Are tortoises deaf

[jockma]

Bean reacts to the fridge opening and closing. It'll even wake him up if he's sleeping. He's a whistler so I know when I hear that "heww...hewww..." he's up and ready for a meal.

I have a monster fridge and it rumbles the ground we stand on when it closes, though. But I think it's funny that I can get into whatever shenanigans I want and he doesn't react unless it's the fridge specifically.

 

[abigaaailllll]

this is not true, they do have ears which are located on the side of their face

 

[Speedy-1]

I know this , Speedy was laying in the doorway of his hide and Buddy our dog (in another room) barked. Speedy sat right up and looked around as if to say "what's that dummy yapping about ?"

 

[Wolfie]

My Torts not only react to me talking, but know their names. If I call Tank, Lulu doesn't respond and vice versa.

 

[jockma]

This is a weird question: does anybody on here own an erhu (Chinese fiddle)? Bean can hear the sound it makes. He can't hear or at least doesn't react to any other instrument I've played in front of him so I'm curious if all torts can hear the erhu.

 

[orv]

Our two tortoises clearly respond to my and my wife's voice. When they are in their den or another of their hides, they come a charging expecting a treat, be it a strawberry or a head rub. They don't respond to other visitors to their habitat. It certainly seems as if they can hear; the empirical evidence is overwhelming.

 

[Gillian M]

With all my respect to everyone and his/her opinion, it seems to me that we are only going around in vicious circles; (that are going to make us dizzy ). There does not seem to be a clear answer to whether torts can hear or not.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

They can hear. Just not as well as some organisms.
WARNING : Article includes graphic necropsy images.
Please read :
https://www.researchgate.net/public...se_Testudo_hermanni_Gmelin_1789_as_an_Example

 

[Yvonne G]

Thank you, Adam. Very interesting article.

 

[Gillian M]

They can hear. Just not as well as some organisms.
WARNING : Article includes graphic necropsy images.
Please read :
https://www.researchgate.net/public...se_Testudo_hermanni_Gmelin_1789_as_an_Example

Thanks for posting Adam.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

With all my respect to everyone and his/her opinion, it seems to me that we are only going around in vicious circles; (that are going to make us dizzy ). There does not seem to be a clear answer to whether torts can hear or not.

It is a matter of physics. Hearing is the perception of energy waves. What the brain does with those synapse pulses it gets from the organs that perceive the energy is hearing. That is not in any way shape or form ambiguous. It can not be more clear. Our ears have a specific range of perception. Perhaps the question is "do tortoises hear like we do?" there is no doubt some cross over of ability, but it is also likely not identical.

 

[Wolfie]

The only way well ever know for sure is if someone turns into a tortoise. . . Or we ask the ninja turtles.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

The only way well ever know for sure is if someone turns into a tortoise. . . Or we ask the ninja turtles.

That is no more rational to say than to suggest tortoises can't see because we are not tortoises so we will never know. I can see they have eyes and I know they can see with their eyes, they interpret (what the brain does with the information) what they see different than humans. You all do know elephants can hear, actually hear, with their foot pads. The foot pad is not an ear, but none the less they perceive energy waves with the pad of their foot. I do speak elephant and that's what they told me.

 

[TerrapinStation]

That is no more rational to say than to suggest tortoises can't see because we are not tortoises so we will never know. I can see they have eyes and I know they can see with their eyes, they interpret (what the brain does with the information) what they see different than humans. You all do know elephants can hear, actually hear, with their foot pads. The foot pad is not an ear, but none the less they perceive energy waves with the pad of their foot. I do speak elephant and that's what they told me.

I just read a really cool book ( Zoo Story by Thomas French) And it talked a lot about elephants, both in the "wild" and in captivity. French talked about the way elephants communicate, and how during culls on African game preserves elephants miles away knew that other elephants were being gunned down by helicopters. When the helicopters came near the surviving elephants, they went wild and got very violent uprooting trees and trying to hurl them at the choppers. Really amazing, intelligent creatures.

 

[TerrapinStation]

And of course they can hear...... How else could they jam like this?

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

And of course they can hear...... How else could they jam like this?

QED.
Case closed.

 

[leigti]

With all my respect to everyone and his/her opinion, it seems to me that we are only going around in vicious circles; (that are going to make us dizzy ). There does not seem to be a clear answer to whether torts can hear or not.

There is a clear answer. People have stated it over and over again. In scientific and anecdotal Examples.

 

[jockma]

So he CAN hear! He hasn't reacted to the piano or any instrument other than the erhu so I assume he hears that one best. Maybe because it's loud and feels like its sound is wiggling in your ears.

Next important question: what's their favorite genre of music?

 

[Wolfie]

So he CAN hear! He hasn't reacted to the piano or any instrument other than the erhu so I assume he hears that one best. Maybe because it's loud and feels like its sound is wiggling in your ears.

Next important question: what's their favorite genre of music?

Well of course they listen to The Turtles.