I recently read the book Turtles & Tortoises by Russ Case. The book is about where and how to find a good pet turtle. It includes information on shell diseases, food, housing, care taking, and a turtle/tortoise dos and don’t section. I would describe a chelonians’ intelligence as not much. They can identify the difference between lettuce and a worm most of the time. They are also aren’t very smart with grape tomatoes. They do not contain the intelligence to prop up the tomato before consumption which leads to adorable videos of turtles trying to eat.
They do contain some intelligence and good genes, such as in the case (literally) of the box turtle (no pun intended). They contain special shells which can fold into a box and protect the turtle further than a regular shell. In general, chelonians aren’t very smart, but they contain enough intelligence to escape most predators. Chelonians tend to get along with one another. They are very calm animals, especially since they are reptiles. They can’t really find a reason to fight, unless it is over food or a female chelonian. I enjoyed this book because I love reading about animals, especially those that aren’t appreciated enough such as reptiles.
Photo Credits: Amber Davis Photography
