They live in diverse habitats—from mud holes to ponds, streams, lakes, and large rivers. When a male turtle initiates courtship, he can be observed coming onto the female by swimming backwards in front of her while tickling her face with his front claws. And Tortoises are generally quiet, so my question is, what gives them an idea to make a noise when mating, is it to assert dominance, is it to try to subdue the female into mating with him? I'm not sure if both or just one of them do it but it happens occasionally. During aggression, courtship, mating, egg-laying and similar situations, most turtles and tortoises make some sort of noise. What Does It Mean When a Turtle Shakes Its Arms? Just this morning I noticed one of my female res occasionally making a weird chirping noise that I've never heard before (I've had her for over a year now). Why do turtles hiss? While some of the sounds produced are audible to humans, most aren’t even in the range of human hearing – as such, we don’t hear them. Modern sea turtles have been around for more than 100 million years. Not WHEN they do it. However, they do make noises. They Make Sounds, Even Though They Lack Vocal Cords . Turtles do make a sound but its only if they are in water (to be more specific, i’m talking about aqua turtles) the sound they make is like an old plane starting up. Turtles do not HEAR- other than sensing vibration, so it only makes sense that they do not do much in the way of vocalizations. I’ve studied turtles my entire life so far and there is surely some undiscovered stuff about theses magnificent reptiles. I had a turtle that would hiss if she discerned my presence in the room but I wasn't giving her any attention! Tank temp is 77. The answer to this question is to the affirmative. Given the ancient reptiles' longevity, one might expect the animals to have a highly successful breeding system. While actually mating, I can only assume they make noise because they are enjoying themselves. I had a turtle that would hiss if she discerned my presence in the room but I wasn't giving her any attention! It is the males that make this sound when they are scared or calling for a mate. Not WHEN they do it. They live primarily in the water, but because they are cold-blooded, they do emerge to sunbathe to modulate their temperature. My turtles make noise. I really doubt that came from your turtles, it may of been something your turtles did, but it didn't come from their mouth. Why do they make such odd noises when they mate? Turtles do not HEAR- other than sensing vibration, so it only makes sense that they do not do much in the way of vocalizations. I'm just wondering WHY they do it. When they jerk their head into their shell, the air escapes out of them and you hear a hiss. At times you may have heard your turtle make some strange noise like a hiss. Red-eared sliders are very common turtles both in nature and in captivity. And Tortoises are generally quiet, so my question is, what gives them an idea to make a noise when mating, is it to assert dominance, is it to try to subdue the female into mating with him? ... (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. She is eating and basking just like always (she's never been one to bask a lot). They make sounds to attract a mate to breed with or to compete with other males/females to mate. Like I would wonder, what does the hiss mean, or what does the turtle want, how is the hiss produced. Do turtles hiss? Turtles also hiss when they are surprised or scared. Are there any other animals-that do this? It’s not entirely clear, but tortoises are generally pretty vocal creatures, equipped with an entire repertoire of grunts, hisses, barks, squeaks and sighs for every occasion, whether they’re fighting with a rival male or ramming a female in one of their typically violent pairings. Let me drop some uncommon knowledge on you. I think they do it as a warning or to catch your attention too. As far as making noise voluntarily goes, it is quite common for a turtle to do so during battle, courtship, mating and egg-laying. Some animals do not make noise during this procedure thought, like cuttlefish, who only take a split second to mate. It does not help that they don't have vocal cords! In the PBS-style series "Life On Earth," which is execllent, there is a scene of two Galapagos turtles (tortises?) Turtles can make a hissing noise if disturbed or scared, but perhaps a more disturbing noise is the moan that the male makes while mating (view at your own discretion). I think they do it as a warning or to catch your attention too. Do healthy turtles ever make noise? I really doubt that came from your turtles, it may of been something your turtles did, but it didn't come from their mouth. Most turtle noises are hisses; however turtles have also been known to make noises that include grunting, hooting and clucking. However, they do make noises. Eyes look clear. While turtles don’t have vocal cords, they are still capable of producing a wide range of noises and sounds.