TORTOISE FUN FACTS!!!! --A tortoise is a turtle, but a turtle isn't a tortoise. --A group of tortoises is called a CREEP!! WHAT!! --And yes, their shells are sensitive to touch - Shells have nerve endings, so tortoises can feel every rub, pet, or scratch...and sometimes they love it. --Tortoises reach sexual maturity with size, not age - You won't be able to tell a tortoise's sex until it reaches a certain size, which varies by breed. The most obvious tell is the plastron-for mating purposes, it's flatter on females and curved on males. Males also tend to be larger and have longer tails. --Tortoises inspired the ancient Roman military - During sieges, soldiers would get in testudo formation, named after the Latin word for tortoise. The men formed rows and held shields in front or above them to completely shelter the unit. --They can smell with their throats. --"Testudinal" means "pertaining to or resembling a tortoise or tortoise shell - Go ahead. Compliment your friend's testudinal JACKET!! --The scales on the carapace are called scutes. --The lighter the shell, the warmer the origin- Yes Tortoises can live just about anywhere. Tortoises from hot places tend to have lighter-colored shells than tortoises from cooler areas. The light tan sulcata originates from the southern part of the Sahara Desert. --They can't swim, but tortoises can hold their breath for a long time. --Tortoises won the space race - In 1968, the Soviet Union's Zond 5 spacecraft was the first to circle the moon and return safely to Earth. The tortoises on board lost about 10 percent of their body weight, but were still ready for a meal when they touched down. That's one giant step for tortoise kind.
TORTOISE FUN FACTS!!!!
--A tortoise is a turtle, but a turtle isn't a tortoise.
--A group of tortoises is called a CREEP!! WHAT!!
--And yes, their shells are sensitive to touch - Shells have nerve endings, so tortoises can feel every rub, pet, or scratch...and sometimes they love it.
--Tortoises reach sexual maturity with size, not age - You won't be able to tell a tortoise's sex until it reaches a certain size, which varies by breed. The most obvious tell is the plastron-for mating purposes, it's flatter on females and curved on males. Males also tend to be larger and have longer tails.
--Tortoises inspired the ancient Roman military - During sieges, soldiers would get in testudo formation, named after the Latin word for tortoise. The men formed rows and held shields in front or above them to completely shelter the unit.
--They can smell with their throats.
--"Testudinal" means "pertaining to or resembling a tortoise or tortoise shell - Go ahead. Compliment your friend's testudinal JACKET!!
--The scales on the carapace are called scutes.
--The lighter the shell, the warmer the origin- Yes Tortoises can live just about anywhere. Tortoises from hot places tend to have lighter-colored shells than tortoises from cooler areas. The light tan sulcata originates from the southern part of the Sahara Desert.
--They can't swim, but tortoises can hold their breath for a long time.
--Tortoises won the space race - In 1968, the Soviet Union's Zond 5 spacecraft was the first to circle the moon and return safely to Earth. The tortoises on board lost about 10 percent of their body weight, but were still ready for a meal when they touched down. That's one giant step for tortoise kind.