Urine as Chemical Weapon?

[seanang168]

In South Africa in parts of the Karoo, angulated tortoises have been known to squirt pee up to 1m with deadly accuracy.

Oh why they need to aim? Was it to fend off predator or to hunt prey?

Yesterday I was holding a red ear slider passed my narrow living room, making sure that he is held vertically above the path. However, he managed to fire a stream of urine onto my sofa on the left! My red ear is already an adult one and a half times length of my palm.

 

[tortoises101]

In South Africa in parts of the Karoo, angulated tortoises have been known to squirt pee up to 1m with deadly accuracy.

Oh why they need to aim?

To fend off predators. Tortoises don't hunt, unless you count plants as prey.

 

[seanang168]

I believe the urine discharge would have an irritation effect on the predator. I kept my torts in a large blAck plastic tub and I noted that the area which is exposed to the urine have some sort of small reaction leaving a faint white mark that could not be wiped away easily! Watch out to keep the shooting away from your eyes!