Why Do Tortoises Chase Cats? 8 years ago. 4 Answers. yet their extensive shells are honestly quite heavy while carried around on land, that's why turtles circulate so slowly. For these brave game changers, the speed limit is nothing more than a recommendation. Many animals will play, including cats. They expend very little energy when they move (again this is based on the slow terrestrial turtles) because they have a triangle of support with three legs touching the ground at most times. A softshell turtle can also achieve … Cal King. Tortoises are so slow because mainly of the heavy shell they carry on their back. As the old saying goes, "slow and steady wins the race." Tweet ; F; Sloths—the adorable and lethargic animals living in treetops—depend on the health and survival of Central and South American tropical forests. Hatchlings can move pretty fast and they are good at hiding. It is a behavior that serves many evolutionary purposes. Something else a tortoise might do is chase and hassle a cat. why do tortoises move so slowly? Turtles are water residing creatures that captivate people. Located in places such as Brazil and … Answer Save. Favorite Answer. Tortoises are slow, but turtles (which swim in fresh water or salt water) are actually quite fast. The animals live solitary lives and travel from tree to tree using canopy vines. They spend much of their lives in the canopy, snoozing and remaining hidden from predators. Researchers have not been able to pin down exactly what keeps them around for so long, but their slow-motion lifestyle may have something to do with it. A semi-aquatic turtle has been clocked at slightly more than 1 mph. Your tortoise may pester your cat, following it and nipping at it over and over again. Keep in mind that human beings only walk at a pace of around 3-5 mph, which is about the same speed as a snake crawling. But some turtles are pioneers, throwing caution to the wind and striking out to be the best turtle they can be. Why are sloths slow? those reptiles waft peacefully in the process the water, as though their shells have been easy as a feather. When turtles hatch, the young are still in great danger because so many predators love to eat them. And six other sloth facts. ANd they don't lift their bidies up and down a lot like we do and most animals do as they bound or gallop. The tortoises are slow-moving reptiles with an average long-distance walking speed of 0.3 km/h. But apparently not good enough or fast enough. Relevance. Muskrat, mink, raccoons, snapping turtles, snakes, bullfrogs, large fish, herons and water bugs all feed on baby turtles. Lv 7. Tortoises have heavier shells than other turtles. However, although feeding giant tortoises move about slowly, browsing with no apparent direction, if they have a purpose, such as moving to water or nesting grounds, they can move with surprising speed and determination given their size. Your tortoise is playing with the cat.