Tortoise Language

[EquestrianBabe]

Thanks all I don't think tortoises were blessed with a large bout of intelligence So what everyone's saying is that tortoises have a memory, but not a very big one?

[Ozric Jonathan]

The memory stuff is fascinating but we know so little about it. I think we all notice that the tortoise learns where everything is in his enclosure. Wolfgang says that one of his tortoises knows exactly where the water is and after waking from hibernation it immediately goes to the water (which is not in sight) and takes a huge drink. So the memory survives for months whilst the tortoise is hibernating.

I think with wild Hermanns at least they don't travel huge distances and most of them live their entire lives within a few hundred metres of where they hatched. But they appear to have a very good map of the area in their heads and over time create trails to get from one part to another by the best route.

[EquestrianBabe]

That's fascinating What a clever torty

[scapula]

Originally Posted by Helen M

As much as I love mine I appreciate that they have very tiny brains and probably don't have any kind of intelligence. They're simply little machines, preprogrammed to respond to stimuli.

Helen xx

Interesting thing is, though much as they are a bundle of reflexes and pre-programmed with instinct they do have very different characters and behaviour (which is why we love them so much!), even after the millions of years of evolution they are still different and show variation ...natural selection is still working?

As to how they communicate well I think the clue is in behaviour they do not vocalize and consequently appear to have little hearing, though they do have sharp eyesight ... they respond to movement and motion and low frequency vibration as we know by the reaction when we approach the table!

Well done EB for another thought provoking thread!

[TortBabe]

Great thread When I re-introduced my Iberas after one of them had been ill, they ( I thought) clearly recognized eachother, they sniffed and sniffed eachother and done this head bobbing thing. It was so lovely to watch! This went on for around 15 minutes. In my opinion she did miss him while he was in isolation, she was a lot quieter, and has since perked up a lot from he went back in with her.

[Alan1]

Originally Posted by Ozric Jonathan

These are not the most intelligent of creatures, but intelligence is an over rated virtue

Yes, I saw those students hoying stuff off the roof the other day too

[Alan1]

Originally Posted by EquestrianBabe

Thanks all I don't think tortoises were blessed with a large bout of intelligence So what everyone's saying is that tortoises have a memory, but not a very big one?

A bit like the memory card that comes free with a new camera or phone, 64mb maybe, not much more

[tabact]

They've certainly got a long memory. I fed one of mine a grape with a tablet in two years ago and she has never touched a grape since.

[EquestrianBabe]

I wish I could have seen Clover & Violet, but I was outside playing Anyway, it was good they knew eachother; it could have been a fighting match because she thought Clover was another tort invading her territory

Good one, Alan! Can I ask you, what website do you get your hilarious posts from?

Wow, maybe she didn't like the tablet?

[terrypin]

Originally Posted by EquestrianBabe

Thanks all I don't think tortoises were blessed with a large bout of intelligence So what everyone's saying is that tortoises have a memory, but not a very big one?

they may not be blessed with a large amount of intelligence but the smaller ones need to be quick and clever to survive.

terry