In my opinion im convinced torts are very intelligent from many things ive seen them do. And im sure they do see us as more than a food source, especially if you have daily interaction. Example of what i mean. One of my torts once kept following me round his outside enclosure, it was really weird behaviour. I kept offerring him food thinking he wanted food, or id pick him up give him a stroke n tickle put him back down which normally he`d walk off but no he kept on trying to get to me for about 2 days none stop. I just knew from his behaviour that he was trying to tell me something and something just wasnt right it was just my human instinct to think he was telling me something, i wasnt thinking of him as just a reptile looking for his dinner lol, so next morning i went with my instinct and i took him the vets and told him that my tort was just acting very strange and id like him checked over, sure enough he was basically a day away from death(thats another story). Im 100% convinced he was asking me to help him, im certain of that and i know theyre only small with small brains but i do believe theyre very intelligent.
Also i know they have poor hearing but i also believe they do tune into your voice if they hear it everyday. one of my males went to bite the others face a few days ago. I was standing near the enclosure, i wasnt making any noise or vibration but when i saw him go to bite his brother i just kind of told him off(it was just my split second reaction and i was too far away to anything else). I didnt shout or make any movements but as soon as i said it he immediately retreated into his shell(something he never does). I then went over and took away his brother. After about 1/2 an hour he was still in his shell in the same place, he just reminded me of a little school kid that had been told off. I picked him up and stroked him until he came back out again which took a good 10mins then put him in his enclosure were he acted normally again, he definitley heard me and i definitley scared him.
Some people may disagree but im sure he noticed the change of tone in my voice even though his hearing may be very poor.
Just my opinions guys based on 10 years of close interaction, im not saying im right its just what i think on the subject about hearing and intelligence
