True or False

Nile crocodiles, terrapins, tortoises and turtles.

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Re: True or False

Postby Will » Thu Dec 13, 2012 5:32 am

Well, half way around the world in another desert with other desert dwelling tortoises, this is logical. The tortoise does not know about tomorrow, it does know about right now, and will seek to survive right now, and will deal with a water deficit while alive. The water is from the bladder, and is hardly ALL the water, it is the recycled water in excess of today's and maybe tomorrows need, even into next week's needs. They don't know they can or can not restore in the next few days, I would say tortoises react, they don't plan- at least not while under a predator's assault, tomorrow has no meaning in a tortoise mind.

So further still, even if they have three bladder units of 'leave me alone' why use any of them up, what purpose are you serving?.

When I did a field study in the Karoo, and handled torts, most dropped their bladder, how much, I could not say what proportion. I did bring a collapsible dog bowl made of canvas and after all messing about was done, I placed the tortoise in the bowl in a small puddle of fresh water, stepped away and watched. They all drank a considerable amount, gave me a gift of feces for later analysis, and then walked off in no rush. Some of them sat there for an hour.

Now I suppose they did not know they were going to get that water, yet dumped their bladder anyways.

Will
Will
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