Can you train a tort to sit, lay, etc... ?

[Tim Carlisle]

So I come home from work today and, as usual, my dog "Archer" is ecstatic to see me. He leads me over to the kitchen cabinet where his treats are stored and sits down. I get the hint, offer him a treat, and he scampers off into the living room and wants nothing more to do with me.

By the same token, I go down to check on Ghost (my sulcata for those who don't know) and he literally runs over to me and awaits idly by his food dish. I offer him some Mazuri pellets, and he's wanted nothing further to do with me since.

Now I ask you: given the similarities of behavior between the two, can I train Ghost to sit, lay, and jump through hoops like my dog? Sheeesh. <end rant>

 

[drew54]

I will let you know in 5 years.

 

[TechnoCheese]

I think sitting and laying might be the same for tortoises, lol

 

[Tim Carlisle]

I think sitting and laying might be the same for tortoises, lol

Great... then I'll get a 2 for 1 during training. lol

 

[Cheryl Hills]

So I come home from work today and, as usual, my dog "Archer" is ecstatic to see me. He leads me over to the kitchen cabinet where his treats are stored and sits down. I get the hint, offer him a treat, and he scampers off into the living room and wants nothing more to do with me.

By the same token, I go down to check on Ghost (my sulcata for those who don't know) and he literally runs over to me and awaits idly by his food dish. I offer him some Mazuri pellets, and he's wanted nothing further to do with me since.

Now I ask you: given the similarities of behavior between the two, can I train Ghost to sit, lay, and jump through hoops like my dog? Sheeesh. <end rant>

Let me know how that works

 

[Tim Carlisle]

Let me know how that works

I'll get right to work on it.

 

[Tim Carlisle]

Confirmed: it IS possible to train torts. Here's the proof:

Ghost sitting:

Ghost laying:

Ghost jumping through hoop:


We can now put this debate to rest.

 

[drew54]

This made me laugh

 

[SweetGreekTorts]

I've trained most of my tortoises to "bomb" the Vet during their wellness exams. Does that count? [emoji6][emoji23]

 

[AZtortMom]

Hilarious [emoji38]

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Tortoises have trained ME.
With patience.

 

[Big Charlie]

Confirmed: it IS possible to train torts. Here's the proof:

Ghost sitting:
View attachment 258478
Ghost laying:
View attachment 258479
Ghost jumping through hoop:
View attachment 258480

We can now put this debate to rest.

I love how when he is sitting, he is in a chair, and when he is laying, he is in bed.

 

[no one]

I think Turt has trained me. When he just sit by his foodbowl looking at me, I put something he really likes in it. Lol
I am sure he has a different look at this point. Haha!!

 

[no one]

If you start your Designer Torts Shop (can't spell the chique France name), you can also give your training service up. People would love a Designer Tort that can do trics, I think you can really have something going here. Lol

 

[Yvonne G]

This made me laugh

Me too!

 

[Gillian M]

Tortoises have trained ME.
With patience.

Me too, Ed!

 

[CarolM]

Confirmed: it IS possible to train torts. Here's the proof:

Ghost sitting:
View attachment 258478
Ghost laying:
View attachment 258479
Ghost jumping through hoop:
View attachment 258480

We can now put this debate to rest.

[emoji23] [emoji23] [emoji23]

 

[wccmog10]

Training is 100% possible in reptiles using positive reinforcement. Here is a paper written by an old coworker of mine (https://www.researchgate.net/public..._tortoises_Geochelone_gigantea_at_Zoo_Atlanta)

There are tons more papers out there with all sorts of reptile training- a google scholar search will give you lots of results.

I don’t know that you would be able to get as many behaviors as you can in most mammals. But they certainly can learn some basics. It’s most helpful when you have an animal that you don’t want to share space with- such as crocodilians or Komodo dragons- or when the animal is so big they are hard to carry- such as Aldabra and Galapagos tortoises. The training I’ve seen and been a part of is mostly target training- the animal touches its nose to the end of a pole and it gets a treat. This means you can lead the animal wherever you want. I’ve even seen it done with snakes. As a reptile guy- I was expecting tortoises, lizards (especially monitor lizards), and crocodilians to be trainable- they seem to have more “intelligence” than other groups- but the snake training surprised me. But I saw first hand false water cobras that were clearly target trained- they followed that target everywhere, it was really cool.

 

[KarenSoCal]

@ALDABRAMAN
Do you think that your tortoises are trained in any way? Do they stand still for their scrubbings and shell cleanings purely because they like it? Do you give a positive reinforcement of some kind?

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

@ALDABRAMAN
Do you think that your tortoises are trained in any way?

~ Not "trained", however more possible a form of "conditioned" from repetition and consistency.

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