Are tortoises deaf

[georgeandbessy]

Just wondering if tortoises are deaf as I have had loads of people telling me they are.

 

[mctlong]

No, tortoises are not deaf.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

They don't hear the full spectrum like our hearing. But they hear. (Actually compared to a dog, we are deaf)
They seem to hear low pitched sounds better and are also keen on vibration.

 

[georgeandbessy]

They don't hear the full spectrum like our hearing. But they hear. (Actually compared to a dog, we are deaf)
They seem to hear low pitched sounds better and are also keen on vibration.

Thank you

 

[Gillian M]

There is conflicting information as far as this subject is concerned.

Personally, I do not think that they hear, BUT they feel vibrations. I noticed that when I call Oli (my beloved Greek tort), when I talk, even when the washing machine/vacuum cleaner is on, I see NO reaction whatsoever.

 

[Speedy-1]

I agree with Zeropilot that yes they can to an extent ! I even found this sort of interesting article that says all tortoises can hear better underwater ! ??
http://www.livescience.com/26361-turtles-hear-better-underwater.html

 

[BrianWI]

My cat is deaf... but the frequency of a can of food opening she hears just fine.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

My cat is deaf... but the frequency of a can of food opening she hears just fine.

Is she deaf or just ignoring you?
Cats.

 

[Tom]

We had a very experienced member here years ago who participated in a study to see how well tortoises could hear. Their conclusion? Tortoises cannot hear. They can certainly see, smell and learn, so I can see why some people might think they can hear. My tortoises can smell Mazuri a mile away. His name was GB Tortoises. @jaizei would you be able to find that old thread for us? Probably 2010 or 2011when the forum was in one of the older formats.

When I'm walking up behind my tortoises I talk to them to let them know I'm there so they don't startle. They still startle as soon as I get within their sight anyway. I keep trying and just do it out of habit, but it has never worked. Its just a habit of mine now to "warn" them. I keep wondering if it will work one day… Silly, I know.

 

[Gillian M]

My cat is deaf... but the frequency of a can of food opening she hears just fine.

It is the frequency (vibrations) that she feels, and not hears, I believe.

 

[Kori5]

I'm sure my tortoise hears noises from the vacuum cleaner. I tested that a few times. He was sleeping under the hut and when I've turned it on he came out, startled. Also, a few days ago my sister was moving her desk in a room near mine. He was basking with eyes closed and just "jumped" at the noise . They hear just not like we do.

 

[BrianWI]

It is the frequency (vibrations) that she feels, and not hears, I believe.

No. She just ignores me 99% of the time and does what she wants. She is a cat. LOL

 

[Big Charlie]

Charlie is completely unfazed when the gardener shows up with his loud mower.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Tortoises are not deaf. They just hear at a different wavelength to us at a lower frequency and do not often react to aural stimuli.
Their inner ears seem to be relatively well evolved and if they were non-functional I would expect to see some change to a more vestigial organ like our tail or appendix for example. it's been millions of years after all.
Also, on a more personal level Tidgy reacts to wifey's voice when she is not in the room and will look about for her, she (Tidgy, not wifey,no, actually wifey as well, sometimes) stretches and looks at me when i sing to her, she also (wifey, too) freezes if I say 'no' in a deep voice when she is about to do something naughty. She may do it anyway but she reacts to the sound. Sometimes she comes when i call; sometimes she doesn't, but I think she can hear okay, she is just disobedient and ignores me.

 

[Kori5]

Kori reacts to Paloma Faith's "Only love can hurt like this" and stretches his neck, looks at me and starts sniffing with his throat. I think it is because of the deep tones in the song.

 

[Rue]

We shouldn't expect a tortoise to respond to sound the same way we do either. If hearing isn't their main sense, they likely interpret/react to sounds differently. And then there's individuality. Some may want to come at the sound of a owner's voice, and others may have no desire to do so. I mentioned I have a parrot that can talk and fly...but she opts to do neither. If she was your only bird, you might conclude that all parrots don't talk or fly, even though they can form words and have wings.

 

[georgeandbessy]

Cheers for all the help

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

There is conflicting information as far as this subject is concerned.

Personally, I do not think that they hear, BUT they feel vibrations. I noticed that when I call Oli (my beloved Greek tort), when I talk, even when the washing machine/vacuum cleaner is on, I see NO reaction whatsoever.

That's what hearing is, perceiving energy vibrations, then so is vision. Taste and smell are also the same ability to perceive. There is energy perception, chemical perception, and tactile. That's pretty much it. Many animals have more than one route to perceive and engage in the environment of their existence via energy and chemicals. You see that they can't hear, that's a special skill.
Rupert Sheldrake has done a good lot of experimentation for other perception abilities https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rupert_Sheldrake . Some folks think he is a quak, but his studies are rigorous. I think he is on to something real.

 

[BrianWI]

My bad knee can sense the weather, does that count?

 

[Yvonne G]

My bad knee can sense the weather, does that count?

Only if it also calls you to dinner.