{"id":69035,"date":"2022-04-22T03:55:39","date_gmt":"2022-04-22T03:55:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-happens-when-a-tortoise-bites-you\/"},"modified":"2022-04-22T03:55:39","modified_gmt":"2022-04-22T03:55:39","slug":"what-happens-when-a-tortoise-bites-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-happens-when-a-tortoise-bites-you\/","title":{"rendered":"What happens when a tortoise bites you?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_17 counter-hierarchy counter-decimal ez-toc-grey\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"display: none;\"><i class=\"ez-toc-glyphicon ez-toc-icon-toggle\"><\/i><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1\"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-happens-when-a-tortoise-bites-you\/#What_happens_when_a_tortoise_bites_you\" title=\"What happens when a tortoise bites you?\">What happens when a tortoise bites you?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-happens-when-a-tortoise-bites-you\/#Do_tortoises_bite_humans\" title=\"Do tortoises bite humans?\">Do tortoises bite humans?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-happens-when-a-tortoise-bites-you\/#Can_a_sulcata_tortoise_bite_your_finger_off\" title=\"Can a sulcata tortoise bite your finger off?\">Can a sulcata tortoise bite your finger off?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-happens-when-a-tortoise-bites-you\/#Do_tortoises_bites_hurt\" title=\"Do tortoises bites hurt?\">Do tortoises bites hurt?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-happens-when-a-tortoise-bites-you\/#Is_a_tortoise_poisonous\" title=\"Is a tortoise poisonous?\">Is a tortoise poisonous?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-happens-when-a-tortoise-bites-you\/#Why_is_my_tortoise_trying_to_bite_me\" title=\"Why is my tortoise trying to bite me?\">Why is my tortoise trying to bite me?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-happens-when-a-tortoise-bites-you\/#Why_do_tortoises_bite_you\" title=\"Why do tortoises bite you?\">Why do tortoises bite you?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-happens-when-a-tortoise-bites-you\/#Are_tortoise_friendly_to_humans\" title=\"Are tortoise friendly to humans?\">Are tortoise friendly to humans?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-happens-when-a-tortoise-bites-you\/#Is_tortoise_bite_painful\" title=\"Is tortoise bite painful?\">Is tortoise bite painful?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-happens-when-a-tortoise-bites-you\/#Do_tortoises_like_being_touched\" title=\"Do tortoises like being touched?\">Do tortoises like being touched?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-happens-when-a-tortoise-bites-you\/#Are_tortoises_harmful_to_humans\" title=\"Are tortoises harmful to humans?\">Are tortoises harmful to humans?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-happens-when-a-tortoise-bites-you\/#Can_you_touch_sulcata_tortoise\" title=\"Can you touch sulcata tortoise?\">Can you touch sulcata tortoise?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-happens-when-a-tortoise-bites-you\/#Will_tortoise_bite_humans\" title=\"Will tortoise bite humans?\">Will tortoise bite humans?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-happens-when-a-tortoise-bites-you\/#Will_my_tortoise_bite_me\" title=\"Will my tortoise bite me?\">Will my tortoise bite me?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-happens-when-a-tortoise-bites-you\/#Why_do_tortoises_bite_humans\" title=\"Why do tortoises bite humans?\">Why do tortoises bite humans?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-happens-when-a-tortoise-bites-you\/#How_dangerous_is_tortoise\" title=\"How dangerous is tortoise?\">How dangerous is tortoise?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-happens-when-a-tortoise-bites-you\/#Is_touching_a_tortoise_dangerous\" title=\"Is touching a tortoise dangerous?\">Is touching a tortoise dangerous?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-happens-when-a-tortoise-bites-you\/#Why_has_my_tortoise_started_biting_me\" title=\"Why has my tortoise started biting me?\">Why has my tortoise started biting me?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-happens-when-a-tortoise-bites-you\/#Why_do_tortoises_try_to_bite_toes\" title=\"Why do tortoises try to bite toes?\">Why do tortoises try to bite toes?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-happens-when-a-tortoise-bites-you\/#How_do_you_know_if_your_tortoise_likes_you\" title=\"How do you know if your tortoise likes you?\">How do you know if your tortoise likes you?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-happens-when-a-tortoise-bites-you\/#Do_tortoises_get_attached_to_their_owners\" title=\"Do tortoises get attached to their owners?\">Do tortoises get attached to their owners?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-happens-when-a-tortoise-bites-you\/#Do_tortoise_bite_humans\" title=\"Do tortoise bite humans?\">Do tortoise bite humans?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-happens-when-a-tortoise-bites-you\/#Why_does_my_tortoise_chase_and_bite_me\" title=\"Why does my tortoise chase and bite me?\">Why does my tortoise chase and bite me?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-24\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-happens-when-a-tortoise-bites-you\/#Do_tortoises_like_human_touch\" title=\"Do tortoises like human touch?\">Do tortoises like human touch?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-25\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-happens-when-a-tortoise-bites-you\/#Do_tortoises_like_to_be_handled\" title=\"Do tortoises like to be handled?\">Do tortoises like to be handled?