Other Turtle Discussion :: does turtle shell have nerves?

[turrbee]

my friend got a tortoise with a handle installed in its shell
cuz it's easier to carry it around.
i wonder if it hurts? =|
it sure looks like it hurts but i have no idea.

[DavidY]

What??? Where in the world did he find that? That has to be the most cruel and absurd thing I have ever heard of. What kind of idiot would do something like that to an animal?! Yes, turtles do have nerves in their shells and they do feel pain. How is the handle attached? oh man that makes me sick.

[iac637]

You are not serious... I can't beleive anyone would do such a thing

[xsavingsaturdayx]

Well no crap it hurts..Poor thing, i feel like throwing up Did your friend get it from a breeder, street vendor, pet shop? That has to be considered animal abuse..

[Cripm88]

Omg that's sick
Of course it hurts the turtle and it should hurt your friend and whoever sold him the turtle. I think some one should go to court because of that.
Think about horse shoes. Do you not think it hurts a horse to have a piece of metal nailed to their feet? People only do that now a days only if the horse will be rode for long periods. No non-riding horse needs horse shoes because it would be an unnecessary pain for them since they will not have extra wieght putting pressure on their hoofs.

[DavidY]

I thought the horse's hooves were like finger nails, no nerves except where it grows out (where it's attached to the horse's leg). I know that goats and alpacas do not have nerves there as my friend has a farm and they trim their hooves regularly with a trimming knife.

[iac637]

They are like fingernails because they have to be trimmed as well.

[Ferd]

Dude that is just messed up. first off, how lazy can you be to have handles installed on a tortise. that is wrong beyond all reason. besides, if it went through the shell, whats to stop it from hitting a major organ? geez. nothing can compare to that cruelty!

[DavidY]

Not to mention that the tortoise should be supported under its belly when carried around.

[Cripm88]

Mistakes are sometimes made by even a skilled farrier, especially if the horse does not stand still. This may sometimes result in a nail coming too close to the sensitive part of the hoof (putting pressure on it), or a nail that is driven slightly into the sensitive hoof (quicking or pricking). The horse may show signs of being lame (this is commonly seen if the horse is pricked), or may become lame in following days. In this case, the farrier must return to remove the offending nail. These mistakes are made occasionally by anyone who shoes horses, and are generally not an indication that the farrier is unskilled. - wikipedia

Sorry horses only get hurt some of the time.

[DavidY]

Oh, okay. I see what you're saying now. Yes they definitely can feel it at the quick, just like dogs and cats claws. If you clip them too close to the quick they will bleed and it will hurt a lot. Also if you clip your own fingernails too close to the finger.

[industrial_girl_2000]

my friend got a tortoise with a handle installed in its shell
cuz it's easier to carry it around.
i wonder if it hurts? =|
it sure looks like it hurts but i have no idea.

That is a great example of animal cruelty. A turtle's shell is not like a horse hoof....the "color" part of the shell is actually a very thin layer of fingernail-like material over their internal skeleton. The skeleton of a turtle actually has the shape of the turtle's shell and is made out of bone.

Drilling holes in a turtle shell to attach a handle would be equivalent to drilling a hole in a person's head. Just because there is a layer of skin over top doesn't mean there aren't nerves in the skull underneath. Not to mention, penetrating the shell would also leave a turtle open to infection.

I am sure this poor tortoise is in a lot of pain. Unfortunately turtles/torts mask illness/pain very well. Either way, I can guarantee that this tortoise will NEVER respond to it's owner the way that he will want it to & will always be afraid of humans.

My Sheba is a very heavy/strong female RES but I would NEVER even consider the idea of "installing a handle so she is easier to carry." That is the most barbaric thing I have ever heard.

If I was this tort's owner, I would consider taking this tortoise to the vet to have the "handle" removed & work on patching the shell so the animal can lead a more humane existance. Due to a tortoise's life span potential, he could outlive several human owners. I can't imagine he will be very happy 100 yrs from now with a handle still attached to his very delicate shell.

[pumpkinsherbet]

where is this person, i have a lot of aggression i need to get out and he seems like the perfect...

sorry, but that really angers me to no end. the fact your friend bought it makes them just as guilty as the jerk who did it.

i would've called the aspca right there in the shop had i seen that. yes it hurts them!

as for the horses, here's a link on the anatomy of a horse's hoof, that'll shed a bit of light on the debate i like horseback riding but it's not something i'd do regularly if given opportunity. i feel hateful riding on something's back.

http://www.horseshoes.com/advice/anatom ... ofwall.htm

[DavidY]

How about this...we find this tortoise, bring it to an expert vet and get the stupid handle removed and the tortoise patched up, then take the handle, screws and all, hunt down the moron who originally put it on the tortoise, and then screw it into his scalp!

sorry, couldn't resist...

[pumpkinsherbet]

that sounds like a good idea davidY