We find aquatic turtles in the pond swimming and having a fun life.But did you know that these turtles can also drown in the water? Not all, but some especially bad swimmers are seen among the turtles.American pond turtles are aquatic creatures who have no issue swimming through the water, but box turtles are another story. You might see the box turtle swim in tap water but it’s hard to find them swimming in deep water. Even if you do end up finding them in water, they tread along the surface of the water so that they won’t drown. Why do you ask? Probably because of the fact that they cannot swim in deep water. Box turtles drown if they spend too much time in deep water. don’t misunderstand the statement. Box turtles can swim but just not for too long. If so, how long can box turtles swim? Can box turtles swim in the shallow ponds and lakes? Can they breathe underwater? There would be many questions to answer about the swimming skills of box turtles. Let us find out the why and hows of box turtles and their relationship with water. After reading about the abilities of eastern box turtles to swim, do read are rabbits nocturnal and are pigs good pets?Can box turtles breathe underwater?Since all turtles are aquatic animals, it’s common to imagine them swimming and breathing underwater. But the fact of the matter is that turtles need oxygen from the air to breathe. They can stay underwater for sure. But that’s pretty much it. They cannot breathe underwater. The turtles need to come out of the water to breathe. Box turtles are no exception. Unlike other turtles, they are partially aquatic. This means that breathing underwater is an absolute no no.Box turtles need water in order to swim and for other purposes. But they cannot go underwater to breathe. Box turtles are primarily land creatures. They need oxygen in the air to breathe. In order to breathe, box turtles need to come out of deep water to the surface. But It is important to note that there are some freshwater turtles that can breathe underwater through the internal walls of their cloaca. In the case of box turtle species. They prefer the land to breathe. Turtles like to sleep underwater. You can observe them staying underwater for long periods. Even though they sleep underwater for a long time, they come to the surface of the water to breathe. Box turtles spend a long time on land compared to water, they do prefer to stay near shallow freshwater. When they feel like going deep waters, they can. In the case of your pet turtle, they need constant access to water. drinking, wading, and soaking are all done in the water. They prefer shallow water since they are not really good swimmers. They cannot swim in deep water for a long time. So this turtle species swim in shallow water; box turtles swim underwater for a short period of time.How long can a box turtle be underwater?We have already established the fact that box turtles cannot breathe underwater. But, box turtles can swim underwater. Although box turtles live in the land, they do enjoy swimming in water every now and then. Aquatic box turtles swim more often than other species of box turtles. But the question is, how long can they be underwater? Since they are only partially aquatic, there would be a limit to how long they stay underwater.Turtles can hold their breath underwater. The capacity to hold their breath is different among the various species. Some species can hold their breath for about 30 minutes only. While some other species like sea turtles can hold their breath for hours. Most turtles can hold their breath for about 10 - 15 minutes at a time. After that, they need to come to the surface to get oxygen. Since box turtles are terrestrial, they are not very good swimmers. They also have a hard time swimming in deep waters. Unlike aquatic turtles, they cannot sink to the bottom and live in water for a long time. There is a risk of them drowning if the amount of water is too much to handle. The body of box turtles is not suitable for staying in water for a long time either. Box turtles cannot regulate their body temperature. So in warmer climates, they need to stay near the water in order to cool their body. During this time, box turtles might stay in water for a while compared to the other times. However, the fact of the matter is that they cannot hold their breath for a long time underwater.Can box turtles swim underwater?Box turtles can swim underwater; they are pretty bad at it though. They are known as very clumsy swimmers. They do swim in the wild, but the body of box turtles is not adapted to swim well in deep water.Can box turtles swim in shallow water then? Yes, box turtles swim in shallow water. If the water is not too deep in ponds rivers, they are seen swimming in such water. In contrast to long webbed feet, box turtles have separate toes. This particular feature gives them bad swimming skills. But box turtles need to swim. So it’s advisable to have a shallow water source for them to swim in rather than the deep water. If the water is deep, there is a high chance for the turtles to drown. Turtles need water for digestion. So your pet turtle prefers to have water near them. Apart from the webbed feet, box turtles have a circular shells. The shells of other aquatic species are elongated and oval. The webbed feet and elongated shape of the shell help them glide through the water with ease. But in the case of box turtles, their shell and feet keep them at a disadvantage. For box turtles, there should not be much water in the pond or other water bodies. A few inches of water is more than enough for them. Too much water is a way to drown the turtle. So those who have pet box turtles should be extremely cautious of how deep the water is before putting your pet in the water. it is better to be careful when it comes to these box turtles.Do all box turtles swim?There are different species of box turtles in the land. Now that we know that box turtles are poor swimmers, is it the same case for all these different types of box turtles? Do all of them swim for a short while only?All box turtles can swim. Ornate box turtles have fat deposits under their shell that facilitate them to swim in deep water. A Chinese box turtle swims half the time on the water and spends half the time on land. The eastern box turtles, three toed box turtles, and also desert box turtles know how to swim in the water. But none of the box turtles sleep underwater or spend significant amounts of time in the water. The common box turtle is known as the eastern box turtle swim. So do desert box turtles, ornate box turtles. They do know how to swim in water when the need arises. Among these subspecies, Coahuilan turtles spend more time in water even if they are clumsy at swimming. The only box turtles that do swim more frequently are the aquatic box turtles. But they also prefer shallow water over deep water. Since they are not made to live in water, box turtles differ from other pond turtles in their capacity to stay in the water. The habitats of the different box turtles are also different. Desert box turtles live in dry areas. While the common box turtles occupy marshy meadows and other areas with water bodies. It is rare to spot box turtles swimming for fun. They swim to get somewhere or cool off their body. You can definitely never see a box turtle in the sea unless they really have no other choice. The tap water can affect the box turtles causing them to have white spots. So if you plan on getting your pet turtle tap water, please don’t. Instead, go for distilled water. The use of distilled water is more suitable for them to stay healthy. So to prevent the white spots, use distilled water for your pet turtle.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for can box turtles swim then why not take a look at are rabbits herbivores, or box turtle facts?
We find aquatic turtles in the pond swimming and having a fun life.
