Box Turtle Aggression

[dragonmetalhead]

I have noticed my museum's box turtle, Bernie, has been getting increasingly aggressive. He hisses, snaps at fingers, and charges when I put in his food dish. He seems to have a particular hatred for the feeding tweezers; he attacks them on sight, ignoring whatever treat is clamped therein for his enjoyment. Today while I was offering him a snail, Bernie ran over, seized the end of the tweezers tightly in his beak, tucked in his head, and while hissing unusually loudly, began to spin. It really wasn't like a crocodile death roll, but more like a top. I have never seen a turtle do that; it was as if he wanted to tear a chunk off and he spun surprisingly fast. I had to lift him off the ground and shake him in order to get him to relinquish his hold (don't worry, he was unharmed). What is Bernie's problem? Is this a territoriality thing, or is he in box turtle rut? Please help!

 

[reptastic]

Years ago i had a male 3 toed box turtle who got a bit aggresive during what i think was breeding season, he bit me once, he would constantly flash his hemipenis, my aunt had a female so we though maybe bein with her would calm him down, WRONG!!! He started going after her and had to be seperated, it could be a phase, or perhaps it could be he sees the tongs as a threat, hopefully it should pass