Tortoise Facts and Trivia Archives

Tortoises are able to see in the dark. They have a lot of rod cells in their retinas, giving them amazing night vision. They may even see better compared to humans and some other animals. Tortoises certainly don't seem like nocturnal animals right? Like me, you probably retire to bed at night, turn off the lights and rest assured your tortoise is also spending the night catching some much needed shut eye – and perhaps that is the case. But what if they don’t actually sleep? Are tortoises active at night? Are they able to see in the dark? If you are a new tortoise owner and wonder how good your new pet's eyesight is, this article is intended for you. We'll also discuss the all important point if tortoises can see in the dark or not. Can Tortoises See in the Dark? People don’t often think about their tortoise’s vision unless they keep them in an outside enclosure most of the time. Then they might wonder if the tortoise will see any predators at night, and do what they can to get themselves out of trouble. If you'd like more info on that particular subject, check out this article. However, what people forget sometimes is that tortoises are wild animals like any other. The vast majority of them are not kept in an enclosure and are instead roaming free in the wild. Since tortoises can be found near tropical swamps, lakes, and many other potentially hazardous environments, it only makes sense that they have a pretty good vision. Believe it or not, but at night, tortoises do not instantly retreat inside their shells and wait there until the sun rises. Predators don't always stop hunting just because it's nighttime, so tortoises need to make sure they protect themselves against potential predators. The shell alone is not enough to ensure against that. Tortoises have to navigate through a variety of habitats in order to maintain their own safety. They are surprisingly resourceful animals, and can adapt to just about any environment when survival is the name of the game Just think about it – paleontology tells us that tortoises have existed for around 200 million years, so it stands to reason that they've found a way to adapt to changing conditions to have survived for that long. Do you think that would be possible without having some good night vision? As you’ve probably figured out by now, tortoises are indeed able to see in the dark. Their retinas are full of rod cells, more in fact than most other animals, and humans. The retinas, in case you were wondering, are basically the layer on the back of the eyeball, which features cells that are very sensitive to light, including the aforementioned rod cells. As such, these cells enable the tortoise to see pretty well, even when there is not a lot of light around. This is what allows the tortoise to see effectively in the dark. Since humans do not have as many rod cells (relatively speaking), they cannot see in the dark as clearly. But tortoises are special, as their good eyesight ensures they do not bump into obstacles along the way when it is dark. The greatest thing about these rod cells is that they allow the tortoise to stay safe even during the night. This way, the pet can search for food while keeping an eye on the surrounding area looking for predators. The fact that the tortoises’ eyesight in the dark is so amazing might be a surprising thing for many people. Still, it allows the reptile to compensate for the lack of a better performance from the other senses. How Good Is a Tortoise’s Eyesight? For the most part, the sense of sight of a tortoise is great. It can see clearly during day and night, and they are able to observe a wide range of colors. In fact, the reptiles can recognize the entire color spectrum. Tortoises have outstanding eyesight, and that is thanks to how colorful and clear the image is for them. The reptiles tend to look down straight in front of them as they are active during the day. This applies whether they are searching for some delicious treats, or they are just walking around their habitat. This combined with the amazing night-vision is what makes tortoises able to find food, but also prevents any meeting with potential predators. The reptiles can also see pretty far away, considering they need to find their way to a safe place or an area with delicious foods. Some researchers discovered that tortoises could see clearly in a 6.6 x 16 feet pen. They are able to distinguish between different items and colors. Not only that, but they also tend to determine directions using colors as a mark. Is a Tortoise’s Eyesight That Strong? Sure, tortoises can see in the dark, but is their night vision actually that great? Well, it is, except it isn’t the same as the vision they have during the day. When they are active during the day, tortoises focus on what is in front of them, so they will not have to put a lot of strain on their eyes to focus on one thing. The image is very sharp. But during the night, the vision is not the same. While the reptile can see, the image is not as sharp, mostly because the reptiles do not always rely on their night vision. For the most part, tortoises are diurnal animals, so they will usually be active during the day and retreat somewhere safe during the night. Therefore, it is less likely for them to walk around after the sun goes down, as they don’t really have a reason to roam when it’s dark. Still, if the necessity or a dangerous situation asks for it, reptiles have a pretty good night vision that can help them in an emergency. The Bottom Line Tortoises can see in the dark, and they use their night vision the most when they are in the wild. In captivity, they are less likely to do it since they are in an enclosure and not roaming around the house. Still, the night vision is not as good as the daytime one, but it allows them to look for food or run away from predators, which is extremely helpful.