Have you ever found your pet turtle or terrapin just standing staring at you either standing on his rock or through the glass of the tank?
It is a really weird feeling because he probably isn’t blinking and is not moving at all and his attention can be very unnerving!
The good news is that there is nothing bad going on!
Your turtle is actually showing that he knows who you are and recognizes you!
Why Does My Tortoise Keep Looking At Me? (In Detail)
It can take some time, but your little reptile will start to recognize you as his human and will associate this with food and protection.
Interestingly, although your turtle will be able to distinguish you by sight, he will also be recognizing you by your scent and the pattern of sounds that you make.
Your little turtle could well go step further and swim or walk towards you when they spot you going towards their tank.
Does My turtle Recognize Me?
Yes your turtle certainly will recognize you after a while using a combination of sight, smell and sound.
Your turtle will soon get to know when it is feeding time and may even swim over eagerly to greet you and persuade you to give him some treats!
Aquatic and semi-aquatic turtles often splash around in their water if they get excited so your appearance could well cause plenty of splashing too!
It is fun to watch your turtle every day because by doing so, you will get to know his routine and will also get to know the signs that show he is happy,healthy and pleased to see you. I
t means that you will also be able to spot quickly if anything is amiss and either sort out the problem if it is with the tank or get your turtle to the Vet.
How Do You Know If Your Turtle Loves You?
Strange as it seems, turtles definitely have emotions and can feel affection towards their owner.
It takes a while for turtles to start to recognize you and importantly, to trust you too.
Once they are doing both you will find that your turtle will start to build an emotional bond with you- but it will be a very different type of bond compared to other pets!
Turtles are not really cuddly pets and most do not particularly like being handled.
Having said that, some turtles are happy to interact with their humans and will even let them pat them on their head or stroke them under the chin.
Some turtles like having their shell (carapace) gently stroked, but many don’t, so best to experiment.
If your turtle doesn’t try to walk away, it is a sign that they like what you are doing!
A turtle who allows you to do this is obviously very happy and confident you are the best human!
How Does a Turtle Show Love?
The first way in which your turtle will demonstrate this affection is by following you with his eyes.
If you walk into the room and your turtle spots you, he will immediately start following you with his eyes.
This is definitely a sign of affection, but also they are hopeful it is treat time too!
Another way in which they show affection to their humans is to rub their head and neck against their owners- this is a gesture that turtles do in the wild too.
Many turtles are so pleased to see their human that if they are placed on the ground close to them, they will begin to follow them around.
How Can I Encourage My Turtle To ‘Love’ Me?
Turtles are creatures of habit – especially when it comes to food!
This is the easiest way to win your turtle’s respect and affection.
Try and feed your turtle at a consistent time each day and he will soon start watching for you.
Turtles thoroughly enjoy treats through the day too and if you give him a small treat every now and then, he will view you as an important human who feeds and protects him.
Try and spend some time with your turtle every day.
Take your turtle out of the tank and give him the chance to have a wander around the room.
Always talk gently and soothingly to your turtle as he has really good hearing and loud noises will quickly stress him- this is important to remember whether your turtle is in or out of his tank.
If you have just brought your turtle home, it will certainly take a few weeks for him to get used to his new surroundings and to learn to trust you.
After that, if he is feeling happy, the next step will be for him to start to love you…
