Do Tortoises Talk?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Kirsten_Lenz

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2012
Messages
13
Do anybody else's tortoises vocalize to the owners? Mine chirps at me quite a bit when I talk to her. It's kinda like she's answering questions. And when she wants out of her soaking tub she taps her beak a few times on the side and looks at me until I take her out. Just wondered if anyone else has talkative torts.

Oh, and all my tortoise books say they pass semi solid urates but mine *never* has. She just has plain clear or yellowish urine. Normal or is something wrong?

Kirsten && Ellie (5 yr old female Redfoot)
 

JoesMum

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Oct 26, 2011
Messages
21,606
Location (City and/or State)
Kent, South East England
The only noises I get are Joe are the squeaks when he strains for a poo or when he's mating woth something.

Urates, I believe,are species dependent. Meds like Joe pass them, but not all species do.

What specoes is your tort?
 

Talka

Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2011
Messages
385
Redfoot? I think if she's well-hydrated it's normal not to have urates. Not sure on that.

Sheldon hasn't vocalized anything, but I know when he wants out of his bath, and I know he never wants me to take him back inside after his outdoor time! He claws my hand off every time we go back in the house.
 

StudentoftheReptile

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2011
Messages
1,705
Location (City and/or State)
Alabama
Kobe didn't start talking until he was 2. Oh, what a joyous day it was when he finally said "DADA!"

LOL...sorry, couldn't resist.
 

hlester22

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2012
Messages
183
Location (City and/or State)
Kentucky
Mine will squeak every once in a while. Not the same sound as when they pull their head in fast. It's usually when they get startled.
 

ascott

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Apr 10, 2011
Messages
16,138
Location (City and/or State)
Apple Valley, California
Mine are the strong silent type.....they leer into your soul and BAM... I instantly know what they want....:D....lol....couldn't stop myself....:D
 

Jacob

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2011
Messages
3,145
Location (City and/or State)
California
They do make nosies sometimes breathing, playing with there beak.
 

nicoleandrocky

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2012
Messages
969
Location (City and/or State)
California
My tort made a noise just last week.
I feed him his food and after 15 minutes i took it away because there was a lot still on the plate, then i walked away to get ready and i heard little barking noises and he was staring at me when i walked over, he was mad i took the food away, so i gave him a few more pieces and he stopped.
 

ALDABRAMAN

KEEPER AT HEART
10 Year Member!
Joined
Nov 5, 2010
Messages
28,446
Location (City and/or State)
SW Forida
ascott said:
Mine are the strong silent type.....they leer into your soul and BAM... I instantly know what they want....:D....lol....couldn't stop myself....:D

;)
 

dmmj

The member formerly known as captain awesome
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 15, 2008
Messages
19,695
Location (City and/or State)
CA
Mine tells me to do things. But I am able to ignore them most of the time.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
My male sulcata makes this loud honking/quacking sound everyday. Kind of a "Wh'a, Wh'a, Wh'a!!!" You can hear him even from neighboring ranches... :)
 

drgnfly2265

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2008
Messages
1,232
Location (City and/or State)
FLORIDA
I've heard Bowser squeak once when she was pooping. I have also heard her burp a couple of times when she was eating really fast and recorded it and put it on Youtube :)
 

cherylim

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2011
Messages
1,548
Location (City and/or State)
Leyland, UK
Emrys does the kind of chirping thing when he sees food he knows he likes. Peppers and tomatoes do it.
 

Kirsten_Lenz

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2012
Messages
13
My Tortoise is a non-flashy Redfoot (I just mean she's not a bright ol' cherryhead) but she has squeaked, chirped and everything in between since I first got her. She chirps loudest when she sees me putting out her favourite after-bath snack of strawberries, cherry/and/or/grape tomatoes and pineapple. Ellie is just CRAZY about pineapple. I've never seen a tortoise do a burnout to get food til her. I guess I must make her really happy then if she talks to me this much! I've never heard her burp though. Fart, yes .... a lot.

Yesterday I cut Ellie's back toenails as they were getting long and were curling under her foot. I only nicked 1 quick and it bled for only a few seconds but Ellie took it like a champ and made no noise or protest.

Kirsten && Ellie (female Redfoot 5 yrs apprx)
 

laramie

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2011
Messages
1,092
Location (City and/or State)
Scottsdale, AZ
I wonder that myself, I did see a video on youtube of a tortoise barking!:D
 

terryo

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 24, 2007
Messages
8,975
Location (City and/or State)
Staten Island, New York
I have never heard a sound from any of mine....ever. Not from a box turtle or a Cherry Head. But, my dogs never shut up....ever.
 

batchick

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2012
Messages
124
I didn't think they made noises, but I was soaking Ned just now and he made a strange little crying type noise as he was easing himself out. I was soaking him because he seemed to be constipated and lethargic after I was away and had a housesitter looking after him. So, perhaps the noise was a sign of him not feeling great.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

New Posts

Top