Smelling each other?

[jsheffield]

Hello,

My male Russian, Chili is in an enclosure on one side of my office, and Persephone, my female Russian, is in an enclosure on the other side.

Today while checking in on the torts after giving them all their Monday soaks, I noticed that the two Russians were facing each other and as close as their enclosures would allow, despite the fact that they cannot see one another.

I suppose it could be random chance, but neither of them were in spots in the enclosures in which they normally hang out.

It occurred to me that maybe they could smell each other, or that one or both of them had been vocalizing (either outside of my hearing range, or I'd just missed it).

Anyway, I thought it was cool and wondered if other of you have seen it among torts that have never met face to face?

Thanks,

Jamie

 

[ZEROPILOT]

They positively CAN tell somehow.
I also don't know if its smell.
But I've seen conclusive evidence of that same type of behavior.
It probably helps with territorial marking and mating in the wild.
They know when another tortoise is around.

 

[RosemaryDW]

The sense of smell is their most developed, as I understand it. I would expect them to know another is there, particularly during mating season.

I’ve not seen much evidence they hear, only feel vibrations, but I’m no expert.

 

[Tom]

It would be smell. Pheromones. Spring is in the air...