You’re sitting by a pond or maybe staring at your pet red-eared slider, and it’s quiet. Dead quiet. Most people assume turtles are basically the mimes of the reptile world. They just sort of exist, eat lettuce, and retreat into their shells when things get weird. But if you’ve ever wondered, can turtles make sounds, the answer is a resounding, though often high-pitched, yes. They aren't exactly chatty like a parrot, but they aren't silent either. Honestly, the idea that they are mute is one of the biggest misconceptions in herpetology.
For decades, even scientists thought turtles were mostly deaf and dumb. We figured since they don't have vocal cords like mammals, they just didn't have a "voice." We were wrong. It turns out we just weren't listening at the right frequency.
The Stealthy Vocalizations of the Shell World
Most of the noises you’ll hear from a turtle in your living room are actually accidental. If a turtle is startled and retracts its head quickly, it forces air out of its lungs. This creates a sharp "hiss." It’s not a social call; it’s basically a mechanical byproduct of being scared. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Recent research, specifically a massive study published in Nature Communications by Gabriel Jorgewich-Cohen and his team, has flipped the script. They recorded over 50 species of turtles that were previously thought to be non-vocal. What did they find? A symphony of clicks, chirps, and even something that sounds vaguely like a croak. These animals have been talking behind our backs for 250 million years.
Low Frequency and High Stakes
Why did it take us so long to notice? Because turtles communicate at very low frequencies. Their "speech" is often underwater and so deep that the human ear barely registers it. Some of it is actually infrasonic.
If you own a tortoise, you might have heard the "clucking" or "grunting" during mating. That’s the most famous example. Male tortoises are surprisingly loud when they’re trying to impress a female. It sounds like a rhythmic, raspy barking. It’s awkward to listen to, frankly. But it proves that the physical hardware for making noise is definitely there.
Can Turtles Make Sounds Underwater?
This is where it gets really cool. Sea turtles are famous for being loners, but they actually use sound to coordinate. Leatherback turtle hatchlings have been recorded making sounds while they are still inside the egg. Think about that for a second.
- They chirp to each other to synchronize their hatching.
- By hatching at the same time, they increase their survival odds against predators on the beach.
- It’s a collective "go" signal.
Researchers like Camila Ferrara have spent years documenting these underwater "talks." In the Amazon, Giant South American river turtles use different sounds to navigate and find each other in murky water. They have specific calls for nesting and others for just hanging out in the river. It’s a complex social structure built on a foundation of sound that we literally ignored for centuries because we weren't looking for it.
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The Anatomy of a Turtle "Squeak"
Since they don't have vocal cords, how do they do it? They use the muscles in their throat to push air through their glottis. It’s more of a controlled huffing or whistling. Some species use their sinuses to resonate sound. It's primitive compared to a songbird, but it gets the job done.
If your pet turtle is making a "wheezing" sound, though, that’s different. That’s usually a respiratory infection. There’s a big difference between a social click and a sick turtle struggling to breathe. If the sound is accompanied by bubbles at the nose or a tilted swimming posture, that's a vet visit, not a "chat."
What Different Noises Actually Mean
Turtles don't waste energy. If they are making a noise, there is a biological reason for it.
- Defense: The hiss. It’s universal. It says "back off or I’ll bite," or more accurately, "I am terrified and am hiding now."
- Courtship: The grunts and moans. This is mostly a tortoise thing.
- Social Coordination: The clicks and pulses used by sea turtles and river turtles to stay together.
- Distress: Some turtles will emit a high-pitched piping sound when they are being attacked by a predator.
It's actually kind of wild how much variety there is. Wood turtles have been known to make a low "whistling" sound that some researchers compare to a tea kettle. Meanwhile, the musk turtle—often called the "stinkpot"—is generally quieter but can produce a sharp hiss when handled.
The Mystery of the Leatherback
The Leatherback sea turtle is a bit of an outlier. They are massive, prehistoric-looking creatures that travel thousands of miles. Scientists have recorded them making "sighs" and "belches" when they come ashore to nest. While some of this is just the physical strain of dragging a 1,000-pound body across the sand, there is evidence that some of these sounds are intentional.
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They live in a world of blue vastness where sight isn't always reliable. Sound travels much faster and further underwater than it does in the air. For a turtle, sound is a lifeline.
Why We Misunderstood Them for So Long
We suffer from a bit of "mammal bias." We expect communication to look and sound like ours—loud, frequent, and easy to hear. Turtles are masters of conservation. They have slow metabolisms and they move slowly. Screaming all day would be a massive waste of calories.
Also, a lot of turtle "talking" happens in the dark or deep underwater. Without specialized hydrophones (underwater microphones), we were effectively deaf to their world. Jorgewich-Cohen’s study used technology that just wasn't widely available or utilized for reptile research twenty years ago. We literally had to build better ears to hear them.
Actionable Tips for Turtle Owners
If you have a turtle at home and you want to "hear" them, you have to be observant. You won't hear a conversation, but you can learn their language.
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- Watch the throat: If you see the throat moving rapidly (pulsing), they are "smelling" the air, but they might also be prepping for a vocalization.
- Listen during feeding: Sometimes they make a "clacking" sound when their beak hits the shell of a snail or even just the side of the tank.
- Check the environment: If your turtle is constantly hissing, something is stressing them out. Check the water temp or the lighting.
- Don't ignore the wheeze: Again, a whistling or wheezing sound while breathing is almost always a sign of pneumonia in reptiles.
Turtles are far more social than we give them credit for. They aren't just decorative rocks that eat pellets. They are ancient, communicative beings with a secret language that we are only just beginning to translate. Next time you're by the water, just listen. You might not hear a shout, but you might catch a whisper.
To truly understand your turtle's behavior, start by recording their "quiet" moments with a high-sensitivity microphone if you’re a hobbyist. Often, what we perceive as silence is actually a low-frequency pulse. Pay close attention to their body language during these sounds; a turtle that "clicks" while approaching a new object is likely exploring, whereas a hiss during handling is a clear sign to give them space. Adjusting your care routine to minimize "hissing" triggers will lead to a much more settled and healthy pet.