Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello...
I came here a while back to announce that i was joinging the ranks with a new hatchling Leopard Tortoise. Well i asked a few questions and received great advice. Im writing now with a new Sulcata Tortoise. Im pretty enthusiastic about my new Tortoise, i've got a great place in the backyard staked out for when he/she gets bigger. I decided to change to a Sulcata, i was able to trade my Leopard for a healthy 6 month old Sulcata. I had not been too pleased with the Leopards personality. I realize this might seem cold hearted of me, honestly i feel a little sad about parting with "Big" as we affectionately named him. He was a real grumpy unfriendly dude, sometimes he was so unfriendly it was funny. Well i had met a wonderful Sulcata and decided i might have a better chance to have a friendly tortoise with the Sulcata so.. here i am. I realize that you can't make a blanket statement about the persoanlity of one species as opposed to another but it seemed from what i read that the odds might be better with a Sulcata. The new guy is proving to be somewhat less shy already. I think he's going to need some time to adjust to his new enclosure. He's eating well and we had a nice stroll in the backyard yesterday, today he's been pretty inactive. I want to interact with my tortoise as much as possible without over doing it. What are some good ways to bond and open him up and develop a relationship? How often can i take him out of his enclosure to play without bugging him too much? Should i be leaving him alone somewhat? I read in some old posts from Nikki where she suggested to offer some stimulation and spend time with them and offer as much time and effort as possible... Could you give me some examples? Im in Socal and summers coming up, should be nice and warm here soon. He's approximately 5" in length. I want to do as much as i can to encourage him to be friendly without being counterproductive and cause him stress. Man he is soo cool, sometimes the snakes just don't do it for me the way these creatures do. How long does it take for them to develop thier trust and become more fearless of people? Sorry this is so long... I don't have a picture of the new guy but i saved a picture of "Big". Enjoy and thanks for your opinions and suggestions.

These are very good questions. I'd like to know the same since I have a 8 mo. old Leopard Tort and he is very scared of me still... Very shy and timid. But as you said, I have read also that Leopard Torts are generally this way socially. Is this something that they grow out of?
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Lisa

1 Mali Uro - Spike
1 Leopard Tort - Herman
1 Shih Tzu - Jake

lisasmith@optonline.net
Monroe, NY

My understanding is that leopards generally are pretty shy, and sulcatas are pretty outgoing, but any new tortoise, especially a baby, will take some time and pampering. I have a yearling marginated tortoise (Testudo species) that I've had for about a month, and he's just starting to get over being shy. He'll eat some favorite foods from my fingers, and let me scratch his head--but not too much. I've had my Hermann's for nearly a year, and he was a little shy at first, but now he's bold as brass. I took him into my son's 2nd grade class a few months ago, and 25 kids marched past him and touched his shell (they weren't allowed to pick him up or touch his head or legs), and he just sat there with this attitude like "I'm da man!"

If you just got your tortoise, give him at least a week to settle in, then try handfeeding a few special treats, like dandelion flowers. Once he associates you with food, you'll be his friend for life, lol.
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Sohni

0.1 Baja de L.A. Rosy Boa
0.1 Okeetee Corn Snake
1.1 Rubber Boas
1.0 Leopard Gecko
0.0.1 Hermann's Tortoise
0.0.1 Marginated Tortoise
1.0 3 Toed Box Turtle (rescued)
plus my kids' herps:
0.1 California King Snake
1.0 Mexican Rosy Boa
0.1 Leopard Gecko

Hi,
I was torn between a Salcuta and a redfoot...I wanted a Salcuta, but did not have the room for a tortoise that gets that big...I wanted a tortoise that would be personable, and friendly..I thought about a leapard, but I had read about them being shy tortoises. I have a 14wk redfoot "Sage", that is very outgoing and friendly..They say Redfoots are know for this type of personality..I have had "Sage" for 8 wks, and in that time he has never retracted in his shell to hide from me, loves to have his head rubbed, and will eat out of my one hand while sitting in my other...Sage never hissed or had a pissy fit until he got his first shot of baytril at the vets..I myself gave him his second shot of baytril last nite, and this morning he was not afraid of me and will still eat out of my hand and let me pet his head...I hope he still likes me after the other 4 shots he has to get!!!! To get close with sage I rubbed his shell and talked in a calming voice to him...I feed him a variety of foods, and found his favorite...His favorite food {cantalope} I only offered by hand to him...The food list is different for every tortoise speices..get a list of the foods for your Salcuta and try different ones untill you find his favorite...Then offer it only by hand...

They say:
"The way to a man's heart is thru his stomach" IT"S THE SAME FOR A TORTOISE>>>>

Shawne1_