Despite popular belief, they can feel the slightest touch to their skin and shells. Sometimes they can get itchy. share. These nerve endings are sensitive to pressure, for example from a touch on the back. Sometimes they can get itchy. Can Turtles Feel Their Shell. Tortoises have been found to enjoy all forms of tactile sensations; whether this be in the form of rubbing or scratching. Log in or sign up to leave a comment Log In Sign Up. Source(s): https://shrinke.im/a7VtE. Your pet tortoise should have a strong tough and reliable shell. The shell of a turtle is like the material that makes up the horns on animals, or even human fingernails. best. Shells have nerve endings, so tortoises can feel every rub, pet, or scratch ... and sometimes they love it. If you cut out the brain of tortoise it still can survive up to 6 months. Some tortoises have been known to live for more than 100 years. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using TortForum mobile app Awww!] Keepers at the Philly Zoo made this shell scratcher so the turtles & tortoises can get A+ scratches. hide. A tortoise has a collarbone, ribs, and a spine inside its shell. It was once thought that a tortoise’s carapace was void of any nerve endings, and as such horrific acts were often carried out and even recommended by media and literature of that time. Therefore just touching the shell can initiate an emotional response from your tortoise, and in fact this is a really good place to start, because whilst they can feel it, the sensation isn’t as strong as if you touch their skin so it’s less likely to be overstimulating. There are nerve endings enervating even the bones of the shell. Turtles & tortoises can feel their shells, and they can get itchy sometimes. Actually, they can feel more than you’ve imagined. The tortoises shell is a living breathing organ with pores and nerve endings just as your skin is, so they can feel anything which touches their shell. Tortoises have a very heavy shell on their body. So petting your tortoise is great, but damaging the shell is not cool. These scutes are made of keratin, the same material that human fingernails are made of. In the bad old days, tortoise owners would clean and polish their pet's shell with olive oil. Sea turtles can swim at about 20mph, which is faster than a human, but the stated claim seems difficult to swallow. It is constructed of modified bony elements such as the ribs, parts of the pelvis and other bones found in most reptiles. Play. However if you notice your tortoises shell becoming leathery or springy you need to take action to … A tortoise's shell has blood vessels and nerves, so the tortoise can feel it being touched. ", which, seeing as how top speed of tortoises seems to run about 0.4mph. Settings. Obviously, that would make it impossible for the shell to just slip off. So pressure in the schutes and pressure and heat on the growth lines. Sort by. I was just curious if tortoise can feel it when you pet them on their shell. Evans illustrates that tortoises can feel it when their shells are touched, although they do experience it as a different sensation than if their body is petted. save. Their hard shell can help shield them from danger and prevents them from becoming someone’s dinner. Because turtles move really slow, the ability to retract their head offers them protection from more speedy predators. Female tortoises are usually larger than males. Turtles & tortoises can feel their shells (their shells have nerve endings). Tortoises can hide their head, feet, and tail in their shell. Their shells are covered in a layer of Keratin (like fingernails)these are the scutes. 99% Upvoted. Informations sur votre appareil et sur votre connexion Internet, y compris votre adresse IP, Navigation et recherche lors de l’utilisation des sites Web et applications Verizon Media. Become a supporting member today! Tortoises need their shells like humans need their houses. It was once thought that a tortoise’s carapace was void of any nerve endings, and as such horrific acts were often carried out and even recommended by media and literature of that time. The shell is not something they can simply slip on and off. Tortoise Club members get a special banner on their posts, unlimited gallery storage space, special offers from our sponsors, upload videos, and more! Turtles and tortoises of different species have shells that vary in size, color, and shape but they all have one thing in common - their shells are hard and protective.Sometimes environmental conditions, nutrition, diseases, or trauma can alter the appearance and effectiveness of these shells and knowing more about them can help you determine whether or not your turtle or tortoise … Sue, an African spurred tortoise at the Milwaukee County Zoo, enjoyed a waterless "shell car wash" last month. Without this feature it’s pretty safe to say that they would have died out long ago. Their shells protect them from predators and also help them feel safe if they were feeling threatened or in danger before retreating into their shell. Asking a tortoise to live without its shell would be like asking a human to … report. having their necks scratched and pet. They have no nerve endings in their shell, so they won't feel you as such through that. (The fact sheet claims 35mph for sea turtles on a separate line.) They claim "* Some land turtles can out run a human. This is because their shell does contain nerve endings. Tortoises can be kept as a pet as they like to be touched and can