How intelligent are tortoises?

[Renee_H]

On a scale from 1-10 how intelligent would you rate your tortoise?

I’ll give mine a 2. Am I alone? Don’t get me wrong. She’s fantastic. Just not very intelligent as far as I can tell.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

I don’t think there’s a whole lot going on in their pea sized brains haha, least not ours

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

It depends on what's on that scale. Quantum physics is definitely not their thing, but they do fantastic job at being a tortoise. I doubt we'll score more than 3-4 on their "Tortoise Primary School General Skills Assessment Exam".

But, yes, I'll give mine 3 (+1 for immense cuteness).

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

When I place a terracotta saucer as a food dish near to the enclosure wall and my Russian tries to use it as a stepping stool to get over the enclosure wall... Well, maybe 2, how could those couple millimeters make a difference in him getting over a 40cm wall is just beyond me

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

When I place a terracotta saucer as a food dish near to the enclosure wall and my Russian tries to use it as a stepping stool to get over the enclosure wall... Well, maybe 2, how could those couple millimeters make a difference in him getting over a 40cm wall is just beyond me

This keeps him busy and you - entertained. A smart move!

 

[Maggie3fan]

I figure the particular species has much to do with intelligence, or lack of same. I've kept several different species of tortoises, and I think how much effort we as keepers place with our different species will make it seem smarter or not. My personal opinion is however much time we spend with a particular tortoise, is going to make the difference between a "pet" tortoise and a specific creep member.
Most of you might remember King Bob Cummings, the smartest, most personable Sulcata tortoise who ever was...(lol) and my sister's Dudley, a mean ornery beast who entertained himself by sneaking up behind me and trying to either bite me or ram me...I could never figure out how a 120 pound Sulcata tortoise could even 'sneak' up on me! But he did.
I think however, how ever much personal time we spend with our torts and 'bonding' with them is the time we get back from each one.
And I will admit to anthropomorphizing more than most...lol

 

[Renee_H]

Some of you might remember me posting various observations about my tort using or not using her nightbox. She had a good run for a while of consistently using her new improved heated nightbox so I decided she appreciated the heat and space. Well here and there I would find her under a bush and not in her box. I didn’t think much about it I would just move her to her box and move on with my evening.

Well on several occasions now I’ve witnessed something quite interesting. After she finishes eating, in her sleepy food coma, she will head to bed. (I’ve been feeding her in the evening vs afternoon related to my work schedule) for whatever reason she walks all the way around her house and then heads to the ramp door. But if she doesn’t find herself aligned with the ramp she walks straight into the house next to the door. She tries to push into it and climb up it. Then sits awhile. Slowly turns and makes another trip around the house. She will often overestimate and end up on the other side of the ramp and again try to get into her house through the wall. Most times she will try a third time and if she doesn’t end up on the ramp she will give up and find a bush and call it a night.

I spend a good amnt of time with her each day and her vision seems to be fine aside from this issue. And if it’s a vision issue it’s not like we fit tortoises with glasses.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

My Russian sometimes wants to take a short cut and tries to go over his ramp railing, either up or down.

She had a good run for a while of consistently using her new improved heated nightbox so I decided she appreciated the heat and space.

About heat regulation, I have noticed that when my apartment got cold a few weeks ago (19 C), he would wake up after his bed time and go bask under the heat lamp (which wasn't on!) to warm up. He would bask under the lamp for up to an hour before heading back to bed...

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

I figure the particular species has much to do with intelligence, or lack of same. I've kept several different species of tortoises, and I think how much effort we as keepers place with our different species will make it seem smarter or not.

I wonder, which species do you think seem less or more intelligent than others?

 

[Renee_H]

I wonder, which species do you think seem less or more intelligent than others?

I wonder too! @Maggie3fan

 

[Maggie3fan]

My sister used to keep 2 very giant dinosaurs under the guise of Aldabra tortoises...they seriously showed a lack of awareness kinda. They were the slowest moving slower thinking hugeest rocks. Granted, I didn't spend much time with them, but they just weren't my thing, I guess. I was able to go behind the reptile exhibit at the Big Fresno Zoo and those gallops were much more responsive...I got to interact with them and they really enjoyed the play...as did I.
It's kinda hard for me to be this common...but I do believe that Sulcata tortoises who are handled and played with and bonded to humans will respond better than, say, Russians. I think Hermanni are most probably the species with the most capacities for training and learning. My best ever relationship was...guess who. But my sister's Sulcata Dudley was very responsive when I would visit him...Seriously...if you have never been chased down by a beast who KNEW he could hurt you. You just ain't been hunted.

