Box Turtles - Do they..can they?

[Kirkie]

Bit of a niche question I expect. My Ornate has very flexible back legs compared to the tortoises and I swear that when she.. err defecates.. she wipes her tail and cloacal area with her back legs? Am I imagining this or is something irritating her when she poo's that I need to get checked out? Her Cloaca seems ok , not sore or swollen.

[egyptiandan64]

Your not imagining it at all Dave Mine do the exact same thing

Danny

[Bindi]

I do it all the time

[Kirkie]

Originally Posted by Bindi

I do it all the time

I hope you wash your feet afterwards.

Thanks Dan, if's its at all possible I like her even more now that I know she wipes her own bum

[Bindi]

Me or Pru?

[Kirkie]

Both of course! It lovely to see you have the personal hygine levels of a Box Turtle.

[Geomyda]

Originally Posted by Bindi

Me or Pru?

Ive seen what you do with your feet!

[Bindi]

Originally Posted by Geomyda

Ive seen what you do with your feet!

I told you to keep quiet about that...

[Kirkie]

Right lets get this very important and informative thread back on track!

Why does she (Pru, not Bindi) do this then?

Is it just for cleanliness, is it a marking territory thing (when she wonders round her patch does the smell rub off of her feet onto the ground) or does she just do it because she can (it's a good trick, I'd like to see a tortoise try and do it!)

I assume its not territory as I doubt a little box turtle would want to leave a scent trail a predator could pick up.

[Geomyda]

Originally Posted by Kirkie

Right lets get this very important and informative thread back on track!

Why does she (Pru, not Bindi) do this then?

Is it just for cleanliness, is it a marking territory thing (when she wonders round her patch does the smell rub off of her feet onto the ground) or does she just do it because she can (it's a good trick, I'd like to see a tortoise try and do it!)

I assume its not territory as I doubt a little box turtle would want to leave a scent trail a predator could pick up.

You are quite possibly onto something here. I have often observed the behaviour in North American Box Turtles, and other semi aquatic turtles from orher parts of the world.
Not sure that any significance has been placed on it though. Have you got the book "North American Box Turtles, a natural history", by C Kenneth Dodd jnr? I cannot remember if he hypothesis's on this behaviour?

By the way, Bindi has lovely feet, even when they are dirty-