They are surprisingly intelligent. I was cleaning a rug in the driveway last week, and I turned around to find a big tortoise standing there about five feet away, just watching me, like he was curious what I was doing. So I got him some lettuce, and he practically ate it out of my hands. My wife tried a carrot, but he didn't seem to recognize it as food.
A couple of days later, I was taking out the trash and found him nibbling at a plastic bag in my neighbor's trash, trying to get it open. How would a tortoise know there was anything to eat in there? I moved him to my driveway and gave him some more lettuce. I was going to take him to the preserve, but he wandered off when I went in the house to get my keys.
They're interesting animals, but I don't think I want him digging up my yard and going through my trash!
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