feel touch in their shells but the biggest drawback to a pet tortoise is their long lifespan. Some people think that their shell is a dead structure in their body but it has nerve endings and they can feel any rub, tap, and pat on them. Tortoises and turtles absolutely cannot live without their shells. Fully grown, they weigh in at a hefty 230 lbs.! Potential Health Issues. Learn the answer to this question in our Your tortoise’s shell has nerve endings, so they can feel every rub, pet, or scratch and you’ll find they probably love it! Many people don't realize that tortoises can feel their shells being touched. Within the first few years of hatching, these tortoises can grow to 10 in. I'm curious about this too! It's About Frequencies. Despite popular belief, they can feel the slightest touch to their skin and shells. I believe it depends on your tortoises personality as well as their level of comfort with humans, they are allowing you to touch a vulnerable area when you pet them. Tortoises are extremely sensitive creatures. Their shells are very sensitive. Tortoises are not the same as most family pets, while they do respond to their owners over time and it is known that they can learn new tricks, how do they hear, and do they really respond to their name? Yahoo fait partie de Verizon Media. Breathing is a quite heavy and difficult process for them, therefore they breathe very slowly. Do Tortoises Have Scales? Treating a soft tortoise shell Tortoises shells are made from calcium, this means that they need access to Vitamin D, otherwise known as light. Turtles can actually feel through their shells, so you can also pet it by stroking its shell with your fingers. Fullscreen. Turtles & tortoises can feel their shells (their shells have nerve endings). 0:00. They also have scales on their body. 0 0. JRuss. Verified. Many tortoises enjoy being rubbed or scratched, particularly on their necks, and they will often stretch their necks right out to allow you to hit just the right spot, which can of course be very rewarding! In short, yes, turtles can feel their shell. 177 comments. Evans illustrates that tortoises can feel it when their shells are touched, although they do experience it as a different sensation than if their body is petted. [Awww, look how the tortoise raises its neck when Evans pets it! The tortoises shell is a living breathing organ with pores and nerve endings just as your skin is, so they can feel anything which touches their shell. They can be up to 33 in. Tortoises are able to feel anything that touches their shells, even if you touch it very softly. Some tortoises are aggressive in nature especially males and if more than one male is placed in a suffocating enclosure fighting can occur leading to eye and bone damage. And that means they recognize both pleasant and painful sensations on their shells. Sea turtle shells consist of bones, which are covered by a layer of so-called scutes (plates). Offer enough food so that the meal is roughly the size of the shell. Do you think tortoises can feel it when you scratch their shells? It may take some time for your turtle to warm up to you and like being pet, so be patient and gentle when handling it. Their shells are large and domed, and their … Tortoise Colouring Pages . However, the nerve endings on their shells are not very sensitive, and generally just transmit vibrations. Sometimes I pour warm water over my torts' shells to clean them while they're soaking and they stretch out into this little Superman pose that suggest they feel it and like it, but I dunno. Despite their ability to live for decades, leopard tortoises can suffer from a range of diseases. Tortoises can retract their heads and all their limbs into their shells when they feel threatened by predators. Yes, they use it as a refuge … One giant tortoise, collected by the French explorer Marion de Fresne from the Seychelles in 1766, died (from a fall) in 1918, 152 years later. Largely defenseless against predators, tortoises have evolved, and indeed thrived thanks to the presence of their shell. I tend to believe the thought process that says they can feel in their shells but only similarly to us being able to feel through our fingernails. Reptile biologists have confirmed that tortoises not only can feel it when their shells are touched, but they respond positively to it. Yes they can feel it. Lower jaw gets stuck - any experience of this please. Yes, turtles do have nerve endings in their shell, since the shell is made from their backbone and ribs. having their necks scratched and pet. Also worth noting is that tortoises straight-up l.o.ve. It might be more energetic and receptive when it’s warm, so try petting it after it’s done sunning itself. 0:00. Many tortoises are too big to handle and it’s advisable to not handle them for a long period of time as it can lead to stress or injury to the tortoise. The turtle shell is a highly complicated shield for the ventral and dorsal parts of turtles, tortoises and terrapins (all classified as "turtles" by zoologists), completely enclosing all the vital organs of the turtle and in some cases even the head. Studying sea turtles. We now know that this causes blockage of the pores. I was just curious if tortoise can feel it when you pet them on their shell. 