10 Fun Facts About Turtles That Novice Keepers Might Not Know!

Is a Turtle’s Shell Part of Its Skeleton?

Yes, the turtle shell is actually its skeleton. The shell itself is part of the turtle’s skeletal structure; their bodies and skeletons grow together, so turtles cannot survive without their shells.

The Functions and Roles of a Turtle Shell

It serves to defend against predators and resist physical impacts. The turtle shell is pieced together from 50-60 bones and is covered with blood vessels, nerves, and living tissue. Its function is similar to skin—it can absorb sunlight to promote calcium synthesis, but it also absorbs chemicals and toxins. Therefore, if you encounter a ‘painted turtle’ (a turtle with paint on its shell), you must scrape the paint off, or it will endanger the turtle’s life!

The Relationship Between a Turtle’s Sex and Temperature

When turtle eggs incubate, higher temperatures result in a larger proportion of females, while lower temperatures lead to a higher proportion of males. Following this trend, the ongoing greenhouse effect could make male turtles increasingly scarce. This might also be why, for many species, male turtles are more expensive than females. This is based on personal experience and is for reference only.

Can Turtles Hear Sounds?

Turtles cannot hear sounds. They lack an external ear structure but can clearly and accurately perceive environmental vibrations with their inner ear. They can sense us talking, tapping on the tank, or shaking their food container.

Turtle Courtship Behavior

When a turtle ‘dances,’ it is courting. During courtship, male turtles will wave their forelimbs to attract the female’s attention, much like ‘dancing.’This is a very typical behavior, especially for species like the ‘Brazilian face’ (referring to the Red-eared slider).

Do Turtles Make Noises?

Turtles cannot make sounds. They lack vocal cords, so they cannot vocalize. The sounds we often hear are mostly caused by them breathing with their mouths open.

How Turtles Breathe During Hibernation

All turtles breathe with lungs, but aquatic turtles have a ‘secret weapon.’ They have bursae (bursa, a sac-like structure unique to the cloacal wall of some aquatic turtles) in their rear. These bursae can expand the cloaca (cloaca, the common opening for the digestive, urinary, and reproductive tracts in animals) to obtain oxygen from the water. This is how they sustain life during hibernation.

Can All Turtles Swim?

No, don’t blindly put your turtle in water! This is especially true for tortoises; their body structure is not suited for swimming at all. Semi-aquatic turtles are also not adapted to deep water. You can tell by checking if their feet have webbing (webbing, the skin connecting the toes of aquatic or semi-aquatic animals).

How Turtles Communicate

Turtles have their own unique language. Besides scent, they also use body movements to convey information. It may seem simple, but it is actually their own unique language.

Do Turtles Need Their Nails Clipped?

Turtles do not need their nails clipped. A turtle’s nails are like their ‘little knives and forks’ for eating; they are used to tear apart food. Even if a nail breaks off, as long as the base is intact, it will slowly grow back.