Tortoise cognition

lighthiker2

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Cold-blooded cognition: Tortoises quick on the uptake

26 December 2011 by Jeff Hech
issue 2844.
___________________________

To abstract this article, a PhD student decided to study cognition in tortoises as are done in rats. Some interesting findings, different from earlier ones, resulted because experiments were done at 29degrees C to have awake and alert tortoises.

Torts can follow another individual's.gaze, and can successfully navigate 8armed mazes. They can create cognitive maps of areas they cannot see and create new landmarks when prior ones are blocked (essentially updated their own GPS).

Torts are able to find hidden food after seeing another individual return from a hidden area with food.

Because they receive no care after hatching and must learn in their own, there is a high natural selection process for intelligence. While turtles and tortoises (all reptiles) have no empathy, and might not be the fastest travelers, they adapt well whenever it comes to finding food--one of three things they are programmed for. ( the other two are seeking optimal external temperature/humidity and reproducing).

Take away? Keep your tort warm, happy and occasionally challenge them with food dinding games!


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Greg T

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Very interesting. I always knew tortoises were much smarter than people give them credit for.
 

Irish

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If they can be motivated by food finding, would they perform tricks for treats? I would love to see a tortoise speak on command :) Or squeak on command?
 

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Very cool! This doesn't surprise me at all. I have found that sometimes Dante is not interested in his food unless I mix things up a bit. He gets bored when it's on the same plate every day! If I hide it/move it, he is much more interested because he gets to sniff/root around for it.
 

Irish

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Pokeymeg said:
Very cool! This doesn't surprise me at all. I have found that sometimes Dante is not interested in his food unless I mix things up a bit. He gets bored when it's on the same plate every day! If I hide it/move it, he is much more interested because he gets to sniff/root around for it.

A bee keeper! I am so envious. 40,000 pets to love, and honey? Awesome. The stings? Well, I don't envy that. Very cool.
 

AnnV

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I wonder what species he used.

Ann from CT
 

Saleama

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My guys all run to the spots I typically place their food dishes in. I can't reach alot of areas in their habitat so it is limited, however, they know when it is feeding time and they know where to go BEFORE I place the dishes. Also, they may be solutary (sp?) animals, but mine always sleep in the same spot and they always "snuggle" with the same little buddy. I have even seen them attempt to help a flipped over brother or sister!
 

ascott

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Eat food on command.

The old man here, Humphry, does a complete flip in the air alongside the open car door and lands successfully on the front seat ...I am sure I hear him mumble "allez-up" in mid turn...I just shake my head and remind him he is showing off....;)
 

khaddix

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I have noticed an interesting behavior in my russian tortoises, but I'm not sure if it's really a mark of intelligence. I have a large water dish in their enclosure that has a ramp leading up to it. I use the dish for food rather than water, but when it isn't feeding time, the torts seem to make other uses for it. I first noticed the behavior in my male, Dmitri. He would walk up the ramp, teeter at the apex of it, slide down inside, then climb out of the side and do a little face plant into the substrate. He would repeat this ritual daily, doing it over and over again for almost an hour. It reminded me of a child going down a slide, falling in the dirt, and running back to climb up again. Would this be considered play activity? If so, I'm not sure what skill it would serve to strengthen. And for the longest time, it was only him who would do it. But just earlier today, I noticed my newest female doing the same thing. Has anyone else noticed this type of behavior in their tortoises?
 

Yvonne G

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Hi khaddix:

Several members here on the forum have written about their hatchlings climbing up on top of the mounded hiding place and sliding down. It really does sound as if they enjoy the 'thrill.'
 

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I wanna see a video of baby tortoises sliding! :D

Mabe it also serves as a way to scratch the plastron?
 

lighthiker2

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One researcher taught a tortoise to yawn on command, hoping to see if it was contagious in that species. Result: it is not. Tortoises do not have empathic responses.


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The tortoises i this study were red footed torts.


