Do not put her down!...

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Posted by Niki on April 20, 2002 at 21:34:28:

In Reply to: Yucky Question, which needs answering. posted by Jason on April 20, 2002 at 20:09:47:

OK, first let me say I could probably (and have
probably) posted a million pictures of me and others
holding my sulcata. He's NEVER done this not even
as a youngster. I am familiar with other animals
having this behavior and strongly recommend that you:
totally IGNORE it, do not put the tortoise down
(that's exactly the reaction that she might be
hoping for, you'll leave her alone and put her
down to go clean up - voila - peeing makes him
put me down and leave me alone, therefore I will
do this all the time, it's a great trick).
Since you know this might happen be prepared - paper
or plastic down on the ground, old clothes, and
pick her up matter of factly to do something nice,
(which by the way - is NOT soaking, that sucks!)
but like putting her down to feed her somewhere
else (I never hardly fed mine in his enclosure
when he was small and never do now at all).
In the yard, I picked Teddy up and put him down
in front of more choice clovers or dandelions,
picked him up to get out of his enclosure, picked
him up to weigh him, picked him up to put back
into his enclosure, picked him up to put in the
car carrier - he knows exactly how to request
getting picked up for something he wants,
like going outside or getting out of his outdoor
pen to walk around on the street (yeah like a
dog but better, no barking/biting and gets more
attention - especially cause he stays totally
by my foot the whole time walking with me on the
side).

I think you might want to get the "security" of
their tank out of their mind some, make other
places great to be, and thus requiring your
assistance to get there (short, frequent times
of getting picked up at first - just business
like - mine's in your lap now if you sit down).

If you don't handle your sulcata now, when will
you start?? See what I mean, it won't work to
hope it'll just suddenly enjoy getting carried
around. Hard part will be to show NO REACTION
to the peeing, no "eww"! no "it's ok honey"
nothing, nada, no reaction, totally ignore it,
and continue with your plan of putting her in
another area (I'm not suggesting trying to hold
her on your lap for a long time right now - but
lifting with an intention). good luck, niki

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: OK, first let me say I could probably (and have : probably) posted a million pictures of me and others : holding my sulcata. He's NEVER done this not even : as a youngster. I am familiar with other animals : having this behavior and strongly recommend that you: : totally IGNORE it, do not put the tortoise down : (that's exactly the reaction that she might be : hoping for, you'll leave her alone and put her : down to go clean up - voila - peeing makes him : put me down and leave me alone, therefore I will : do this all the time, it's a great trick). : Since you know this might happen be prepared - paper : or plastic down on the ground, old clothes, and : pick her up matter of factly to do something nice, : (which by the way - is NOT soaking, that sucks!) : but like putting her down to feed her somewhere : else (I never hardly fed mine in his enclosure : when he was small and never do now at all). : In the yard, I picked Teddy up and put him down : in front of more choice clovers or dandelions, : picked him up to get out of his enclosure, picked : him up to weigh him, picked him up to put back : into his enclosure, picked him up to put in the : car carrier - he knows exactly how to request : getting picked up for something he wants, : like going outside or getting out of his outdoor : pen to walk around on the street (yeah like a : dog but better, no barking/biting and gets more : attention - especially cause he stays totally : by my foot the whole time walking with me on the : side). : I think you might want to get the "security" of : their tank out of their mind some, make other : places great to be, and thus requiring your : assistance to get there (short, frequent times : of getting picked up at first - just business : like - mine's in your lap now if you sit down). : If you don't handle your sulcata now, when will : you start?? See what I mean, it won't work to : hope it'll just suddenly enjoy getting carried : around. Hard part will be to show NO REACTION : to the peeing, no "eww"! no "it's ok honey" : nothing, nada, no reaction, totally ignore it, : and continue with your plan of putting her in : another area (I'm not suggesting trying to hold : her on your lap for a long time right now - but : lifting with an intention). good luck, niki

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