 

[ryan57]

I would not categorize my tortoise as "smart" but he is hyperaware of his environment and communicates with us very clearly. Voice is not needed.

I have video of him daily expecting his giant to stack up his food in front of him when it gets too low. When it's low he will stare at whomever is in the room until they stack up his food correctly.

When he wants to go out he will stare at you. If that doesn't get your attention he will move the chair you are sitting in toward the door so you open it.

Poop... this one will not move until his poop is cleaned by my wife when he's in her office. If there is any poop he will sit there and stare at her with his neck out. Remove the poop and he will head toward the door, his plate or turn back around or whatever else he had time to think about wanting to do. The point is; he is an excellent communicator if you are watching, and if you aren't, he becomes a physical communicator.

 

[Renee_H]

I would not categorize my tortoise as "smart" but he is hyperaware of his environment and communicates with us very clearly. Voice is not needed.

I have video of him daily expecting his giant to stack up his food in front of him when it gets too low. When it's low he will stare at whomever is in the room until they stack up his food correctly.

When he wants to go out he will stare at you. If that doesn't get your attention he will move the chair you are sitting in toward the door so you open it.

Poop... this one will not move until his poop is cleaned by my wife when he's in her office. If there is any poop he will sit there and stare at her with his neck out. Remove the poop and he will head toward the door, his plate or turn back around or whatever else he had time to think about wanting to do. The point is; he is an excellent communicator if you are watching, and if you aren't, he becomes a physical communicator.

Mine communicates pretty well in those ways as well. But yet if she misses the ramp she’ll try to walk through walls to enter her house. Go figure.

 

[Renee_H]

Some of you might remember me posting various observations about my tort using or not using her nightbox. She had a good run for a while of consistently using her new improved heated nightbox so I decided she appreciated the heat and space. Well here and there I would find her under a bush and not in her box. I didn’t think much about it I would just move her to her box and move on with my evening.

Well on several occasions now I’ve witnessed something quite interesting. After she finishes eating, in her sleepy food coma, she will head to bed. (I’ve been feeding her in the evening vs afternoon related to my work schedule) for whatever reason she walks all the way around her house and then heads to the ramp door. But if she doesn’t find herself aligned with the ramp she walks straight into the house next to the door. She tries to push into it and climb up it. Then sits awhile. Slowly turns and makes another trip around the house. She will often overestimate and end up on the other side of the ramp and again try to get into her house through the wall. Most times she will try a third time and if she doesn’t end up on the ramp she will give up and find a bush and call it a night.

I spend a good amnt of time with her each day and her vision seems to be fine aside from this issue. And if it’s a vision issue it’s not like we fit tortoises with glasses.

I finally got around to recording her trying to find her way back inside. She’s persistent I’ll give her that.

TikTok - Make Your Day

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I'm always afraid I'll upset some one with answers to a question like this.
As long as you don't expect mammal like intelligent behavior from a tortoise, you might not be disappointed to see that they're not so smart. You can see some learned behaviors. Especially in the larger species. But for the most part, these guys are hardwired by nature.

 

[enchilada]

i think my North American Wood turtle is a lot more smarter than my tortoises

 

[incognet]

My sister used to keep 2 very giant dinosaurs under the guise of Aldabra tortoises...they seriously showed a lack of awareness kinda. They were the slowest moving slower thinking hugeest rocks. Granted, I didn't spend much time with them, but they just weren't my thing, I guess. I was able to go behind the reptile exhibit at the Big Fresno Zoo and those gallops were much more responsive...I got to interact with them and they really enjoyed the play...as did I.

It's been more than a decade since my last encounter with Galops, so I don't have clear memory of how responsive they were.

My yearling Albrabra is very much aware of her surroundings and fsscinated by humans. I hope this never changes... we enjoy interacting with her.

 

[incognet]

i think my North American Wood turtle is a lot more smarter than my tortoises

Wood turtles do have a reputation as the smartest chelonian. This was mentioned in yesterday's GST reel (Facebook).

 

[MEEJogja]

One of our tortoises spends most of his time in this hide. Every day when it comes to feeding time he was getting stuck on the left side of the tree. We placed that rock there to prevent this, but now at feeding time he looks out above the rock hopelessly trapped and unable to get out. This problem started when that mulberry tree was just a seedling. It has been years and the realisation that he needs to go around the tree has not yet come.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

View attachment 382584

One of our tortoises spends most of his time in this hide. Every day when it comes to feeding time he was getting stuck on the left side of the tree. We placed that rock there to prevent this, but now at feeding time he looks out above the rock hopelessly trapped and unable to get out. This problem started when that mulberry tree was just a seedling. It has been years and the realisation that he needs to go around the tree has not yet come.

Creatures of habit, indeed.