Ideally, your favorite animal or pet wouldn’t bite, but all animals have the potential to bite. It’s just the honest truth. So, yes sulcata tortoises bite. But, on average, in general, in most cases, sulcata tortoises are fairly peaceful animals.
Sulcatas Bite People
You’re not likely going to find a sulcata that will run after you specifically to bite you. Tortoises aren’t like dogs protecting their space. In most cases, sulcata tortoises bite on accident while trying to take food from your hand.
If you’re walking around without shoes or with sandals on, your tortoise may try to bite at your toes. The tortoise isn’t trying to bite you to be mean. Tortoises are opportunist feeders, and the tortoise is wanting to try your toes out to see if they’re a tasty dessert.
Sulcatas Bite Other Tortoises
If you’re more cocenered with a sulcata biting another tortoise… Then that’s more likely to happen than a sulcata biting you. Sulcatas are solitary animals and do best housed by themselves. Males will bite other males. Males will nip at females. Female tortoises will also bite and nip, trying to determine dominance.
Do Tortoises Have Teeth?
Tortoises do not have teeth, but they have strong beaks and bony plates that help them chew and grind their food down.
Do Sulcatas Have Salmonella?
Most, if not all, reptiles carry the Salmonella bacteria, but that doesn’t mean that you will get salmonella from a sulcata. To avoid getting salmonella follow basic hygiene procedures.
- Wash your hands before and after handling your sulcata
- Wash your hands after cleaning the enclosure
- Don’t kiss your pet sulcata
- Disinfect the sink or tub, if you allow your tortoise to soak in it
- Don’t put your tortoise on the table or counters where your food may be
- Thoroughly disinfect your skin around a bite, if you are bitten
