So this is something I've been thinking about for a little while. Of course the answer that we've been hashing over and over again to people when they feel guilty for having just one tort is "don't worry, they are perfectly happy living alone". I don't have a problem with that and agree that a tortoise can live a solitary life and be perfectly happy.
However, that doesn't explain certain observations and behaviors. There are just things that don't make sense to me with the whole every "tortoise is an island" (but no man is... ) analogy.
Watch this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSdPRsVxlcw&feature=player_embedded
If tortoises could care less about each other, then why in the world did this tortoise choose to right the other one? If there is no social structure or any sort of "relationship" (term used broadly) then it would have nothing to gain by righting the other tortoise. This is just one video, it's not the first time it's happened and it won't be the last time. Here's another
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bNUDEo51xs
I don't know if anyone else remembers this, but I remember TerryO talking about how she kept her redfoot Pio with a baby box turtle when Pio was a hatchling. From what she has said they would follow each other around. From what I remember (i could be remembering this wrong though) she said that when the box turtle and Pio were separated, that Pio searched around the cage for a few days trying to find his box turtle companion.
I experienced the same thing when I kept russians with my redfoot. Once I did the right thing and separated them I saw my redfoot roaming the cage more, looking in odd corners and checking all the hides. She did seem to be looking for her two russians. This went on for a few days before she returned to her normal level of activity.
Lonesome George. I remember watching a video that showed how when lonesome george sees his keeper every morning he stretches out his neck and walks over until he gets his neck rubbed and then returns to eating. Kinda like as if he was just wanting to say "hello, I'm here". I'll try to find the video and update this post with it later. However, once again lonesome George is not the only one who seems to greet his/her keeper.
So, I don't think friend is the right word but I do believe that tortoises are capable of creating social relationships. Be it a tortoise-tortoise relationship or a tortoise-keeper relationship, they still are forming relationships. My only caveat though is that tortoises as a rule are a more independent animal. They most definitely are able to live by themselves. I also don't believe that EVERY tortoise is able to do this nor that it can be forced upon them (ie, if I just spend more time with my tortoise then he'll love me more...). I am certain that there are more independent individuals that really do prefer to be alone and will ignore others around them, just like there are plenty of grouchy people that prefer to be alone too
I want to hear some of your thoughts on this. What's your opinion?
However, that doesn't explain certain observations and behaviors. There are just things that don't make sense to me with the whole every "tortoise is an island" (but no man is... ) analogy.
Watch this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSdPRsVxlcw&feature=player_embedded
If tortoises could care less about each other, then why in the world did this tortoise choose to right the other one? If there is no social structure or any sort of "relationship" (term used broadly) then it would have nothing to gain by righting the other tortoise. This is just one video, it's not the first time it's happened and it won't be the last time. Here's another
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bNUDEo51xs
I don't know if anyone else remembers this, but I remember TerryO talking about how she kept her redfoot Pio with a baby box turtle when Pio was a hatchling. From what she has said they would follow each other around. From what I remember (i could be remembering this wrong though) she said that when the box turtle and Pio were separated, that Pio searched around the cage for a few days trying to find his box turtle companion.
I experienced the same thing when I kept russians with my redfoot. Once I did the right thing and separated them I saw my redfoot roaming the cage more, looking in odd corners and checking all the hides. She did seem to be looking for her two russians. This went on for a few days before she returned to her normal level of activity.
Lonesome George. I remember watching a video that showed how when lonesome george sees his keeper every morning he stretches out his neck and walks over until he gets his neck rubbed and then returns to eating. Kinda like as if he was just wanting to say "hello, I'm here". I'll try to find the video and update this post with it later. However, once again lonesome George is not the only one who seems to greet his/her keeper.
So, I don't think friend is the right word but I do believe that tortoises are capable of creating social relationships. Be it a tortoise-tortoise relationship or a tortoise-keeper relationship, they still are forming relationships. My only caveat though is that tortoises as a rule are a more independent animal. They most definitely are able to live by themselves. I also don't believe that EVERY tortoise is able to do this nor that it can be forced upon them (ie, if I just spend more time with my tortoise then he'll love me more...). I am certain that there are more independent individuals that really do prefer to be alone and will ignore others around them, just like there are plenty of grouchy people that prefer to be alone too
I want to hear some of your thoughts on this. What's your opinion?