	AllExperts > Turtles
	Search

About Jeannie
Expertise
TORTOISE QUESTIONS ONLY. Questions regarding husbandry of Russian tortoises and other Mediterranean species; general tortoise care; box turtle care. If I can't answer a specific question, I can provide sources for further research. PLEASE NOTE: I AM NOT EXPERIENCED WITH AQUATIC SPECIES (TURTLES). If you ask a question about red-eared sliders or other aquatic species, I won't be able to answer your question other than to give you general information or refer you to other sources.

Experience
I have kept and bred Russian tortoises for over ten years and have other Mediterranean species plus redfoots. Have kept box turtles in the past. I work with other tortoises species at a local rescue, mostly sulcata but some leopards, California desert tortoises, yellowfoots, and box turtles.

Education/Credentials
My knowledge is based on hands-on experience keeping, breeding, and working with tortoises.

You are here: Experts > Animals/Pets > Exotic Pets > Turtles > behavior

Turtles - behavior

Expert: Jeannie - 11/4/2009

Question
infant red eared slider living in natural bayou in La. swims toward adult and wiggles its toes in the face/mouth of adult turtle. does this repeatedly. what does it mean? it's much to sall to be courting ?

Answer
Hi Sandy,

I'm sorry to say I have no idea what it means or why it would do that. A hatchling is of course much too small for mating behavior, and since there is no maternal-offspring bond, it can't be some kind of enticement behavior either. I did a little research and there's some indication that fluttering can also be related to dominance/territoriality, so that's the most likely explanation (although possibly unusual in a very small hatchling).

Just to add a note after receiving my rating points, in particular a 4 in Knowledgeability: if you read my profile, you will see that it clearly states that I am NOT experienced in aquatics. My expertise is in tortoises. If you ask an aquatics question that can be easily researched, then I can usually give an adequately helpful answer. In this case, there is very limited information for the behavior other than territoriality/dominance, so that's why there wasn't much of an answer. Behavior questions of this sort would be better asked of an aquatics expert.

Add to this Answer Ask a Question