sulcata traumatized by loud, booming music

[SafariWoman]

Hello. I had a rather strange experience yesterday with my approx. 7 yr old sulcata rescue. We were in the back yard and he was happily walking around, munching on grass when suddenly my neighbor blasted some really loud, booming music with a lot of low bass (he was having a party). Well, my tortoise just bolted, and I mean moving as fast as he could go, blindly running for somewhere to hide from what I assume was the noise (or maybe it was the vibration from the booming bass). I was able to catch him before he ran into the fence and hurt himself, but he was clearly traumatized. I brought him inside the house to his indoor enclosure and he ran straight for his house and hid in the corner. A little later I gave him a warm soak to calm him down but he was still pretty shook up. Now, this morning, he still seems a bit traumatized and I wonder if he'll associate going in the back yard with this frightening experience or is it just a matter of time until he forgets what happened?
My question is, are Sulcatas extremely sensitive to loud noises and vibrations? Has anyone else had a similar experience? Thank you.

 

[Chefdenoel10]

Hello. I had a rather strange experience yesterday with my approx. 7 yr old sulcata rescue. We were in the back yard and he was happily walking around, munching on grass when suddenly my neighbor blasted some really loud, booming music with a lot of low bass (he was having a party). Well, my tortoise just bolted, and I mean moving as fast as he could go, blindly running for somewhere to hide from what I assume was the noise (or maybe it was the vibration from the booming bass). I was able to catch him before he ran into the fence and hurt himself, but he was clearly traumatized. I brought him inside the house to his indoor enclosure and he ran straight for his house and hid in the corner. A little later I gave him a warm soak to calm him down but he was still pretty shook up. Now, this morning, he still seems a bit traumatized and I wonder if he'll associate going in the back yard with this frightening experience or is it just a matter of time until he forgets what happened?
My question is, are Sulcatas extremely sensitive to loud noises and vibrations? Has anyone else had a similar experience? Thank you.

I wouldn’t doubt it.
They say tortoises can’t hear very well but do feel or hear deep tones. ??
I can only assume they feel vibrations too.?
My Sulcata can sleep with loud fireworks going off outside yet when I speak in a deep voice to her she knows she better get in that bed cuz it’s nite nite time! 😂
My new neighbor has a “subwoofer” and it is scaring me incase I’m not home and she gets scared…what will she do?? 😱
She also FREAKSOUT at the sound of me rustling a plastic bag!?!?!?
So I’m thinking it’s because it’s a low pitch?
@Tom will clear this up for us…
Let me ask for him…

Ooohhhh… @Tom !!!?????
Can you clarify this matter 🙏 please???

 

[Tom]

In all my years, I've never had anything like this happen. I'm always blasting loud music with heavy bass and none of my tortoises have ever reacted in the slightest.

 

[SafariWoman]

I wouldn’t doubt it.
They say tortoises can’t hear very well but do feel or hear deep tones. ??
I can only assume they feel vibrations too.?
My Sulcata can sleep with loud fireworks going off outside yet when I speak in a deep voice to her she knows she better get in that bed cuz it’s nite nite time! 😂
My new neighbor has a “subwoofer” and it is scaring me incase I’m not home and she gets scared…what will she do?? 😱
She also FREAKSOUT at the sound of me rustling a plastic bag!?!?!?
So I’m thinking it’s because it’s a low pitch?
@Tom will clear this up for us…
Let me ask for him…

Ooohhhh… @Tom !!!?????
Can you clarify this matter 🙏 please???

Maybe we just have extremely sensitive tortoises. I think that's really cool your tortoise recognizes it's time for bed when you speak in a deep voice. They really are unique creatures. Thanks for your response and for asking Tom.

 

[SafariWoman]

In all my years, I've never had anything like this happen. I'm always blasting loud music with heavy bass and none of my tortoises have ever reacted in the slightest.

Thanks for your response.

 

[Len B]

I live near Dalgren Naval Surface Weapons Base. They test new weapons for the safety of our Country. Some are very loud and shake everything, will even adjust the pictures hanging on the wall. I have never seen my sulcatas react to the noise or the reverberation of the ground vibrating from a loud explosion. It doesn't bother my dogs or my one old cat either. Other people in town post online about how it upsets their dogs. I believe all my animals know it's the sound of Freedom. It's not a daily thing, sometimes it's weeks in between testings.

 

[Tom]

Thanks for your response.

Elephants can communicate over long distances with "sub-sonic" sounds that they generate. "Infrasounds" or low frequency rumbles. I wonder if African tortoises are sensitive to these sounds and know to get the heck out of the way because elephants are one of the few animals that can harm a tortoise if caught above ground or out in the open. An elephant can pop a large tortoise open like a grape.

I suppose it is possible that your neighbor's speakers were emitting a sound like this? I don't know if tortoises can "hear" or feel elephant noises or not. I'm just guessing at possibilities of why your tortoise might have behaved that way.

I would not expect the tortoise to remain fearful or bothered in the absence of that sound or whatever the stimulus was.