Tortoises are not the same as most family pets, while they do respond to their owners over time and it is known that they can learn new tricks.
Many tortoise owners believe their pets can hear them, even respond to their name and learn tricks. How do tortoises hear, and do they really respond to their name?
It’s About Frequencies
The truth of the matter is that yourtortoise doesn’t hear much at all. It can process and respond to frequencies, such as those made during fighting, mating, and the hatching of eggs. If you think about it, when have you ever heard your tortoise make any noise?
Relying on Other Senses
Tortoises don’t rely on sound much at all, but they have excellent vision and smell.
Some can tell time pretty accurately, such as the time you get home from work or what time they get fed. They will sense your footsteps and associate that with feeding, they may smell the food while you are preparing it.
With their excellent sight, these reptiles do recognize their owners over time. Though they probably do rely on their other senses, including vibration patterns to help them identify who is approaching them.
Do Tortoises Have Ears?
Humans and most animals have ears that are quickly identifiable, but tortoises’ ears don’t look anything like ours.
They do not have an external ear. The ear is hidden behind the scales on the side of the head. The eardrum is based behind the eyes and also covered in scales.
The bony box around the ear is called the optic capsule, which is not found in any other reptile or animal.
This is why tortoises rely on the sense of touch, they feel the vibrations through the ground. These vibrations head up the legs, onto the shell, and to the eardrum.
Summary
While tortoises don’t hear the same as we do, they do hear low sounds much better than higher sounds.
Try speaking to your pet in a low voice. Due to the fact your tortoise doesn’t have the best sound, it uses other mechanisms to protect itself.
It can quickly retreat into its shell if approached and will urinate on the predator, if it tries to pick them up.
FAQs
Lots of people strongly feel that their tortoise can hear them, recognize their names, or learn tricks. Tortoises and turtles do not hear much. They only seem to process and respond to a few sound frequencies- those made by hatching eggs, or mating and dueling adults.
Have tortoises get ears? ›
The ears are located at the side of the head, just behind the jawline and the eye. They are covered by skin and have the appearance of a round dark scale, which should be flat or concave. The tortoise should be aware of your approach as it can hear the low-frequency vibrations made by your footsteps.
Are tortoise ears sensitive? ›
Although the turtle's ear is unusual in some respects, and can be regarded as specialized in its manner of receiving and utilizing sounds, it is not a degenerate organ. There is good evidence that turtles are sensitive to low-frequency airborne waves and that some species have excellent acuity in this range.
Can tortoises make sound? ›
Yes, tortoises can and do vocalize!
Can tortoise hear you talk? ›
Can tortoises hear? Yes, very well. Their ears are covered by skin flaps. They sometimes follow your voice.
How good is a tortoise's hearing? ›
What is known is that turtles have higher hearing thresholds than other reptiles, with best frequencies around 500 Hz. They also have lower underwater hearing thresholds than those in air, owing to resonance of the middle ear cavity.
Why is my tortoise crying? ›
Turtles “cry” because they are protecting their eyes and removing excess salt from their bodies. Some also might cry because, like humans, they get dirt or particles in their eyes. What does a tortoise do when it is scared?
Can tortoises feel pain? ›
If you scratch a turtle, he will feel it just as if you were scratching his skin. He can also feel pain through his shell. We've sadly seen many cases where humans have drilled holes in turtles' shells. They do this for many (bad) reasons - to hook a chain to them to tether them to a fence or leash, to carry them, etc.
Is A tortoise Deaf? ›
The study found desert tortoises proved to hear surprisingly well, based on the small amount of information on other species available at the start of the study. Approximately half of the tortoises in this study had best sensitivities that were greater than expected, i.e., in the range from 20 to 40 dB SPL.
Do tortoises itch? ›
We bring you Tom, a red-footed tortoise at the Philadelphia Zoo, enjoying his own form of self-care. Turtles & tortoises can feel their shells, and they can get itchy sometimes. So Tom's keepers at the Philadelphia Zoo created this back-scratching contraption.
Tortoise are scared of worms! Tortoises don't have to be afraid of much when they are are full grown, with their thick skin and fully hardened shell to protect them. However, when they are babies, they realize naturally, instinctively maybe, that things that are bigger than them can hurt them.
Can tortoises feel happy? ›
Tortoises are not social creatures and do not need the same social interactions that other animals may need to develop and survive. Do not feel guilty if you only have one tortoise; they can be happy and healthy individuals as long as you provide them with everything else that they need to thrive.
Do tortoises purr? ›
A study of 53 species previously considered “non-vocal”, including turtles, tortoises, tuatara reptiles, lungfish and caecilians, a worm-like amphibian, have found that they are able to produce a range of clicks, croaks, crackles, chirps, purrs and grunts.
Do tortoises moan when they mate? ›
And yet, according to series sound designer Paula Fairfield, the mating cries of giant tortoises are among the many sound samples she used to give the show's great winged beasts a voice. First of all, yes, tortoises moan while they mate.
Do tortoises squeak? ›
This is because they have a 'beak' and can grind the top and bottom jaw together. This noise is also common once a tortoise has yawned. Occasionally tortoises can make a squeak type noise which can be a sign that possibly there is a little irritation such as a piece of food or dry substrate in the nostrils.
How sensitive is tortoise hearing? ›
The study found desert tortoises proved to hear surprisingly well, based on the small amount of information on other species available at the start of the study. Approximately half of the tortoises in this study had best sensitivities that were greater than expected, i.e., in the range from 20 to 40 dB SPL.
Do tortoises have feelings? ›
Q: Do turtles feel pain, fear, anger, love, stress, or happiness? Pain - absolutely. They have pain receptors (called nociceptors), just like we do, that register the sensation of pain. So, when one is injured they feel the pain of it just like we would if we were injured.
Can tortoises feel when you pet them? ›
A tortoise's shell obviously isn't as sensitive as its skin, but the animals are able to feel the tactile sensations that occur when someone pats, rubs, scratches, or taps it. This has to do with how the shell is physically attached to the tortoise's body.
Do tortoises mind being picked up? ›
Tortoises may become stressed when picked up and react by urinating. During the summer periods and even warm winter days, by them urinating may lead to dehydration especially if water is not available or in near proximity.
