it is weird question!

[TammyJ]

I feel the same way as far as Oli is concerned. I am sure he recognizes me but I do not think that torts can hear.

Well, can they hear or not? I always thought they could. My RES turtle used to come when I called to her. She would hear my voice and come right out of her pond without seeing me or where I was. She came straight towards the sound of my voice. I would give her a chunk of food and she would grab it and make her way back to her pond to swallow it. It was not the smell of the food because I tried it without calling and she did not respond.

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

They can hear, but what human voices sound like to them is not clear. They may not be able to differentiate voices. I don't think anyone has actually studied this.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Well, can they hear or not? I always thought they could. My RES turtle used to come when I called to her. She would hear my voice and come right out of her pond without seeing me or where I was. She came straight towards the sound of my voice. I would give her a chunk of food and she would grab it and make her way back to her pond to swallow it. It was not the smell of the food because I tried it without calling and she did not respond.

They can hear.
See http://www.anapsid.org/reptilehearing.html

 

[TammyJ]

They can hear.
See http://www.anapsid.org/reptilehearing.html

Yes they can! Via "vibrations in the perilymphatic fluid"....etc. Thank you.

 

[Big Charlie]

My herd can also tell at a distance when the BOSS, Julio, emerges into the yard.
They all scatter. And Julio is the same size and shape of the others.

I wouldn't think they can judge size too well, since other animals don't seem to be able to. Plus Charlie is always jamming himself into spaces he can't fit, so he has no idea of his own size.

 

[dmmj]

I wouldn't think they can judge size too well, since other animals don't seem to be able to. Plus Charlie is always jamming himself into spaces he can't fit, so he has no idea of his own size.

to be fair they don't have whiskers like cats do, to judge whether they can fit into a certain area or not

 

[dmmj]

Yes they can! Via "vibrations in the perilymphatic fluid"....etc. Thank you.

well I'm glad that was cleared up.

 

[Gillian M]

Well, can they hear or not? I always thought they could. My RES turtle used to come when I called to her. She would hear my voice and come right out of her pond without seeing me or where I was. She came straight towards the sound of my voice. I would give her a chunk of food and she would grab it and make her way back to her pond to swallow it. It was not the smell of the food because I tried it without calling and she did not respond.

I insist that I do not think torts cannot hear. I've somehow confirmed it: even with a washing machine, a vacuum cleaner on, I see no reaction whatsoever from Oli.

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

I insist that I do not think torts cannot hear. I've somehow confirmed it: even with a washing machine, a vacuum cleaner on, I see no reaction whatsoever from Oli.

Oli *may* not be able to hear, but tortoises in general certainly can. It could be that Oli just knows those noises aren't a concern to him so he doesn't react. We don't react to all sorts of sounds that we can hear.

 

[Fredkas]

I am trying to look at toro reaction towards sound too. i can't tell whether he can hear or not, but i am more to he can't really hear. i don't know, still have long time to learn his behavior. all and all, this hearing thing is so complex because sound always create vibration, and tort can feel vibration well enough. so it is debatable, feel the vibration or hear the sound.. well...

 

[cmacusa3]

They can hear although it's like my wife does me. It's called "Selective hearing"

 

[Fredkas]

They can hear although it's like my wife does me. It's called "Selective hearing"

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

I am trying to look at toro reaction towards sound too. i can't tell whether he can hear or not, but i am more to he can't really hear. i don't know, still have long time to learn his behavior. all and all, this hearing thing is so complex because sound always create vibration, and tort can feel vibration well enough. so it is debatable, feel the vibration or hear the sound.. well...

Goodness!
They can hear, not in the same way or on the same frequencies as we can, and they don't react to sound in the same way that we do, but they can hear.
They have functional, much evolved hearing that has been scientifically proven to be effective for the needs of a tortoise.
See my link above and https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3544720/
There are many more on the net.
In short they hear low frequency sounds in a fairly narrow bandwidth , but their top end slightly overlaps our bottom end so some low frequency sounds you can hear can also be heard by the torts but our higher range cannot be heard by them and their lower range cannot be heard by us.

