Tortoises headbutt each other by bracing their legs and ramming themselves forward, causing their shells to collide with other tortoises, objects, or humans. Tortoises won’t harm themselves by headbutting but […]
Behavior
Why Is My Tortoise Walking Backwards? [Movement + Reversal]
Tortoises might be one of the slowest-moving animals, but their movements are far from boring. You can tell a lot about a tortoise by studying how it moves. Like most […]
Why Do Tortoises Bite? (Humans, Each Other + Females)
Tortoises rarely bite their owners, even when afraid, but it does happen. The most common fear-based response is to hide in their shells or burrow out of sight. So, it […]
Do Tortoises Mark Their Territory? [Urine Marking vs. Dominance]
Tortoises can be territorial, especially if they lack space. Male tortoises can enter conflict if one encroaches on the space of another, and females will bite to ward off predators […]
Why Does My Tortoise Keep Scratching The Wall?
Scratching and digging are common behaviors in tortoises. Their anatomy makes them skilled at creating burrows and hiding away in tunnels. Aside from protection, wild tortoises often dig to find […]
What Does A Tortoise Do When It Is Scared?
Tortoises don’t display outward expressions of emotions, so it can be hard to tell when a tortoise feels afraid. However, there are behaviors that tortoises engage in when fearful. When […]
Do Tortoises Like To Climb? (Trees, Stairs, Fences + Ramps)
Tortoises like to climb for enjoyment and necessity, so you may find them scaling stairs, fences, trees, and ramps. If there are sufficient footholds, tortoises may even climb walls. Tortoises […]
Do Tortoises Care for Their Young?
A tortoise’s eggs are normally buried in the sand or soil for an incubation period of 8-10 weeks. Baby tortoises care for themselves after hatching. Hatchlings live off the embryonic […]
Why Is My Tortoise Pacing Back And Forth?
You may find your tortoise moving back and forth in its tank. It may be obsessed with pacing in a straight line from one end of the enclosure to the […]