Tortoises do not generally enjoy being handled. It is important to take care to avoid dropping your tortoise. Support your tortoise firmly because they have very strong legs.
Table of Contents
Is it safe to handle a tortoise?
Sufficiently strong to even break the grip of an unwary adult, a tortoise can suffer great trauma or broken limbs and shell from being dropped. A tortoise should only ever be handled with two hands, they hate being handled by more than one person at a time.
Tortoises are very intelligent animals and can be trained to do a variety of tasks. They can also be used as a source of food for other reptiles and amphibians.
How should I pick up my tortoise?
DO pick up a turtle using both of your hands, one on each side of the shell, between the front and back legs. It’s not a good idea to pick up a turtle with only one hand. Turtles are good at freeing themselves by wiggling, kicking, clawing, and twisting.
If you can’t get the turtle to free itself, you’ll have to use your other hand to hold it in place. Once you’ve picked up your turtle, it’s time to put it back in the water. You’ll want to make sure that you don’t let it get too far away from the shore, or it will drown.
The best way to do this is to place it on a flat surface, such as a table or a bench, so that it doesn’t sink too much. Once you’re done with that, place your hand on top of it and pull it up to the surface. This will allow you to get a better grip on it, which will make it easier to lift and lower it.
Does a tortoise bite hurt?
Tortoise bites can hurt, but they don’t hurt like dogs or cats since they don’t have teeth. They have a ridge on the front of their mouth that acts like a pair of garden shears, cutting off the blood supply to the bite site.
Tortoises are not known for their bite strength, so if you’re bitten by a tortoise, it’s important to get medical attention right away. If the wound is deep enough, you may need to have the reptile removed from your home.
Can I let my tortoise walk around my house?
Tortoises shouldn’t roam around the house. They could get injured, lost, too cold or too hot, fall or get stuck and be attacked. A tortoise in the house might make a lot of noise. If you want to keep a tortoise in your home, you need to make sure that it is healthy and well-fed. You should also keep it away from other animals, such as cats and dogs.
Do you have to wash your hands after touching a tortoise?
After touching a reptile or amphibian, wash your hands with soap and warm water. If soap and water are not readily available, use hand sanitizer. For their own safety, adults should always supervise hand washing.
When should you not handle a tortoise?
Lifting or even touching a critically-endangered tortoise will do more harm than good. If you are absolutely certain that a wild tortoise is at immediate risk of death or serious injury, you should only handle it.
