# Do Tortoises Smell?



## Ethan D

Lol random question, but, only thing keeping me from getting my tort now is my family all believe that they stink horribly. Is this true and i am wondering if it is the tortoise itself, or the enclosure? Thank you and sorry for the random question :/


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## Laura

poop stinks bit its not like a carnivore.. 
rotten food or mold or something gone bad.. will smell..


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## Ethan D

Laura said:


> poop stinks bit its not like a carnivore..
> rotten food or mold or something gone bad.. will smell..



ok good to know


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## tortle

Just do some spot cleaning for poop every once in a while and it shouldn't smell.


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## GeoTerraTestudo

Their poops have a faint odor to them. It's kind of a mixture of plants and musk, but it's not strong, and it doesn't last long. Their droppings dry out pretty quickly, and then they're practically odorless. Also, as mentioned above, you can always spot-clean and remove them. Most of the time, tortoises are practically odorless - at least to a human's nose. On a personal note, I kind of like their smell.


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## Ethan D

GeoTerraTestudo said:


> Their poops have a faint odor to them. It's kind of a mixture of plants and musk, but it's not strong, and it doesn't last long. Their droppings dry out pretty quickly, and then they're practically odorless. Also, as mentioned above, you can always spot-clean and remove them. Most of the time, tortoises are practically odorless - at least to a human's nose. On a personal note, I kind of like their smell.



good to know  thank you.


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## Zouave

YES, they smell like tortoises.
Glad i could help.


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## NinjaTortoises

Yea it smells but its not bad at all if your cleaning there poop daily ans there enclosure weekly or every so often  so smell shouldnt be a problem


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## Watsonpartyof4

I dont notice a smell at all.... I do spot clean the poo everyday and wash his food dish and water bowl everyday... So maybe that's why?


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## Ethan D

Thanks for all the info guys i appreciate it


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## Moozillion

Zouave said:


> YES, they smell like tortoises.
> Glad i could help.



Hahahaaaaa!!!


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## Kristina

Let me put it this way. During the winter months, my older two Sulcatas, three Three Toed boxies, and the whole group of Russians reside in tables/tanks in my bedroom. If they stank, that would NOT happen!


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## Ethan D

Kristina said:


> Let me put it this way. During the winter months, my older two Sulcatas, three Three Toed boxies, and the whole group of Russians reside in tables/tanks in my bedroom. If they stank, that would NOT happen!



 good info


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## l0velesly

In my opinion, they smell a little like hay.


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## Ethan D

lushcious said:


> In my opinion, they smell a little like hay.



lol, not too bad then.


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## NinjaTortoises

Ethan D said:


> lol, not too bad then.



They smell like dinner to the chinese  just kidding haha


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## dmmj

Yes with their noses.


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## Moozillion

dmmj said:


> Yes with their noses.



Grooooaann!!!


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## Madkins007

Poorly kept turtles (overcrowded, poor water quality, etc.) stink to high heaven, and I think this is why people are concerned about tortoises. 

As has been mentioned quite effectively, if you do even basic 'housekeeping', there is almost no smell at all. I have noticed that some substrates smell more than others- one reason I prefer cypress mulch and bioactive systems.


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## Ethan D

Madkins007 said:


> Poorly kept turtles (overcrowded, poor water quality, etc.) stink to high heaven, and I think this is why people are concerned about tortoises.
> 
> As has been mentioned quite effectively, if you do even basic 'housekeeping', there is almost no smell at all. I have noticed that some substrates smell more than others- one reason I prefer cypress mulch and bioactive systems.



 great! Good info


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## TortoiseBoy1999

Mine doesn't! I keep mine very clean!


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## Ashliewood

I have had my
Tortoise for a year and a half and not smelled him once... Maybe the dirt from his enclosure when I get it wet. In very picky about smells also so I can understand where your family is coming from  my Russian doesn't smell


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## fbsmith3

I think the idea is, a tortoise does not smell, a dirty enclosure will smell depending on how dirty it gets. Keeping FRESH food and Clean water will keep smells down. If the tortoise does smell, something is definitively wrong and need to be dealt with immediately


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## Nixxy

Let's put it this way. Any living thing that is not taken care of properly with proper hygiene and lives in a clean environment (This go's for humans, too, obviously!) will smell. Reverse that, take care of them and their enclosure and that equals, not smelling.

Some sultrates are a bit musky. Some are a bit fragrant in nice ways. It depends on which one, but it's certainly not a "stinky" smell.


