Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Last summer when she hadn't been here for long I'd go outside, sit cross legged on the driveway and hand out mealworms after they'd soaked in a puddle of water.
Janie would walk up and climb into my lap and just sit on my knee.
Yesterday I had the girls outside for a soak, then a walk in the sun & then I put them on the porch while Chip had a soak alone, away from the girls. I sat in a chair for a while then thought if I sit crosslegged in front of Janie will she want to sit in my lap? She did.
We hadn't had her for very long when I began to suspect she'd been someone's pet.
This lap sitting thing really makes me wonder if someone raised her from a baby & had her sit in their lap often. She seems to think that's the thing to do as if she's used to it.
It's cute but I think it's really strange.

Do any of the rest of you ever see odd turtle behavior?
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PHRatz

Do you think she wants your lap specifically, or is she simply a climber and your lap is something for her to climb?
One of our Easterns just likes to be up higher, apparently, because I constantly find him perched on logs, leaf piles, or whatever is available, whereas the others don't really do it as often.

>>Do you think she wants your lap specifically, or is she simply a climber and your lap is something for her to climb?
>>One of our Easterns just likes to be up higher, apparently, because I constantly find him perched on logs, leaf piles, or whatever is available, whereas the others don't really do it as often.

I don't see her try to climb anything else. I've not seen her try to climb over bricks or rocks outside. She doesn't try to climb anything when she's outdoors or indoors. She doesn't even try to climb over DH's shoes that he never puts away the way the rest of them do.

Chip climbs the indoor dog ramp often now. Shell E & Charity have both done that, Janie has never attempted it. All of them will use the outdoor dog ramp though. Last summer Janie chased me up the outdoor dog ramp a couple of times demanding food.

Chip will not sit in my lap at all.. I tried it once only because he was stretching his neck to look out the glass screen door, I lifted him so he could see out but he didn't like that. I've never tried to make the others sit in my lap.
Chip still cranes his neck to look out so I leave him to do that when it's too chilly to go outside.

I realize the explanation could be something other than what I'm thinking but I can't think of anything else at the moment.
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PHRatz

Maybe she likes the smell of your laundry detergent?!

It could have been something you did once. Remember the pic of my boxie climbing up the screen? She did that once, apparently learned her lesson, and never did it again. Likewise, falling into the pond. One time was all it took. I saw her several times climb over the rocks, look at the water, and head back the way she came!

My point is, they learn fast! Did you feed her on your lap once? Or something similar? Maybe she is just trying to get it again.
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0.1.0 ornate box turtle
1.0.0 eastern box turtle
0.1.0 Australian shepard
1.9.0 chickens
3.2.0 children (do I still count the married ones?)
1.0.0 husband