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lighthiker2

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Anecdotally, many tortoises learn to associate sounds or actions with impending feedings, so it makes sense that we can control the behavioral cues we provide to "call" our hefty friends.

On another note, I watched a video of a tortoise chasing a white soccer ball all around the yard…he was huffing and chasing at super-tortoise speed. While he was getting great exercise, and the owners went on about how much he loves his soccer ball, I had a question. Is it play or is he being a territorial male and attempting to attack (or even mate with) the large, dome-topped, speedy object? He seemed to be aggressive in his ramming the object with his head and intergular plastron scutes, trying to climb on and ram the object when it was occasionally chased into a corner. Exercise aside, my concern was for stress on the tortoise if the latter scenario is at play and he does this often. Thoughts?

here is the link, if anyone wants to watch and comment:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lhtzgAdm58

In any event, it definitely was keeping Yoshi busy :)
 

Terry Allan Hall

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lighthiker said:
Anecdotally, many tortoises learn to associate sounds or actions with impending feedings, so it makes sense that we can control the behavioral cues we provide to "call" our hefty friends.

On another note, I watched a video of a tortoise chasing a white soccer ball all around the yard…he was huffing and chasing at super-tortoise speed. While he was getting great exercise, and the owners went on about how much he loves his soccer ball, I had a question. Is it play or is he being a territorial male and attempting to attack (or even mate with) the large, dome-topped, speedy object? He seemed to be aggressive in his ramming the object with his head and intergular plastron scutes, trying to climb on and ram the object when it was occasionally chased into a corner. Exercise aside, my concern was for stress on the tortoise if the latter scenario is at play and he does this often. Thoughts?

here is the link, if anyone wants to watch and comment:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lhtzgAdm58

In any event, it definitely was keeping Yoshi busy :)

My former sulcata, Sully, would push a red ball around the yard for an hour or more. At the time, she was about 15# and the red ball was the sort children use for dodgeball.

Seemed to amuse her, and I never saw her try to eat it or act territorial towards it.

My Hermann's come a-running when I ring a bell, but that was to be fed, originally.
 

EKLC

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It would make sense that tortoises would have a superior spatial memory and planning ability to other reptiles, as they need to avoid getting stuck in places, and can't reverse mistakes very quickly. Good find
 

Wewt

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Do tortoises have empathy?

I remember reading on here previously that a member got a good picture of her tortoise yawning by yawning herself right in front of him several times. Yawning is typically seen only in animals capable of empathy (ie: dogs, monkeys, humans, etc)...

Can anyone else try this to see if it was more than a coincidence? I'll do the same and report.
 

Moozillion

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I agree with lighthiker. I'm no expert, but the only videos I've seen of torts moving that fast for that long has been either aggression or sex. I would worry about stress on the animal. Just my 2 cents.
 

LisaTurtle

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khaddix said:
I have noticed an interesting behavior in my russian tortoises, but I'm not sure if it's really a mark of intelligence. I have a large water dish in their enclosure that has a ramp leading up to it. I use the dish for food rather than water, but when it isn't feeding time, the torts seem to make other uses for it. I first noticed the behavior in my male, Dmitri. He would walk up the ramp, teeter at the apex of it, slide down inside, then climb out of the side and do a little face plant into the substrate. He would repeat this ritual daily, doing it over and over again for almost an hour. It reminded me of a child going down a slide, falling in the dirt, and running back to climb up again. Would this be considered play activity? If so, I'm not sure what skill it would serve to strengthen. And for the longest time, it was only him who would do it. But just earlier today, I noticed my newest female doing the same thing. Has anyone else noticed this type of behavior in their tortoises?

YES!! Mine does this too! He did it over the summer outside in a flower pot! He'd climb in it and then over the edge everyday! I think they Like to conquer their land!

I love this thread! I did not realize they make cognitive maps like that... Very cool and makes sense with Gary's behavior
 
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