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## GeoTerraTestudo

Nixxy said:


> Let's put it this way. Any living thing that is not taken care of properly with proper hygiene and lives in a clean environment (This go's for humans, too, obviously!) will smell. Reverse that, take care of them and their enclosure and that equals, not smelling.
> 
> Some sultrates are a bit musky. Some are a bit fragrant in nice ways. It depends on which one, but it's certainly not a "stinky" smell.



Well said. For another example, well taken care of aquariums have a wonderful scent; it's just the neglected ones that small bad.


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## Nixxy

Despite my turtle being a "stinkpot", I must say, her aquarium is kept quite pristine and never smells. 


A little care, a lot of love, and a nice filter do wonders.


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## Ethan D

Nixxy said:


> Despite my turtle being a "stinkpot", I must say, her aquarium is kept quite pristine and never smells.
> 
> 
> A little care, a lot of love, and a nice filter do wonders.



XD


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## Yvonne G

I don't very often have habitats in the house, but on occasion, when I do, the only thing I can smell about it is the moist substrate. It has an earthy smell, like fresh soil.

You just have to clean up after the tortoise...keep uneaten food picked up and spot clean any feces you find in the habitat.

But, better still...make an outdoor habitat and keep the tortoise outside. Much better all the way around!


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## Kenazfehu

The enclosure can stink to high heaven if it's not kept clean. When Neenyo was moved into my house by son's ex-GF, it practically gagged me, and Neenyo was still a baby but already pyramiding.

Now that I have him and keep his enclosure clean, there's no smell, except when he poops. I grab it out of there with tissue right away.


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## Biff Malibu

The tortoise itself does not smell. 

Although I have a Sulcata and that thing can lay some huge mud monkeys for its size. As long as you pick up the fudge dragons on a regular basis (like a dog), there should be no constant stink.


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## Tom

The tortoises themselves have no smell. Like Yvonne said, I get a pleasant "earthy" smell from my substrate, but this is no different than a smell from a potted plant in the house. I like it. Now on occasion when I slide the door open on the leopard enclosure, one of them will have made a large deposit. I can smell this, but I remove it with a paper towel and the smell disapears within a few minutes. I notice the difference, but it is really not bad even when contained in a warm humid closed chamber.

Bearded dragons are about the worst smelling reptile pet I can think of. And they really aren't that bad either. If mom is okay with them, then she won't even know there is a tortoise there.


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## Ethan D

Tom said:


> The tortoises themselves have no smell. Like Yvonne said, I get a pleasant "earthy" smell from my substrate, but this is no different than a smell from a potted plant in the house. I like it. Now on occasion when I slide the door open on the leopard enclosure, one of them will have made a large deposit. I can smell this, but I remove it with a paper towel and the smell disapears within a few minutes. I notice the difference, but it is really not bad even when contained in a warm humid closed chamber.
> 
> Bearded dragons are about the worst smelling reptile pet I can think of. And they really aren't that bad either. If mom is okay with them, then she won't even know there is a tortoise there.



lol my beardies smell ok, i guess i am used to it so i don't notice, i clean their cage every week maybe 2 times a week depending on how much i feed them XD


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## Tom

Ethan D said:


> Tom said:
> 
> 
> 
> The tortoises themselves have no smell. Like Yvonne said, I get a pleasant "earthy" smell from my substrate, but this is no different than a smell from a potted plant in the house. I like it. Now on occasion when I slide the door open on the leopard enclosure, one of them will have made a large deposit. I can smell this, but I remove it with a paper towel and the smell disapears within a few minutes. I notice the difference, but it is really not bad even when contained in a warm humid closed chamber.
> 
> Bearded dragons are about the worst smelling reptile pet I can think of. And they really aren't that bad either. If mom is okay with them, then she won't even know there is a tortoise there.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> lol my beardies smell ok, i guess i am used to it so i don't notice, i clean their cage every week maybe 2 times a week depending on how much i feed them XD
Click to expand...


Right. So if your family can tolerate beardies, the worst tortoise smell in the world is a tiny fraction of that.


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## Nixxy

Another note, they are certainly less "stinky" than a dog or cat, in many ways.

No wet dog smell. No literboxes. 

Their poop doesn't really generally stink..they are mostly herbivores, and it's not really an issue. Compare it to dog or cat poo, which has quite an awful odor.

I'll be honest. 

They smell less than some of my relatives.


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## Ethan D

Nixxy said:


> Another note, they are certainly less "stinky" than a dog or cat, in many ways.
> 
> No wet dog smell. No literboxes.
> 
> Their poop doesn't really generally stink..they are mostly herbivores, and it's not really an issue. Compare it to dog or cat poo, which has quite an awful odor.
> 
> I'll be honest.
> 
> They smell less than some of my relatives.



lol i can relate to the last part XD


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