Sulcata making cawing noise

Question
I have a 2 1/2 year old African sulcata that is outside in my enclosed yard and this morning he (or she - don't know yet) opened his mouth and made a noise like a cawing sound - ah ah aaah. He had been sunbathing having just woken up and come outside.  I gave him a bath in case he was dehydrated but he seems quite happy.  Have you heard of this before?  He yawned the other day too.

Answer
Tortoises make vocalizations every now and then, usually associated with territoriality, courtship, mating, or egg-laying.

If it was a one-time thing, don't sweat it. If it continues to make noises, it might be the result of an infection or illness. Watch for other symptoms.

Now- with all Sulcata owners, I feel obligated to ask: Are you ready? Your tortoise is a member of the third largest tortoise species on Earth and can hit 100 ponds easily, with enough strength to literally walk through a wall or fence.

Check out http://www.sulcata-station.org or http://www.tortoise.org for more info on this great species.