Reptile & Amphibian Forums

When we were on vacation, oy...we had such a hard time with the idiotic contractors we hired to do the work around here. They were supposed to be done before we left but they weren't. Then they were supposed to finish while we were gone but they didn't.
Because they seemed to be so inept I could not even think about leaving Hobo outside knowing they'd be here. We boarded the tortoise with the vet because one day when I was home watching they let the sulcata walk right out the gate... this after I'd said dozens of times that the gate must stay closed ALL THE TIME no matter what. They then stood there like idiots while I nearly broke my back getting her back in.

So Hobo got a Rubbermaid tub to stay in which really ticked him off.
I told my pet sitter how I feed them when they are indoors, they each get food by the back door where the washer & dryer are. They get food by themselves, one at a time so I know that everyone gets food.
She called me on the cell when we were in NM first of all because she was freaking out, she thought one of the tarantulas had died.. it was just a molt.
She told me that Hobo was one ANGRY turtle! I believe it too lol.
She said she put his food in the floor & he stomped around like he was very angry. He walked away from his food & she said to him in a very stern voice "Hobo! You get in there and you eat your food!"
She said he looked at her like "OOOOH ALL RIGHT THEN!"
He turned around, he went in there & ate his food. It cracked her UP!
Me too when she told me about it! LOL!
I think for what they are they're pretty intelligent little critters.
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PHRatz

Haha! That is adorable! Whenever I feed my yearling, Magnum, I ask him if he wants food, and he looks at me with the most eager little face and marches over to his food dish, waiting for me to fill it up with his favorites. Box turtles are the best It's hard to explain to "regular" people how cute they can be!
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1.0.0 Jack Russel Terrier: Skipper
0.1.0 Miniature Pinscher: Bambi
1.1.1 Eastern Box Turtles: Daisy, Dozer, and Magnum
0.1.0 Red Eared Slider: Rosie
0.2.0 Rats: Clementine and Elsie

Hah, nice story, sounds like hobo has a lot of personality. I really think animals respond much better to a womens voice. My female box turtle always walks over to my mom when she opens the enclosure. While I was at rutgers, she was responsible for feeding her. There is such a noticable difference in her level of happiness when my mom talks to her versus when I do. She tilts her head, extends her neck real high and sits up on her feet real proud...it is interesting, I wonder if there is a reason for it.

>>Hah, nice story, sounds like hobo has a lot of personality. I really think animals respond much better to a womens voice. My female box turtle always walks over to my mom when she opens the enclosure. While I was at rutgers, she was responsible for feeding her. There is such a noticable difference in her level of happiness when my mom talks to her versus when I do. She tilts her head, extends her neck real high and sits up on her feet real proud...it is interesting, I wonder if there is a reason for it.

Now that's a thought that makes me go hmmmmmmmmm.
Come to think of it our lovebird that we caught in the backyard tends to respond better to me than DH. My rats respond better to me but I take care of them. They love for DH to stick his head down at the playground when they're in it & they all love to run over & sniff his head. LOL
On the other hand the new puppy responds better to DH when the puppy is in trouble. When DH scolds him he understands that he is being scolded, when I do it he thinks I'm playing. I think I don't sound like I'm doing a low growl at him & so higher voices don't sound serious enough to him.

I'm not sure about the turtles because.. well usually when they're being taken care of I'm the only one home but we'll have to try an experiment here.
I'm going to get DH to say their names one at a time & see how/if they respond.
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PHRatz

>>Haha! That is adorable! Whenever I feed my yearling, Magnum, I ask him if he wants food, and he looks at me with the most eager little face and marches over to his food dish, waiting for me to fill it up with his favorites. Box turtles are the best It's hard to explain to "regular" people how cute they can be!

I know what you mean. "Regular" people often don't seem to realize that they are anything more than a moving rock.
They are so NOT just moving rocks, but one good thing about them is that most people think they're cute & won't kill them the way they'll kill a snake when they see one.
Of all the reptiles a person can keep as a pet at least the "other" people usually don't say ewwwwwwwwww a turtle.
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PHRatz

off topic, but the mud turtle pics you wanted are now posted on the mud forum lol.
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PHWyvern

>>off topic, but the mud turtle pics you wanted are now posted on the mud forum lol.
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>>PHWyvern

Ok I'll go over there & take a look
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PHRatz

I'D HAVE TO AGREE WITH YOU THAT BOXIES CAN BE QUITE INQUISITIVE CRITTERS THAT SHOW A REMARABLE DEGREE OF INTELLIGENCE.

WHENEVER I'M ABOUT TO FEED THEM I HAVE TO OPEN A SIX FOOT GATE THAT KEEPS THEM AWAY FROM MY HUSKY; WHO JUSTS LIKES TO ROLL THEM TO HEAR THAT UNMISSTAKEABLE HISS. HE THEM JETS AWAY BACK TO HIS AREA AS IF HE'D BEEN SCOLDED. BUT THE BOXIES HAVE LOCKED ON TO THE SOUND OF THE RATTLLING GATE. USUALLY WHEN I ENTER; IT IS TO CHANGE WATER OR BRING FOOD.

THEY CAN BE HIDDEN IN THEIR SECRET BUSHES OR UNDER HIDDEN CAVES; ONLY TO COME RUNNING OUT HEADS UP WITH THEIR EYES WANDERING AND PERKY EXPRESSIONS. THEY WILL FOLLOW ME AROUND THE ENCLOSURE LIKE A 9 WEEK OLD PUPPY FOR A TIBBIT OF ROMAINE OR A FRESH EARTHWORM.

THEY HAVE EVEN LEARNED THAT THOSE WHO RAISE THEMSELVES UP AND STREACH THEIR NECKS WILL GET FIRST PICKINGS. IN DOING SO THEY SOMETIMES OVER DO IT AND FALL OVER BACKWARDS. THEY SHOW NO SHAME IN A LIGHTNING FAST RECOVERY WHILE MAKING SURE THEY HAVE MY ATTENTION. SOMETIMES I HAVE TO WONDER IF THE ROLL OVER IS INTENTIONAL.... AS I HAVE TO LAUGH AND REWARD THEM FOR TRYING SO HARD.

ANY NEW PLANT, ROCK OR BURROW IS INVESTIGATED WITH INTENSE SCRUTINY AND DECISIVE INTEREST. TRUE DECTECTIVES OF CHANGE.

RIC K.

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>>THEY HAVE EVEN LEARNED THAT THOSE WHO RAISE THEMSELVES UP AND STREACH THEIR NECKS WILL GET FIRST PICKINGS. IN DOING SO THEY SOMETIMES OVER DO IT AND FALL OVER BACKWARDS. THEY SHOW NO SHAME IN A LIGHTNING FAST RECOVERY WHILE MAKING SURE THEY HAVE MY ATTENTION. SOMETIMES I HAVE TO WONDER IF THE ROLL OVER IS INTENTIONAL.... AS I HAVE TO LAUGH AND REWARD THEM FOR TRYING SO HARD.
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That I'd like to see.. raising themselves up for first pickings LOL!
I can just picture that in my mind, they are so smart!
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PHRatz