General Care Discussion :: Poll: turtles and music

[kikicool]

Here's an odd one for you. And I could just be imagining. I work from home and my turts are in my office. I've noticed that when I listen to my iTunes, they tend to stay basking longer. The temperature in teh water is always the same, and the lights are the same, etc. the only change in environment is music.

And, in fact, many times if a playlist ends or a CD ends and I forget to turn something else on.... Herman will jump in the water!

Just wondering if anyone else has noticed their turtles seem to like music? am I CRAZY?

[mat012]

Are you sure you are not moving when the music stops. Maybe they are reacting to your movement? Just curious.

I have tried to play music for Tuck. I put some jazz on one day and he seemed to just get agitated. I will have to try again.

Frankly I am impressed that your turts bask with you right there. I work a couple of days at home too. Our guy will go bask if I am intently working at the table but if I even move my head to get a better look at him he bolts. Maybe he will get a bit more brave soon.

[kikicool]

I mean, I'm moving, just typing and the like, as I have been. And they don't scurry back in, just sort of lean forward and dive. I'm probably nuts. just had to ask...

[viverechocolate]

I definitely think there is something to this music thing. My RES stays in my classroom all year. I play music constantly to help the kids while they are working. But with Phoebe she is MUCH more active while the music is playing. Even with the trouble she has been having lately with not eating, when the music is on she's moving. The kids love it too!

[marisa]

They don't hear that well, but do hear lower tones and feel vibrations. Perhaps that's what they're responding to.

[TheComputerGremlin]

I agree with marisa. Turtles don't "hear", they just feel vibrations (like deaf people). Your turtle may be more comfortable with the vibrations being present, versus with silence. It's definitely different from most turtles. I guess it's possible that with the music going, sudden random vibrations may be tuned out more, so they feel more comfortable basking, and when the music is off, the random vibrations scare the turtle.

[AerianaEve]

When I started feeding Speedy vegetables in a different tank he would ignore everything and just try frantically to escape. I know now it takes some time for them to transition to eating outside their tank, but I hated/hate seeing him distressed! So I started singing him songs and he calmed down. I stopped singing and he would start scrambling again.

I have since concluded that he quite likes music, and now he eats next to my piano and I plunk out some tunes for him.

PS: Here are some lyrics he likes. (adapted from Les Mis)

Do you see the turtles bask?
Basking a lot like angry RES?
It is the music of the turtles
Who will not be cold again!
When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the filter
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes!

TURTLE REVOLUTION!!!

[ChocoTurtle]

I was singing to my turtle today and it went to sleep...

[LeslieMW]

haah yea! i've often thought that! whenever i would be singing near my turtle it would always be looking at me, and swim to me and get really excited!

[RESnTX]

I have always sang songs to all my pets, changing the words to songs like AerianaEve. I thought I was weird til my sister told me she always does it too. My male cat really loves it, gets all squinty eyed and purrs. The only reason the turtle gets excited is because I sing to him when I turn on his lights in the morning and feed him.

[kikicool]

AerianaEve, that is truly a lovely song! I shall have to try writing tunes just for them. Interesting to hear what people think of all this!

[danny123]

i turned on music on my phone and it was really loud and i put it next to my turtle while he was basking and for the first time, he didnt dive back into the water and i had my finger very close to him and he didnt even move!! hahahaha =)

[frozen10]

LOL! thats soo jokes! i didnt know turtles can only hear vibrations...over this year ive noticed whenever ive played my bass in my room my turtles are always very interested and come to the surface and stay there as long as im playing and seem to like it....i guess thats why!!!

[cool_Amanda]

I agree with turtles hearing vibrations because my turtle Tory, loves the band the white strips which songs have a very heavy base. When ever the song is playing on the tv, he swims to the front of the tank and watches the music video lol

[Joel]

Yep.. its not just you one of mine do that and sometimes they will come up to listen to my house/techno stuff
Lol its really weird.