To teach my daughter what a turtle says

[McColonel]

Our daughter is nearly 2 and learning what animals say - moo, baa, neigh etc.

I wanted to teach her what a turtle says but have got no idea (don't think they say anything) so i told her a turtle says "hello" in a funny voice.

Now when i say "What does a turtle say?" She says "Hello!" in a funny voice and waves.

My wife thinks it's cruel to teach her something that isn't true. I think it's harmless, funny and cute, and that she's taught much more bollocks by In the Night Garden etc.

What's the mumsnet verdict?

We got irritated with giraffes not having a noise so made one up. So you get an OK from me.

YABU. Giraffes say 'hello' with a camp wave,not turtles. Turtles say 'G'day, fancy a swim?'

Just so you know.

For what it's worth, DH has taught our children that any animal that doesn't have a sound simply say their names in gruff voices.

What sound does a panda make?
Panda. Panda.

That's a tortoise. They yawn.

Omg, tortoise/croc porn, who knew that existed?

Turtles say 'Little dude,' as in Nemo.

Giraffes make chewing noises.

A turtle makes a sort of popping sound a bit like a gold fish I would guess.
A tortoise chasing a lady tortoise makes a noise a bit like a seagull's wail.

Neither of them say 'hello' as far as I know. I don't think it is going to matter in the big scheme of things because - no one is going to have much of a clue, unless all the other toddlers she meets are turtle experts.

Cows don't actually say moo or sheep baa do they? - so it's all best impression territory. I can do a very good moth if required.

We like telling DD that squirrels go 'neep, neep, neep'.

Is your DW also against Santa, Easter bunny and tooth fairy OP?

I'm pretty sure your daughter won't get to adulthood thinking that turtles actually speak English!

There is a turtle thing on wildernuts- he says hello amongst lots of other things. What you said is easily verified fact

Turtles go 'bubble bubble bubble', no? Or is that just Tiny Tim?

Watch finding nemo. It's very educational.

must tell her mice go click, click.

Ooh yeah, turtle/tortoise!

Pfft, tbh I'm just glad of the excuse to share that video.

panda, panda

I taught my DS the noise a fish makes but now he seems to think it's a generic animal noise that they all make? I failed

Thanks for all the replies! Seems like the general consensus is that i am not being unreasonable! Interesting to hear all the other facts about animal noises, thanks!

DH and I are now in fits of laughter and are copying your idea

in our house pandas make a farting noise

bloody evolutionary dead end that they are
its also the only animal noise that DD will now reliably imitate

I thought they said 'cowabunga'

Didn't someone post on here once that her parents taught her that pine martens say "marty marty marty"? And then in her 20s she went to a zoo with friends and tried to call a pine marten.... :o

Don't know about turtles, but in our house giraffes said, "oh, my sore neck!"

Ostentatious that is not a squeak that's a proper sex sound

We taught ours fish go bob bob bob (but unvoiced) but nope, no turtle never. I agree one would expect a turtle to say hullo.

(Bet you all all unvoicing bob now, hurhurhur)

Turtles actually sing along to Coldplay, so YABU