Other Turtle Discussion :: Strong believer in NOT picking up turtles!

[KatieSmeltzer]

I take my guy (or girl, still can't tell yet) out of his tank when I clean it. And while the water is adjusting, I clean off his shell, inspect him, and let him roam around my apartment. In the summer, I do take him outside to get some sunlight. I don't do this every day though. He doesn't seem to mind being picked up. And he does like to be hand fed. If I drop the pellet in the water, he still splashes around my hand and looks at it!

[turtle man]

I try not to handle Enbi in excess right now because I know he's under a lot of stress currently due to a recent rehoming and a less-than-thrilling current habitat, but I plan to handle him fairly often once he gets settled, and take him out of his tank even now a few times a day for short two-to-five minute intervals. He doesn't get defensive, though he does scurry a bit across my hands; he seems to like it if I put him on my legs and let him climb around. I don't think it bothers him much and if he gets too restless I put him away.

I want him to be at least used to handling, and I don't see that big a deal in handling turtles as long as you're mindful of their nerves. My mother used to own turtles which I would handle as a child and nothing ill ever seemed to befall them for it. I think that, like with any pet, you can handle them in excess, but by the standards of not handling them because it's not natural, I think it's silly. It's not really natural for any animal to be handled, but you never see people reprimanding cat, dog, hampster, ferret, etc owners for it. As long as it's within the individual animal's comfort zone, I have no qualms.

One thing I DON'T like to do though is pull him out of the water if the ambient air is too cool because I'm afraid he'll get cold.

OUCH, could write bigger next time, your font hurts!

[color-me-envious]

I try not to handle Enbi in excess right now because I know he's under a lot of stress currently due to a recent rehoming and a less-than-thrilling current habitat, but I plan to handle him fairly often once he gets settled, and take him out of his tank even now a few times a day for short two-to-five minute intervals. He doesn't get defensive, though he does scurry a bit across my hands; he seems to like it if I put him on my legs and let him climb around. I don't think it bothers him much and if he gets too restless I put him away.

I want him to be at least used to handling, and I don't see that big a deal in handling turtles as long as you're mindful of their nerves. My mother used to own turtles which I would handle as a child and nothing ill ever seemed to befall them for it. I think that, like with any pet, you can handle them in excess, but by the standards of not handling them because it's not natural, I think it's silly. It's not really natural for any animal to be handled, but you never see people reprimanding cat, dog, hampster, ferret, etc owners for it. As long as it's within the individual animal's comfort zone, I have no qualms.

One thing I DON'T like to do though is pull him out of the water if the ambient air is too cool because I'm afraid he'll get cold.

OUCH, could write bigger next time, your font hurts!

I'll oblige, but I will say this--and I don't want to be rude--but I'm legally blind. I wear 3/4th inch thick glasses, with bifocals, and have since I was two. (A prescription of +14.50 in one eye, +15.00 in the other, with -.50 for both bifocals.) I can read size 9 font just fine, and I think that if so many people can't--which, apparently, they can't--then they need to invest in glasses, because if I can read it, anyone should be able to.

/mini, frustrated rant

Eight years worth of internet font complaints will do that to a person, I suppose.