WEAR RED

[russianuncle]

Want meeting and holding (briefly!!) a new Russian Tortoise to be a pleasant experience? Wear red. They're attracted to red as most of you know, and if shy, can lose their shyness with the fascination or attraction of the color red is what you've got it on. They can be so into the red they forget you could be a "predator" and relax.

[ginababy]

I have to agree, but I think it's because anything red looks like radicchio.  My RT loves radicchio and will walk very fast to get it!!!

[russianuncle]

Quite possibly, but you have to admit it works! Meanwhile, the "test tortoise" never ate radicchio before and turned down a red strawberry treat once so it wasn't the food association here. It's faves are romaine lettuce, grass & yellow squash.

[turtlefanatic]

Many herbivorous and omnivorous tortoises are indeed attracted to bright colors, particularly red and yellow.  I've also noticed this in my box turtles.  It must be something instinctive with them.

[callie98]

This is so true! I was wearing a red shirt the other day and my RT came running! These little tortoises are so full of energy!

[bella]

Also their eye sight is really good.
I just spent 3 days looking high and low in the garden for my male Tortoise who had gone into hiding just as the weather changed to rain and hail.
I put my female in the back end of the garden in the area where I last saw him , and about 10 minuets later there he was legging it across the lawn covered in compost from underneath the compost heap. She ran at top speed back to the greenhouse with him in slow pursuit , Both under their heat lamps now, waiting for nice weather .