My red eared slider has always been very docile (he's around 2 years old), but just a few days ago, when my dad was cleaning a little algae off his shel with a toothbrush, he bit him! He bit really hard, it bled pretty bad. so, are they supposed to do that? cuz I thot that they don't bite. thanks!
2007-10-03 16:05:01 · 9 answers · asked by bookworm_628 2 in Pets ➔ Reptiles
Turtles have personalities like humans. They sometimes get in a bad mood due to stress or illness. I am thinking because the turtle is normally laid back and never snaps that he was having a bad day. There are other reasons why they snap at you as well such as illness....Did you feed him before his bath?
Normally when they do this and it is out of their character...they are trying to tell you something!!!!
With Buffy's turtle poster above me...her dog stressed her turtle therefore bringing on the bite..There was a reason for the bite...
If my 8 year old bit me..I would be checking into illness...stress..etc.
Golden Turtle-Owner of 4 Turtles-Oldest is 8 Years old and has never bit me!!
2007-10-04 04:28:33 · answer #1 · answered by AnimalManiac 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Anything with a mouth will bite.Turtles have hard mouths, so I'm not surprised it was a hard bite. How hard was your dad scrubbing? I think the turtle felt a little stressed and did what any stressed animal will do if it can't run away.
2007-10-03 23:13:07 · answer #2 · answered by Resident Heretic 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Anything with a mouth WILL bite you. It doesn't matter if it was docile or not.
Hope your dad's finger is okay, I remeber getting bit by my grandma's turtle when I was younger because I was a stupid enough kid to touch it's head. Yep, never liked that turltle anymore.
2007-10-04 00:23:37 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes they do bite. I had mine out of his tank one time so I could clean it and I had him in the bathtub and my dog walked up to the tub and was sniffing and my turtle bit his nose! Pretty hard too cause he held on for about 5 seconds. My dog ran away whining....it was pretty funny.
Just be careful when you handle him and never put your hands by his mouth.
2007-10-04 07:26:46 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Did he scrub him too hard with the brush or was he holding him wrong...I once held mine wrong and he went at me. It suprised me too because red eared slider turtles are really pretty docile...
2007-10-03 23:09:15 · answer #5 · answered by Robbie Dee 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
red Ear sliders will bite to have one that never bites is rare, and the older tehy get the harder they bute and with aht bite you need to think about that fact that turtles out of any small pets carry seminela(sP) so wash thoe would;; I aleays try and talk familys with kids out of buying on becasue 9 times out of ten they bite.. And it CAn Hurt
2007-10-04 01:21:49 · answer #6 · answered by Debbie W 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I had six in a 90gal. tank.There was one that would bite the others tails off. I think they will all bite under the right circumstances.You should just keep away from his mouth.
2007-10-03 23:18:12 · answer #7 · answered by Kenny E 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
a couple facts to know they bite big time and they make up 3.5 percent of all salmonella cases in north america
2007-10-04 00:43:22 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes, RES can be nippy and can give quite a hard bite!
http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/caresheet-red_ear_slider.htm
2007-10-03 23:10:47 · answer #9 · answered by KimbeeJ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