Joe Cortez
One of the first challenges new turtle owners face is providing the right environment for their pet to thrive. Creating the right space requires more than just a heater and the right food — turtles also need water. Having a place to swim is often a critical part of a turtle’s habitat to keep them happy and healthy throughout their life. Here are answers to four common questions turtle owners often have about turtles and their swimming abilities.
Can all turtles swim?
One of the biggest differences between turtles and tortoises is their environment. Although turtles need plenty of water to live, they are not fully aquatic reptiles. Because of their aquatic nature, many pet turtles are good swimmers. “Turtle means water,” says Dr. Laurie Hess, owner of the Avian and Exotic Animal Veterinary Center in Westchester County, New York. “Most turtles live in the water, and tortoises live on land.”
However, not all turtles need the same amount of water. The most common pet turtle, the red-eared slider, prefers to swim in a large tank, while others (such as the Eastern box turtle) only need a shallow swimming area. In addition to turtles and tortoises, there is another subspecies called terrapin, which are semi-aquatic and usually live in brackish or muddy water, but sometimes spend time on land. Before deciding which type of turtle to keep, understand the specific habits and swimming needs of that turtle.
How do turtles swim?
Many turtles are aquatic reptiles, so swimming is part of their daily activities. Red-eared sliders love water and enjoy both swimming and diving in their underwater habitats. To swim, turtles use all four legs, extending their feet to propel themselves through the water.
“Turtles have webbed feet that they use to paddle,” Hess says. “They dive, paddle, and then come up to the surface to breathe.”
After a swim, turtles take refuge in a basking spot. This is not just an exercise break; basking allows turtles to warm themselves and absorb nutrients from a full-spectrum light source. That is why red-eared sliders need a platform or base to emerge from the water to bask and refuel.
Can turtles breathe underwater?
Although turtles are aquatic reptiles, they can’t breathe underwater like fish can — instead, they need to come to the surface to get oxygen as they swim, Hess said.
“[Turtles] “Turtles don’t need to breathe out of the water,” she says. “You’ll see turtles blowing bubbles underwater, but they need to come up to the surface to breathe.” It’s important to distinguish this from upper respiratory tract infections in turtles, who will also blow bubbles on land.
However, some common pet turtles are able to absorb oxygen through specialized skin in their cloaca (the cavity through which a reptile’s intestinal, urinary and reproductive tracts exit). This method is primarily used during hibernation, when wild turtles go into a hibernation-like state during cold weather. Many experts recommend avoiding hibernation in pet turtles, as it can cause long-term health problems, such as inducing egg-laying, depleting their body’s energy reserves, and leading to infections if food or feces remain in the digestive tract.
Can turtles drown?
Turtles cannot breathe underwater, so drowning is quite possible. However, adult turtles are very intelligent around water and can maintain their oxygen levels by floating or coming to the surface to breathe. Hess said that in his many years as a veterinarian, he has never seen a case of a turtle drowning.
However, that doesn’t mean turtles can’t get sick from overexposure to water. Without proper basking spots, turtles can’t properly dry themselves off or shed their old shell. As a result, turtles can develop shell and skin problems, such as shell pyramidation. Shell pyramidation is abnormal growth of the top part of the shell and can be caused by too much protein in the diet when the turtle is young.
Turtle health depends heavily on water quality, so you should maintain a good filtration system and change the water in your turtle’s enclosure weekly. “If you’re going to provide water, you need to be prepared to take care of it,” Hess says.
Some turtles love to swim, while others don’t need much exposure to water. By understanding turtle species and their unique needs, owners can ensure their turtles stay happy and healthy throughout their long lives.
image: Vladislav Sinkov / Shutterstock
