Feeding and Nutrition :: Hey is this ok?

[Tenodera]

Ever since I got Serra I've always fed her outside her tank. But is it ok for Serra to walk down the hallway and into my plant room into her feeding tub?

I'm trying to get her used to me and also letting her get some exercise. Is this ok or should I stop this?

After she eats I take her out of her feeding tub and let her explore, but all she does is crawl on my foot and stare up at me...lol

PS: She follows me without me holding any treats now!

[camee1991]

Tenodera: I think that is a good idea! Im sure you will keep your eyes on her. And yep, its good excersice as long as SHE seems to enjoy it! And Im sure she will start loving it when she puts the two and two together; walking down the hall...THEN getting FOOD!
Sounds like you'll have yourself a little "Sheba puppy Turt" very soon!

Honestly, they dont need tons of exercise other than all the swimming they get in tank, but more older turts seem to LOVE getting out and exploring. Especially when food is involved!!! (BTW...Serra is a little angel!)

[steve]

It is not something I would do daily (unless it were outdoors on a lawn). Floors can be pretty dirty and you would have to clean Serra well every time you put her back in. Besides, I think she's already used to you

[kornygerm]

I did something similar,except outside of the house.I found a tiny plate,pour some water in and put a few pellets..So if torto walked by,she could grab one and eat it..she didint pay too much attention to it until i grabbed her and showed her the plate,she grabbed one and continue her way,hope she ate it though..

[Tenodera]

It is not something I would do daily (unless it were outdoors on a lawn). Floors can be pretty dirty and you would have to clean Serra well every time you put her back in. Besides, I think she's already used to you

dirty is no problem since my grandma AND my mom are clean-freaks on the patrol..lol

[industrial_girl_2000]

Ever since I got Serra I've always fed her outside her tank. But is it ok for Serra to walk down the hallway and into my plant room into her feeding tub?

I'm trying to get her used to me and also letting her get some exercise. Is this ok or should I stop this?

After she eats I take her out of her feeding tub and let her explore, but all she does is crawl on my foot and stare up at me...lol

PS: She follows me without me holding any treats now!

Hey, sounds like Sheba! I did the same thing.....had her walk thru the kitchen into the laundry room where I would feed her in her little laundry pan with water in it.

After eating, your turtle walks on your foot & looks up because she thinks she can get you to feed her MORE! It's a form of begging & so cute when they do this.

Enjoy!!!!

[SpotsMama]

Here's something I've been wondering about. Spot comes to me - whether he's in water or on land. He'll stand on my foot and look up at me. When he's wondering around outside he'll come to me from time to time like he's checking in. When he's in his pond he'll do the same thing - swim to the side and look up at me for a few seconds then go on.

What puzzles me is that I've never fed him by hand. For years I've fed him once a day, in his tank. I just scatter the pellets in the water and attach the lettuce or cuttlebone to his clip. It doesn't appear that he's aware of the food at all until after I've left the tank - he's more focused on me.

I can't see how he would associate me with feeding. I've got a theory that he likes the things I enable him to do and that's what attracts him rather than the food. He likes to wander around outside and swim in his pond. He sees me as a source of good times - fun if you will.

This takes me back to Tenodera's question - is it ok to let Serra out to follow him to the feeding place? I think letting Serra out is good because it gives her something interesting and stimulating to do. I think the reason she follows him is partly because she's looking for a treat but partly because Tenodera enables her to do fun and interesting things.

[steve]

Spot sounds very friendly. RES seem to be more sociable than people think. When outside, mine like to go on my foot too. If I'm sitting down, they'll crawl up my leg or wait behind me (I think for the shade though.) They also head to the front door and start trying to climb up the stairs to go inside. During feeding, unless the food is directly in their face, they are always looking straight at me. My guess is that they know we bring good things for them.

[SpotsMama]

Yes!!! That's exactly the way it is with Spot! That's so neat that your turtles will head for the door when they are ready to go inside! I'm starting to believe that Spot's actions are quite intentional. If he goes to the door and scratches it means he wants to go in. If he's on the ground outside and goes to the side of the pond and tries to climb it, it means he wants in his pond. If he's in his pond and tries to climb out, it means he wants out. They are not just random actions.