 

[Fredkas]

Goodness!
They can hear, not in the same way or on the same frequencies as we can, and they don't react to sound in the same way that we do, but they can hear.
They have functional, much evolved hearing that has been scientifically proven to be effective for the needs of a tortoise.
See my link above and https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3544720/
There are many more on the net.
In short they hear low frequency sounds in a fairly narrow bandwidth , but their top end slightly overlaps our bottom end so some low frequency sounds you can hear can also be heard by the torts but our higher range cannot be heard by them and their lower range cannot be heard by us.

I read sometimes ago that there was an experiment about this and they concluded that tortoises cannot hear. however some believe like what you are saying. and like your link, there is a study too that say they can hear.
Confusing, i am still hoping they can hear. btw do you know based on what i pick my tort's name?
From the exact theories that you believe . Toro.. low frequency. all the way low.
So i don't know which side i stand

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Oh, and they don't react to sound in the same way either.
Just because your tortoise doesn't leap 4 feet into the air when you yell; "BANG!" doesn't mean it didn't hear.
Tortoises react to visual stimuli, especially sudden ones and are extremely sensitive to smell (and touch , of course).
Non-sexual sounds are chiefly not important to them and thus ignored.
And there are dozens on of studies to show they can hear.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

I read sometimes ago that there was an experiment about this and they concluded that tortoises cannot hear. however some believe like what you are saying. and like your link, there is a study too that say they can hear.
Confusing, i am still hoping they can hear. btw do you know based on what i pick my tort's name?
From the exact theories that you believe . Toro.. low frequency. all the way low.
So i don't know which side i stand

Where did you read they're deaf ?
What is their ear for ? It's not vestigial, like our coccyx or appendix (though they still may have a function), they are fully developed .
Also , from my own unscientific study of Tidgy , she does react to the Doctor Who theme in a positive way ( I think it equals normality and security and daddy food god's about, or something) but hates Sade and runs to hide. (don't know why).

 

[Fredkas]

Oh, and they don't react to sound in the same way either.
Just because your tortoise doesn't leap 4 feet into the air when you yell; "BANG!" doesn't mean it didn't hear.
Tortoises react to visual stimuli, especially sudden ones and are extremely sensitive to smell (and touch , of course).
Non-sexual sounds are chiefly not important to them and thus ignored.

I learn new things, thanks..
And yes extremely sensitive to smell. he can't see me holding mazuri, but he knows it. rush all the way towards me. every mazuri day.

 

[Gillian M]

I read sometimes ago that there was an experiment about this and they concluded that tortoises cannot hear. however some believe like what you are saying. and like your link, there is a study too that say they can hear.
Confusing, i am still hoping they can hear. btw do you know based on what i pick my tort's name?
From the exact theories that you believe . Toro.. low frequency. all the way low.
So i don't know which side i stand

Back in school we were taught that reptiles do NOT hear. At a later stage I read it in books, and then on the net. I somehow confirmed it when I got Oli. Nothing against what you're saying @Tidgy's Dad , but this is not mathematics where 1+1=2, and no two can disagree here.

 

[Fredkas]

Where did you read they're deaf ?
What is their ear for ? It's not vestigial, like our coccyx or appendix (though they still may have a function), they are fully developed .
Also , from my own unscientific study of Tidgy , she does react to the Doctor Who theme in a positive way ( I think it equals normality and security and daddy food god's about, or something) but hates Sade and runs to hide. (don't know why).

From this forum. there was a time i interested in this topic. oh this topic was super hot back then, i will try to find the link tomorrow if i have time. until now i don't know which one is true. there were proves of they can hear like tidgy. there were proves also they can't hear like tom stated before, he was calling his tortoises and approached slowly from back side, and every time they startled. stop debating. i also don't know which one is true lol.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Back in school we were taught that reptiles do NOT hear. At a later stage I read it in books, and then on the net. I somehow confirmed it when I got Oli. Nothing against what you're saying @Tidgy's Dad , but this is not mathematics where 1+1=2, and no two can disagree here.

WRONG, Gillian, like tortoises should be kept dry, that they are okay eating off sand , that coil bulbs are lovely, we have learned and moved on.
Reptiles, including tortoises , do hear, please read the research on line conducted by eminent scientists in controlled conditions that conclusively prove that they can hear. This is empirical scientific observation not a survey conducted on one tortoise you might happen to own. Find me one modern scientific study that shows they are deaf. There are none.
If you wish to continue believing the world is flat, then that's up to you.
But it isn't..