Aww, that is a so touching
Thank you for posting that, LabPet!
Turtles are bright. I once knew a slider who learnt to eat from a spoon. The same red ear climbed up on a low shelf and let her owner hold up a boot for her to crawl onto and so she took the "lift" down to the floor. She was taught 3 hand commands and reacted to them.
When her companion died she was desperate to get to the empty aquarium and then to the empty spot, she was very obviously looking for her friend. She wouldn't eat for weeks (and this was in spring, so it wasn't hibernation time). It was heart breaking
She was also a master at getting past objects in her way (much like the turtle in the video below) and if the door wasn't closed completely she could always open it with her leg, even if it opened towards her into the room she was in.
Door opening turtle:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mfJn7Dw55s[/youtube]
Turtle who has learnt hand commands:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTYl_Vkgv5c[/youtube]