Tortoise Intelligence?

[Gaelle]

Hi there

I've only had Tilly a few days but I keep marvelling at her. For some reason, I didn't expect much from a Tortoise, I was more interested in the challenge and looking after side of things. But I'm amazed at how responsive and active they actually are. It makes me wonder about their actual intelligence. I'm particularly amazed at the way she reacts to her environment, her curiosity etc...
For example, today, she's been basking most of the time. Had a little walk around the block, a drink in the pool and again some basking. She just laid there quite a while while I was on the computer. Then, as I got up to take the dogs out, she looked up too and started moving towards me. She obviously reacted to the movement of me getting up and moving around her table. I was so impressed! I put my hands near her and she started moving towards it and let me scratch her head! Bless!
I don't know why she moved towards me in the first place, whereas she was just curious or whether she'd been conditioned by her previous owner (maybe feeding time?), but she is anything but the passive reptile I thought she may be! I always thought reptiles didn't interact with their keepers... How lovely.

Also, it made me think that she used to be kept with 2 other babies roughly her size, and I'm wondering whether she may be lonely and so seems to be attracted to things moving around her as they may be her former little friends?...

sorry long post!