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_happens_when_a_tortoise_bites_you\"><\/span>What happens when a tortoise bites you?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>While the bite of the average tortoise is unpleasant, <b>you will survive while keeping all of your body parts intact, even though they have the potential to break the skin if the bite is hard or long enough.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_tortoises_bite_humans\"><\/span>Do tortoises bite humans?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Most tortoises won&#8217;t bite their owners unless they&#8217;re curious or confused about what they&#8217;re nibbling on. If your tortoise feels hormonal, territorial, or distressed, it may bite as a warning. Tortoises are more likely to bite each other when defensive or during mating season.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_a_sulcata_tortoise_bite_your_finger_off\"><\/span>Can a sulcata tortoise bite your finger off?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In the proper care, however, <b>most tortoises appear to enjoy being touched by their caretakers. In some cases, they extend their necks out while being touched or massaged  a sign that the animal wants to be rubbed some more.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_tortoises_bites_hurt\"><\/span>Do tortoises bites hurt?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Do their bites hurt? <b>Yes, however, the severity of the bite depends a lot on the size and species of the tortoise or turtle.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_a_tortoise_poisonous\"><\/span>Is a tortoise poisonous?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Yes, you can get sick from tortoises. As mentioned above, tortoises, turtles, and other reptiles can be carriers for salmonella. Improper handling and poor sanitation can expose people to these dangerous bacteria. It can result in serious gastric distress, dehydration, and violent vomiting, just to name a few.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_is_my_tortoise_trying_to_bite_me\"><\/span>Why is my tortoise trying to bite me?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Tortoises try to bite <b>when they feel they are in danger. These docile creatures can bite as a result of hormonal changes. Other reasons to bite include hunger and territorial needs. It is also possible for tortoise owners to accidentally get bitten by their pet tortoise during hand feeding.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_do_tortoises_bite_you\"><\/span>Why do tortoises bite you?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Tortoises try to bite <b>when they feel they are in danger. These docile creatures can bite as a result of hormonal changes. Other reasons to bite include hunger and territorial needs. It is also possible for tortoise owners to accidentally get bitten by their pet tortoise during hand feeding.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_tortoise_friendly_to_humans\"><\/span>Are tortoise friendly to humans?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Since tortoises are reptiles, <b>they are not capable of feeling love as we humans understand it. However, tortoises do show signs of affection and appreciation for their owners. They follow their pet parents around, tolerate handling, eat directly from human hands, and come to us when they see us.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_tortoise_bite_painful\"><\/span>Is tortoise bite painful?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Do their bites hurt? <b>Yes, however, the severity of the bite depends a lot on the size and species of the tortoise or turtle.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_tortoises_like_being_touched\"><\/span>Do tortoises like being touched?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In the proper care, however, <b>most tortoises appear to enjoy being touched by their caretakers. In some cases, they extend their necks out while being touched or massaged  a sign that the animal wants to be rubbed some more.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_tortoises_harmful_to_humans\"><\/span>Are tortoises harmful to humans?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Can You Get Sick from Tortoises? <b>Yes, you can get sick from tortoises. As mentioned above, tortoises, turtles, and other reptiles can be carriers for salmonella. Improper handling and poor sanitation can expose people to these dangerous bacteria.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_you_touch_sulcata_tortoise\"><\/span>Can you touch sulcata tortoise?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Don&#8217;t touch your face or mouth during or after handling a tortoise. This includes feeding and cleaning time, too.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Will_tortoise_bite_humans\"><\/span>Will tortoise bite humans?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Most tortoises won&#8217;t bite their owners unless they&#8217;re curious or confused about what they&#8217;re nibbling on. If your tortoise feels hormonal, territorial, or distressed, it may bite as a warning. Tortoises are more likely to bite each other when defensive or during mating season.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Will_my_tortoise_bite_me\"><\/span>Will my tortoise bite me?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Most tortoises won&#8217;t bite their owners unless they&#8217;re curious or confused about what they&#8217;re nibbling on. If your tortoise feels hormonal, territorial, or distressed, it may bite as a warning. Tortoises are more likely to bite each other when defensive or during mating season.