A friend of mine called me saying she had heard her turtle making strange noises. She had been listening to the hardly audible sounds for weeks after the pet were brought into the house.

For a while she wasn’t sure it was the turtles making those sounds but once she made sure it came from the area where the turtles were kept, she got a bit scared and called me if I knew anything about that since I work in zoo.

Do Turtles Make Noise?

Turtles Do make noise, turtles produce a variety of sounds which might sound like “chirps, clicks, meows, and clucks.” Many species of turtles make sounds as they hatch, which they do to coordinate their hatching. Some turtles make sounds by swallowing or by forcing air out of their lungs, while others emit unique noises.

It could be a series of clucks that sound like a chicken or a high-pitched whine that sounds like an electric motor when they’re seeking mates. Yet there are others that are known for yelping like a dog when they are startled or being attacked.

The weirdest sound is made by nesting female leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea), who make a distinctly unladylike noise that resembles a human belching, according to the book Turtles: An Extraordinary Natural History 245 Years in the Making.

Why do turtles make noises?

If your pet turtle makes noises it could be because of a few reasons. As you know the main sound that turtles make is hissing which you might think is an indication of aggression and hostility, but you would be surprised to know it is only because the poor being is freaked out.

And interestingly this sound is not made on purpose or in other words your pet doesn’t make the voice to communicate with other turtles, or to alarm you or warn you, rather this action is involuntary, and it just happens.

When turtles feel scared for whatever reason, they naturally force their heads back into their shells.

This happens quickly, and this action forces the air out which makes the hissing sound. So, this sound is biological, not deliberate. However, you must be wary because if your pet turtle “hisses” any time you try to pet him, for instance, it is a sign he does not like it or is not simply ready for it yet.

Apart from the hissing sound, which is natural, there are some other sounds which the turtles are found to make. There are at least two turtle species that vocalize when they reproduce and when they are involved in some social interactions.

Those vocalizations are many and varied but they are both low in frequency, low in volume and infrequent, therefore, you might seldom hear them. But if you really spend a lot of time with your pet you might start noticing it.

Also, some turtles are observed to make different noises when mating. Turtles are also thought to communicate using sounds. Scientists are of the opinion that they communicate during hatching season.

Do turtles make noise at night?

There is no information as your pet turtle would be sensitive to darkness and make different voices specially during night. Nevertheless, during night when it is quieter, you might be able to hear distinct voices from them which you may not hear during day time when there is a lot more noise outside.

The sounds they make or the time they make more noises also depends on the species and gender of your pet turtle. Some species stay awake during night time. And when they are awake, they are supposed to make all the noises that they make.

Sea turtles, for instance, spend their nights floating near the surface or tucked into a rock or coral crevice. Also there are distinct behaviours observed during egg-laying season when female sea turtles will come ashore, generally at night, to dig a hole in the sand where they deposit their eggs.

Some species of sea turtle hatch at night and are thought to navigate by moving towards the brightest horizon.

Do turtles make noise when mating?

People who have turtles as pets or breed turtles, live close to them or research their movements inform that turtles make distinct sounds when mating. While the kind of sound is rather hard for them to describe, they say it resembles a continuous cry.

Similarly, river turtles are said to vocalize in all sorts of situations, from mating to hatchling. Leatherbacks, less social turtles, are also found to vocalize as when hatching and as they disperse from their nests into the sea.

What does a turtle sound like?

If you have been petting turtles for a long time and if you are sensitive to the sounds that they make you will agree with the researchers who say turtles, make quite a few distinct voices. Semi-aquatic turtles may chirp and click. Tortoises squeak very loudly while mating – larger species grunt.

Some turtles can cluck, while others make a high-pitched whining sound. The most common noise a pet turtle makes is the hissing sound.

Also, turtles fart. Gas build-up in the stomach can make turtles fart. They are said to chirp, click, meow and cackle.

However, turtles comprise one of the oldest living groups of reptiles, with hundreds of species found throughout the world and not all those species may have been observed.

Related Questions.

Do box turtles make noise?

Your box turtles also make the hissing sound which is the most common noise that all turtles make. The withdrawing of head into shell is very quick and as result air is forced out of their lungs to make room for their heads. The hissing sound is air escaping from their lungs.

According to people having pet turtles ,box turtle also make a hard-breathing sound if it is picked up out of the water and or from the ground. This could be associated with their annoyance.

Box turtles are also found to be making a clicking sound. People who pet turtles share their observation saying such voices are observed mostly after the turtle has stayed out of water for a long time which could possibly mean they are dehydrated.

Do snapping turtles make noise?

Turtles such as the snappers are notorious for making aggressive gestures and sounds. This sound is a combination of heavy breathing and hissing.

Do sea turtles make noise?

They found that the sea turtles vocalized in all sorts of situations, from making hissing sounds to interactions between adults to hatchling communication. Female leatherback sea turtles make a distinct noise that resembles a human belching.

Why does my turtle make noise?

It is natural for your turtle to make noise. The most common noise is the hissing sound which is an indication of fear and not of hostility. This voice is caused by involuntary head movement of the turtle when withdrawing back to its shell. So if your pet turtle hisses when you approach it, it’s not because it’s getting ready to attack or is being hostile, rather it is an involuntary response to a perceived threat – you.

Also turtles use sounds to communicate, so expect turtles to produce sounds when they are aggressive or when they mate.