Question re handling for serious tortoises keepers

[Steph37]

Just out of interest for the likes of Dan and plenty of others on here who's names I've forgotten (sorry)....
In looking at other threads, I feel that some of my tortoises 'relate' to me, (dont worry, I'm not crazy-much!)..but to be honest we all know it's because they know our footsteps or maybe our voices (for those species who have good hearing) and that those legs and voice produce food for them. Obviously they dont feel affection, (like my cats for example who 'need' me for more than just their food and grooming and cleanliness)-although my male Hermanns are responsive and come towards me and like a stroke. I know that this can be frowned on in good husbandry where we are caring and helping procreate endangered species with proper care but I do think that they have a recognition of me (as opposed to others????) as a food provider.
I know at thge BCG certainly locally, we are told to hold the little one as we take it from incubator to tortoise table and apart from the necessary touch for bathing etc, it's best (ie natural) not to handle them at all. Dunno what other serious keepers think about this. I know our local branch lady reports that she says 'welcome to the world little one' as she takes it from the incubator and that is the last touch it has. Would be the same in the wild and that is what we are tying, or should be trying to replicate, but fact is, we cant do it 100% so have to transfer to bath them etc. I know that you how to hold them-the 1st Horsfield I rescued, the people also had a Hermanns in a 2 foot incubator under a red light-I SO wanted to take that as well but it didnt stay in there-the child would go round 'cuddling it' -crazy! and so unnatural. How much handling do people do? I guess if you have 400 it's not really a relevant question-just interesting to see the views of 'professionals' as it were. Steph

[Kirkie]

Hi Steph,

No expert here but my view is that a wild tortoise lives its whole life on the ground. If it's off the ground, its been caught by a predator. I keep handling of my tortoises and turtles to a minimum, their natural reaction to being picked up is to draw into their shell so I think it stresses them and maybe instinct tells them this is an attack situation.

Ever been wee'd on by a tortoise thats been picked up? Thats a line of defence from an animal who normally does everything it can to conserve fluids.

[egyptiandan64]

I try to "pick up" as little as possible. When I do have to pick up a tortoise it always goes in a container of some type right away. This way the tortoise is on something solid and doesn't get stressed anywhere near as much as if you were dangling them in the air the whole time.

Danny

[Kirkie]

With Dan on that one. For me, sandwich box for the littuns and a washing up bowl for the big ones. They seem less stressed if they have a sense of their feet being on solid "ground" and you can weigh and bathe them in situ. I don't think they enjoy the whole "flying" experience

[linda]

Originally Posted by egyptiandan64

I try to "pick up" as little as possible. When I do have to pick up a tortoise it always goes in a container of some type right away. This way the tortoise is on something solid and doesn't get stressed anywhere near as much as if you were dangling them in the air the whole time.

Danny

Originally Posted by Kirkie

With Dan on that one. For me, sandwich box for the littuns and a washing up bowl for the big ones. They seem less stressed if they have a sense of their feet being on solid "ground" and you can weigh and bathe them in situ. I don't think they enjoy the whole "flying" experience

great advise given
i used to carry my torts to their bath
from the bedroom short distance
only took 5 secs

but realised quite quickly they didnt like it
legs a kimbo
stretching waving etc
obviously they were distressed

so now if im moving them any where

they travel in a box
legs on the ground as it were xx
even for short distances xx

anything we can do to reduce stress for the torts xxx

[ibizathetort]

Do tortoises get used to being handled though? I would never cuddle my tortoise, as much as I would like to lol, but I find there are always situations where you need to handle them, ie they get stuck somewhere or a trip to the vets

[Pussygalore]

my torts do get handled in that i pick them up to move them ect and find that none of mine withdraw, wave their legs or show any other signs of being bothered. When and if they go to the vets they are just as happy for the vet to examine them as anyone else, call me daft but I always talk or make sure they know I'm comming and most of the time they turn and come over so I do believe that they can learn to trust the owner and do know that I'm not going to hurt them and I believe that in the long run they are less stressed by being used to being handled than not. I don't think any pet should be nervous of being touched and torts are no exception, my biggies didn't even hide when they had the chip inserted into their legs or my Timmy hide away when his eyes were looked at, there was no having to hang onto them or force their heads out in fact they wanted to walk around the table to explore, no pooing themselves which to me is a sign of stress and the vet said that they were some of the freindliest torts he'd ever seen.

[billytorty]

if tortoises learn that you are the provider of food and no your voice etc etc would they not learn that you wont hurt them if you handle them. i am not saying i cuddle my tort but i dry him off after a bath with a towel. my tort has never wee'd or poo'd on anyone who has picked him up does this mean he isnt scared ???

For a creature with so much character its extremely hard not to cuddle them, i cant help but speak to him as if it was a baby child lol

[ibizathetort]

Im the same pussygalore, i talk to my torts before and whilst picking them up it seems to calm them. They retreat if my fiancee tries to pick them up but not when I do so surely they must get used to their handlers?

[Pussygalore]

my reason for talking is so that they know there's someone there, often they are asleep or have their backs to you and to be suddenly grabbed must be frigthening my youngest grand daughter handles them like they were made of glass its very loving to watch she's so gentle with them.