Hissing turtles - Paw Talk

ninja_smurtles · #1 04-19-2005, 08:26 AM

Does anyone elses turtles hiss at them when they pick them up?

I read that they are not vocal animals but this is just like blowing air out in a menacing way.

aya99 · #2 04-19-2005, 06:13 PM

my turtles doesnt hiss when we approach them.. maybe they're comfy with us (they should they've been living with us for around 12 years now)

am not sure if hissing in Lizards would also apply in turtles.

Iguanas hissing is a warning of a pending iguana attack.

hope this helps

Purple-Hops · #3 07-12-2008, 08:42 AM

yeah-Jabori hisses at me.i had him for almost 10 years and he still does it.i read somewhere that its natural to ward off predators in that way,alot of animals do it to mimic the hissing of a snake.cats hiss to mimic snakes as well,because its almost universal for all animals to recognize the warning of a snake and not get too close! Stumpy hardly hisses unless i catch him by surprise..dont be too upset by it,i used to be.then i realised that b/c i got both my turts off other ppl they didnt have the upbringing that i would probably give them so still afraid of people which is completely natural.afterall,theyre wild animals....well,they used to be...

Ravnos · #4 07-12-2008, 01:25 PM

Snakes hiss because it's the only sound they can really make... I highly doubt other animals are mimicking them. It's simply an easy noise to make, all you have to be able to do to make it is exhale. And animals that have no contact with snakes nor have anything to fear from snakes, also hiss as a warning.

Many turtles and tortoises will do it. It's just a simple defensive reaction. Not necessarily anything to be concerned about unless you're stressing him out by making him do it all the time.

VanillaRat · #5 07-12-2008, 08:38 PM

Actually I read somewhere that when cats and some other animals hiss it is defensive,as to mimic a snake.Either way,it tends to work in most cases!

My turtle would hiss sometimes too when he was irritated that I was handling him or during cleaning of the shell.It is normal.

Mygala · #6 07-13-2008, 05:47 AM

When they are startled, many turts and torts will quickly withdraw their head into their shell. If they do this quickly, the air dispelled (because it's being displaced by turtle head and neck) makes a hissing sound. Some can continue to expel air forcefully to make a hiss as a threat or a warning, but most can do it when they're startled.

You an use this to your advantage to check one aspect of their health. It should should sound like a good dry hiss. If there is any "wetness" to the sound, gurgling, or bubbling from the nose, ...you might have a turtle or tortoise with respiratory issues. This is a particular concern for tortoise keepers.

So if you get a nice hiss, it's not necessarily a bad thing....

Bob