I think that phrase is suitable only when referring to the 'Madagascan Screaming Death Tortoise'.
We had a mating pair, and they were extremely violent towards visitors when guarding their young.
They can jump a good three feet in the air and have a painful bite.
It got to a point that we had to collect our post from the sorting office. As they can live for 320 years, we gave them to the local Chinese restaurant. They said they'd display them in the waiting area as a replacement for the fish tank.
Funny, I've never seen them. Perhaps they're out the back.
2006-08-13 23:22:31
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answer #1
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answered by SilentRunning 3
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It's from the saying 'Lock up your daughters'. Back in the day, people would lock up their daughters if there was a chance that some barbarians or vikings were coming to town, and the girls would be in danger. You can say it in the modern age if some guy is good with the ladies and he comes into the room... you can also use it to take the piss out of someone who is blatently not so good with women...
Right, but if you say 'Lock up your tortoise', it puts another kind of a light on the guy- rather than being good with women, he is, err, good with animals. Slightly less flattering I think. The humour comes from the resemblence of the word 'tortoise', sound-wise, to 'daughters'.
2006-08-14 06:22:01
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answer #2
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answered by Buzzard 7
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I never heard that. There is an expression "Lock up your silver", meaning that (jokingly or not) the person who is coming is known to be 'light fingered' ... not exactly honest ... I guess 'Lock up your tortoise' is some person's mad way of saying 'They may steal anything'. Expressions like that often originate with a mad aunt or grandmother and get passed on as 'family sayings'.
2006-08-14 06:16:48
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answer #3
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answered by Owlwings 7
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It's because some people like tortoises so much that they will gobble them up with norespect for the host.
I'm sure you'll agree it's very rude, but we need to rehabilitate these people, not condem.
2006-08-14 06:19:48
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answer #4
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answered by Moggy 3
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'Cos there are some really sick people about! Would you like it if one of your guests raped your tortoise and you had to bring up several little illegitimate tortoises?
2006-08-14 10:48:27
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answer #5
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answered by cymry3jones 7
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That means that your tortoise did. Poor lttle bugger. I bet he never comes out of his shell now
2006-08-14 06:13:14
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answer #6
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answered by Anonymous
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I think the original phrase is 'Lock up your daughters' - for obvious reasons. Either you misheard, or this is a jokey variant on it.
2006-08-14 06:22:38
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answer #7
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answered by Anonymous
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Because good little tortoises should be seen and not heard.
2006-08-14 06:14:36
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answer #8
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answered by solo 5
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they look like pies when your guests are drunk
2006-08-14 06:17:23
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answer #9
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answered by raz 3
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