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Turtles/Can turtles make sounds ?

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BALLAARAP wrote at 2007-06-24 04:28:30
sounds weird but i saw to turtles mating and they actually do make a sound! it sounds like a baby.... hissing is something common of turtles i guess but the baby sound is rare.

Debbie wrote at 2010-02-15 23:04:44
Our red ear slide does the same thing but it's my husband (who feeds her all the time) she recognizes and starts trying to get his attention. She will also hiss when we are cleaning out her tank...lol

Pirate dreams wrote at 2010-03-12 02:54:43
My painted turtle doesn't hiss - but he has recently begun making a screeching noise - a high pitched vibration - that lasts 2 to 3 seconds.  It sort of sounds like an oboe double reed without the instrument.  He only does this when I remove him from his condo/tank to feed him in his detached feeding station.  I have noticed in the past that once he is done eating, he seems to dislike being in his feeding station any longer than he needs to be - so I interpret his screech as a message of dissatisfaction.  When he makes this noise, his head and neck are extended as far out and up as he can reach, and his beak is wide open! --RZ

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Mark Adkins

Expertise

My specialty is tortoises, especially Red-foot Tortoises. I will try to help with any tortoise-related question I can. I will also help with general questions about things like behavior of wild turtles, etc. You can also try my website at http://www.tortoiselibrary.com

PLEASE- No water or box turtle questions. If you have a question about Box Turtles, Red-ear Sliders, Painted Turtles, or other turtles, please try a different expert or http://www.turtleforum.com. It is free and very helpful.

I am not a vet or a breeder, herpetologist, etc. I'm just a guy who likes tortoises. I reserve the right to send you to a website or forum if they have a better answer than I can offer rather than doing long cut-and-pastes, etc. I also will not second guess a vet or recommend home surgery or self-prescribing prescription meds.

Experience

Have kept tortoises on and off since 1965. Currently keep a herd of 4 'Cherry-head' Red-foot Tortoises. Have written extensively on this subject.

Education/Credentials
Associates Degree in Applied Science, Graduate- Tortoise Trust Course in Advanced Chelonian Husbandry

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