Tortoise Walking Directions?

Oxalis

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My boyfriend and I are wondering about tortoises and directions. We've been living in our Michigan house with Stevie, our Russian, for about the past 2 years. We've noticed that when he's out and about in the open yard, he has a tendency to walk toward the north. Is he trying to get "away" from the sun in order to hide from potential predators? If not, I would think he'd head south, toward warmer weather, especially at Michigan's latitude. o_O Anyway, we were intrigued and curious if this was a typical tortoise thing, or just the crazy Russian in him. :p
 

dmmj

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several people have noticed tortoises head north more often than not. I highly doubt it has to do with seasons and more likely to do with magnetic north in my personal opinion
 

ZEROPILOT

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for a period of a couple of months I had a previously ill tortoise that when placed in the yard would spin and walk to the South.
She did it and I also posted on the odd behavior. She would do it again and again. South.
Then one day she just stopped doing it. she is also now no longer ill. I think in her case her being sick and the walking to the south were connected, but I still don't know why.
It is interesting, for sure.
 

rbcurdt

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for a period of a couple of months I had a previously ill tortoise that when placed in the yard would spin and walk to the South.
She did it and I also posted on the odd behavior. She would do it again and again. South.
Then one day she just stopped doing it. she is also now no longer ill. I think in her case her being sick and the walking to the south were connected, but I still don't know why.
It is interesting, for sure.
I read this article recently and found it fascinating. http://www.stlzoo.org/about/blog/2015/10/12/georgette-turtle-who-lived
 

Oxalis

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Interesting, thanks for the addition! I wonder if they just feel the itch to move, like when humans say we have "ants in our pants" and can't sit still!
Very interesting! Now you guys got me thinking about it!
I'm glad to have started the conversation! :)
several people have noticed tortoises head north more often than not. I highly doubt it has to do with seasons and more likely to do with magnetic north in my personal opinion
I wonder what it is about the magnetic north that could be so compelling to an animal? Do they just follow it because they feel attracted to it and don't know why? :confused:
 

AnimalLady

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Now that you mention it.... my Russian does the same, I really never took note, but yea, he definitely always walks North when I let him out.... weird...!
 

MPRC

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My reds always walk north...but that's where the manure pile is, and the chicken coop. They are fascinated by chickens and love trying to beat me to the pile of horse crap.
 

Oxalis

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Now that you mention it.... my Russian does the same, I really never took note, but yea, he definitely always walks North when I let him out.... weird...!
Always good to know I'm not the only one!! XD
 

axeman25

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Weird...........really weird. LOL. Now that's all I'm going to pay attention to now. I have five Russians and they seem to scatter in all directions as soon as I set them down in the yard.
 

ZEROPILOT

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It was in the front yard, back or side yards. I tried many many times to trip her up and she would walk maybe two feet in an arc and head South again.
I wish I'd documented it on camera.
I've never seen it happen since or with any of my other tortoises.
 

Oxalis

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I almost feel like I stumbled on a new scientific study! ;) Calling all herper scientists out there... especially those with more time and tortoises than me... XD
 

W Shaw

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I only got to take mine out a couple of times between when I got him and when the weather got too cool. Once he just kept obsessively going north, but the other times he was determined to go west.
 

dmmj

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I only got to take mine out a couple of times between when I got him and when the weather got too cool. Once he just kept obsessively going north, but the other times he was determined to go west.
you may not remember but when you take them outside do you remember where you placed them in the same direction they walked or did he take a different directions from what you've placed him.
 

WithLisa

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I don't know about tortoises, but - depending on the time and weather - I also like to head north, it's uncomfortable to be dazzled by the sun (and now that I think about it, it's the best way if you want to get out of shadows into the sunlight).
 

W Shaw

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you may not remember but when you take them outside do you remember where you placed them in the same direction they walked or did he take a different directions from what you've placed him.

Since west would take him toward the road, I would usually put him down facing east, but he would always turn around and head west (except for the one day he wanted to go north).
 

Oxalis

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you may not remember but when you take them outside do you remember where you placed them in the same direction they walked or did he take a different directions from what you've placed him.
Doesn't matter which way I placed mine; he always headed back north! :eek:
 

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