1 decade ago. The shell of a tortoise is actually fused with their bones, primarily the bones of their spine and rib cage. Tortoises also evacuate air from their lungs to hide in their shells. I think it's one of those great unknowns about torts. Some tortoise owners can be alarmed to find that their tortoise’s shell is softening with no apparent cause. JavaScript is disabled. According to the zoo, turtles and tortoises can feel when something touches their shell. They will feel the movement/vibration from the shell being touched though. When you touch your tortoise’s shell, they can feel this in their body underneath, although the sensation is not as strong as if you touch their legs, neck or head. The “hiss” is not an act of aggression or a battle cry, but rather a byproduct of their fear as well as their sense of self-preservation. Tortoises are extremely sensitive creatures. Many tortoise owners believe their pets can hear them, even respond to their name and learn tricks. Awww!] Turtles and tortoises of different species have shells that vary in size, color, and shape but they all have one thing in common - their shells are hard and protective.Sometimes environmental conditions, nutrition, diseases, or trauma can alter the appearance and effectiveness of these shells and knowing more about them can help you determine whether or not your turtle or tortoise is healthy. Sometimes a tortoise can develop a soft shell, this is likely to be because they are not getting enough sunlight, so as you can imagine, this is a rare occurrence for a tortoise that lives outdoors. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Vous pouvez modifier vos choix à tout moment dans vos paramètres de vie privée. long, and grow quite rapidly from the time that they hatch. Yes, tortoises loved to be touched; so long as it is appropriate and gentle. Because the shell is fused with their bones, it can make it a little harder for the tortoise to breath if they are overfed and become obese. Many turtles as well as tortoises are indeed able to pull in all four legs and their heads to hide in their shell. Découvrez comment nous utilisons vos informations dans notre Politique relative à la vie privée et notre Politique relative aux cookies. It is just air! Nos partenaires et nous-mêmes stockerons et/ou utiliserons des informations concernant votre appareil, par l’intermédiaire de cookies et de technologies similaires, afin d’afficher des annonces et des contenus personnalisés, de mesurer les audiences et les contenus, d’obtenir des informations sur les audiences et à des fins de développement de produit. Russian Tortoise bodies make a hissing sound as they pull their head into their shell very quickly. long. Also worth noting is that tortoises straight-up l.o.ve. As a vital part of their body, turtles do feel their shell. Sometimes they can get itchy. These tortoises can grow to be quite large. Tortoise breath 3-4 times in a minute. So Tom's keepers at the Philadelphia Zoo created this back-scratching contraption. In fact, the shell of a tortoise or turtle has nerve endings, which means it can feel you touching it and it hurts when the shell is damaged. Keepers at the Philly Zoo made this shell scratcher so the turtles & tortoises can get A+ scratches. And they have slightly more feeling than that in the growth lines. Therefore just touching the shell can initiate an emotional response from your tortoise, and in fact this is a really good place to start, because whilst they can feel it, the sensation isn’t as strong as if you touch their skin so it’s less likely to be overstimulating. You can tell the age of a tortoise by the rings around its scutes. It is fused to the tortoises’ and turtles’ bones so they cannot live without it. Explore our Tortoise Resources. It's how they know to tuck their heads inside. You don’t need to be scared of Russian Tortoises when they “hiss” at you because they are already afraid of you. You can also use the size of your tortoise’s shell as a guide to figure out portion size. Yes, sea turtles can feel it when you touch their shell. Their breathing skills have inspired many humans to practice the way they breathe to increase their lifespan because tortoises can live for 150 years. Their shell is not an armature! [Awww, look how the tortoise raises its neck when Evans pets it! Keepers at the Philly Zoo made this shell scratcher so the turtles & tortoises can get A+ scratches. Note: This delightful creature is a turtle, not a tortoise. The shell car wash … Pour autoriser Verizon Media et nos partenaires à traiter vos données personnelles, sélectionnez 'J'accepte' ou 'Gérer les paramètres' pour obtenir plus d’informations et pour gérer vos choix. The shell of a tortoise is made up of 60 different bones all connected to each other. Turtles & tortoises can feel their shells (their shells have nerve endings). As you mentioned, a lot of turtles and tortoises on land have the ability to pull, or retract, their head into their body. When you touch your tortoise’s shell, they can feel this in their body underneath, although the sensation is not as strong as if you touch their legs, neck or head. Need their shells when they feel threatened by predators great unknowns about torts wo n't feel as! Up the horns on animals, or even human fingernails is constructed of bony... County Zoo, turtles can feel the slightest touch to their skin and shells few years of hatching these... Zoo made this shell scratcher so the turtles & tortoises can feel shells! Plates ) or sign up to 6 months can tortoises feel their shell scutes are made Keratin... Made this shell scratcher so the turtles & tortoises can get A+ scratches the fact claims. 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