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_do_tortoises_bite_humans\"><\/span>Why do tortoises bite humans?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Most tortoises will only try to bite a human <b>if they feel that they are in danger or if they mistake them for food. The case where they feel in danger is a little more obvious, but the one with the food is a little stranger, so let&#8217;s start with that one.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_dangerous_is_tortoise\"><\/span>How dangerous is tortoise?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Are tortoises aggressive? No, <b>tortoises are not aggressive animals. Even though they do bite from time to time, they have a reputation for being docile. They will not normally be aggressive for no reason.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_touching_a_tortoise_dangerous\"><\/span>Is touching a tortoise dangerous?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Handling a tortoise can transmit salmonella; you can inadvertently spread the bacteria to yourself, other people and any surface you touch afterward before washing your hands. You can pick up an infection from your tortoise&#8217;s habitat, as salmonella can live on hard surfaces for several days.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_has_my_tortoise_started_biting_me\"><\/span>Why has my tortoise started biting me?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Why Do Tortoises Bite Humans? The first reason why a tortoise would bite a human would be in the name of <b>self-defense. Like most animals, if it feels threatened in any way, it will probably snap at your fingers, or anything within reach, in order to protect itself.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_do_tortoises_try_to_bite_toes\"><\/span>Why do tortoises try to bite toes?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Tortoises rarely bite their owners, even when they&#8217;re afraid. The most common fear-based response is <b>to hide in their shells or burrow out of sight. That makes it confusing if your tortoise is suddenly eager to nip at your fingers or toes.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_you_know_if_your_tortoise_likes_you\"><\/span>How do you know if your tortoise likes you?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Tortoises may touch their nose to your hand or arm to show affection. This is a common behavior in the wild and is a social behavior. A tortoise or turtle roaming the house or garden may show affection by following you around. They might bump against you for some pats or simply stay a few paces behind you.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_tortoises_get_attached_to_their_owners\"><\/span>Do tortoises get attached to their owners?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Since tortoises are reptiles, they are not capable of feeling love as we humans understand it. However, <b>tortoises do show signs of affection and appreciation for their owners. They follow their pet parents around, tolerate handling, eat directly from human hands, and come to us when they see us.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_tortoise_bite_humans\"><\/span>Do tortoise bite humans?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The simple answer is <b>yes. In captivity it normally happens by accident. Usually, it happens during hand feeding or when they are hungry and test bite to see if something they see is edible.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_does_my_tortoise_chase_and_bite_me\"><\/span>Why does my tortoise chase and bite me?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Male tortoises simply have a strong hormonal drive toward territoriality and the urge to mate. If you&#8217;ve had your male for a few years, and he suddenly starts chasing you and snapping, then he might be experiencing this hormonal aggression.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_tortoises_like_human_touch\"><\/span>Do tortoises like human touch?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In the proper care, however, <b>most tortoises appear to enjoy being touched by their caretakers. In some cases, they extend their necks out while being touched or massaged  a sign that the animal wants to be rubbed some more.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_tortoises_like_to_be_handled\"><\/span>Do tortoises like to be handled?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Tortoises do not generally enjoy being handled. Care should be taken to avoid dropping your tortoise whilst handling. They have very strong legs, so support your tortoise firmly at all times whilst handling.<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Table of Contents What happens when a tortoise bites you?Do tortoises bite humans?Can a sulcata tortoise bite your finger off?Do tortoises bites hurt?Is a tortoise poisonous?Why is my tortoise trying to bite me?Why do tortoises bite you?Are tortoise friendly to humans?Is tortoise bite painful?Do tortoises like being touched?Are tortoises harmful to humans?Can you touch sulcata&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"spay_email":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-69035","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69035"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=69035"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69035\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=69035"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=69035"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=69035"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}