back. I make sure to support their legs, so they feel like they are on a steady surface.

It's gotten to the point with Typhoon, that, she cannot be handled safely outside of her tank unless I cup her between both hands where it's totally dark like a hiding place. Hurricane will walk quickly along my hands, and I never have to seriously worry about her making a mad dash. Typhoon is incredibly fast, and too hard for eve me to supervise. I can only imagine how she'll be when she gets larger.

Cool-stan -- Most turtles don't like to be handled. Some put up with it differently but most do not like it. They are very defensve and it is natural. Mine took two or more years to not take a dive when I entered the room. Be patient.

mike hill wrote:Cool-stan -- Most turtles don't like to be handled. Some put up with it differently but most do not like it. They are very defensve and it is natural. Mine took two or more years to not take a dive when I entered the room. Be patient.

I don't have that problem. They see me like, looking at their tank or walking by about ten or more times a day, and I guess cause I'm always in their faces they've just gotten used to my presence.

I've said before, I am super big on socializing any kind of reptile so they know and trust me.

Hurricane is an interesting one. She's very naturally tolerant, and very bold. Everytime she sees me to swims right up to the glass to greet me. Used to be it was for food. I started picking up the food can each time she did this, to see what she wanted, and she showed no change in mannerisms to the can. So, now, I pick her up when she does this, and it actually calms her down quite a bit. My baby likes me. I love her so much ^___^