Tortoises have ears, an ear canal and the capability to hear or at least sense when something is nearby. However, like most common pets (dogs, cats, etc), tortoises do not have a typical external ear. You’ll find that there’s actually a lot of debate on whether or not tortoises can hear and if they can how well.
Tortoises Hear Some Frequencies
Tortoises hear at some frequencies and only certain levels of hertz. For perspective, people hear 20 Hertz to 20,000 Hertz, which is a wide range of sounds. Whereas tortoises only hear around 1,000 Hertz, which is a medium-pitch sound, like a horn.
Normal speech is around 2,000 Hertz, which is above your tortoises hearing range.
Basically, tortoises can’t hear very well. Tortoises hear lower tones much better than higher pitches.
When your sulcata tortoise comes your direction, it’s likely because he senses the vibrations made while you’re walking. The tortoise feels the vibrations from the ground, up his legs, through the shell and into the ear drum. Your tortoise then follows the “sound” of the vibrations.
Do Sulcata Tortoises Have Ears?
Sulcata tortoises have ears, but their ears are not like a person’s ears or a dog’s. Tortoises have internal ears covered by a scale flap.
You may notice a large scale on the sides of your sulcata’s head, that’s the scale flap. It’s behind the eye and above the jaw, near the back of the head. These large scales cover the internal ear that goes to the eardrum.
Tortoise Ear Abscess
If you notice that your sulcata’s ear is swollen, he may have an ear abscess, which could affect how well your tortoise hears. An ear abscess is the most common type of abscess in tortoises.
Causes of an ear abscess:
- Compromised immune system
- Stress
- Improper husbandry (too wet, too dry, too cold, too hot)
- Post-hibernation complications
- Viral infection
- Injury
- Nutritional deficiency
- Exposure to chemicals, like pesticides or herbicides
Signs of an ear abscess:
- Swelling near the ear
- Firm lump
- Asymmetric or misshapen appearance to the head
- Head lean
- Refusal to eat
- Behavioral changes
- General signs of illness, like lethargy
An ear abscess needs to be treated by a veterinarian. Severe abscesses may need to be surgically removed, whereas a mild abscess may be treated with antibiotics.
