How Do Turtles Sleep Do They Sleep Underwater For How Long

Turtles are interesting creatures that have unique sleeping habits.Sleeping habits of turtles are variable and greatly rely upon their surroundings. Some species of turtles sleep on land, while some sleep and even hibernate underwater!Generally, turtles sleep at night for four to six hours and choose a place that they feel the safest in. Turtles are also known to sleep during the daytime and can sleep for long periods when it is the season for hibernation. Aquatic turtles generally sleep and hibernate underwater. Some may even sleep on land in their basking spots. Turtle owners must not worry if their turtle is at the bottom of the tank as it is natural for it to sleep and breathe underwater. Keep reading to learn more about sleeping habits of many species of turtles and discover amazing turtle facts!If you enjoy this article, why not also read about how to take care of a box turtle and why turtles live so long here on Kidadl?Do turtles sleep in their shells?Many species of turtles can retract in their shells for sleeping. By doing so, they are able to hide from predators and protect themselves. Many pet turtles also sleep in this way even if they are safe and there are no predators nearby. It is believed that it makes them feel safe. It is completely normal if a turtle sleeps in its shell. Some species are not able to retreat into their shell. Some turtles have soft shells, such as sea turtles, and going inside their shells wouldn’t do the turtles any good.For sleeping, turtles find a spot with the most important factor being safety. A sleeping spot is looked for that can provide safety from their predators. This location is usually secluded and typically under rock piles. A few turtles like to sleep on tree limbs or brush piles as their aquatic predators cannot reach them here and neither can terrestrial predators. Sleeping on tree limbs works as a great alarm system because if any animal comes near, tree limbs vibrate and thus signal the turtle of danger. Such spots are great as they keep the turtle safe. A turtle’s safe spots also include holes in the ground, muddy and sandy shores near rivers, and tree stumps. All these spots have one thing in common: protection from predators. If there are no holes or rocks, then dense vegetation can be an alternate place. Such spots have reduced visibility and a sleeping turtle cannot be spotted easily. When sleeping under the surface of the water, the turtle finds structures to hide in. For example, the sea turtle sleeps under corals. A turtle’s sleep is quite distinct from a human’s sleep. Turtles sleep is like a resting state. Several terrapins, tortoises, and turtles have been observed sleeping in a cycle. The spot they pick has a constant temperature and is safe from predators. They stop moving and remain still in a specific position, retracting into their shell.Do turtles sleep underwater?Yes, many turtles can sleep underwater but there are some species that can’t do so. Aquatic turtles such as painted turtles, pond turtles, wood turtles, map turtles, and red-eared sliders can be found sleeping under the surface of the water. There are sea turtles that can sleep and live under the surface of the water. However, they do need to come out after a while to get oxygen from the air like the rest of the land turtles. Land turtles, also called tortoises, such as the Indian Star tortoise, the Greek tortoise, the Hermann tortoise, and the Russian tortoise cannot breathe or sleep under the surface of the water.Sleep habits of pet turtles and wild turtles can change with a change in environment and temperature. A turtle that was born and raised in a captive setting has not faced any predator, and it will sleep carefree. However, the turtle does still take some steps to ensure its safety as such information has been transferred genetically to it from its ancestors. Pet turtles sleep in their own basking area. On the other hand, a turtle that was born and raised in the wild will be a lot more cautious, even if there is no danger nearby. A wild turtle will try its best to locate a safe spot where it can sleep. These turtles do not sleep during the day.How long do turtles sleep?Turtles are known to sleep for four to six hours at night. Some pet turtles have also been observed to take short naps that are one hour long during the time they are basking. The sleep duration of turtles varies with age, size, species, and predators. Baby turtles are known to sleep in a similar way as adults; however, they sleep longer. Aquatic turtles can stay submerged for four to seven hours and bob their head out of the water to get some air. Land turtles are asleep longer than they are awake, like the Galapagos turtle that sleeps for about 16-18 hours a day.Many pet turtle owners mistake their turtle to be drowning when it stays below the surface of the water for hours. However, the pet turtle can stay underwater for many hours while it sleeps and does not breathe during this time. It will come to the surface on its own when it requires air. Drowning can occur only if the turtle is trapped somewhere and cannot find its way out. Baby turtles are inexperienced and can drown easily; thus, the water level mustn’t be high. The most common reason for a turtle to be asleep for longer durations is because the temperature of the water is too low. Even though turtles can survive in tough conditions, they are very sensitive to changes in the temperature of the water. They are also quite sensitive to changes in the quality of the water. Pet turtles also fall asleep for short durations while they are basking. They have been observed to close their eyes, stretch their legs, and remain still while they are basking. However, some species are a lot more active and energetic than other species of turtles. Age also affects the activity of the turtle. Older turtles tend to show less activity than baby turtles and juveniles do. A turtle sleeping all day continuously could be signaling some problem, however. Many species of turtles are active at night, that is, they are nocturnal. However, these nocturnal species become diurnal if kept in captivity. This shift occurs as in captivity there is no threat from any predator. But in the wild, predators move around at night causing the turtle to be active. Many species of turtle can become diurnal also because indoor activity during the day can be stimulating with people coming by and feeding happening in the daytime. So if a turtle is young, winters are far away, and it is sleeping throughout the day and even during feeding time, then it means there is some problem the turtle is facing. However, if winters are around the corner and the turtle is an adult, then it is possible that the turtle has started to brumate. Brumation is a synonym of hibernation. Hibernation is the time of the year when animals go into their annual deep sleep. Turtles in the wild dig dirt and mud underwater before entering a long period of hibernation where they are inactive until the season changes. Wild turtles do not eat anything during this period. Turtles in captivity also try to brumate in their tank at the onset of winters.How do turtles breathe when they sleep?Turtles can be found sleeping in their basking spots, at the surface of the water, at the bottom of the water body, or somewhere in the middle of the bottom and the surface of the water. Turtles have the ability to breathe when submerged in water and you don’t need to be alarmed if your turtle is sleeping at the bottom of the tank. A turtle sleeping all day continuously could be signaling some problem, however, if a turtle is young and winters are far away.There are some turtles that choose not to sleep in the water. However, some species like the painted turtle and the red-eared slider can stay submerged underwater without breathing for approximately five hours. Painted turtles, mud turtles, musk turtles, and sliders are some species that have the ability to sleep under the surface of the water. Sea turtles also have the ability to sleep under the surface of the water. Many aquatic turtles can sleep for four to seven hours underwater. They are known to resurface to get some air and will return underwater to continue to sleep. Freshwater turtles like map turtles are known to sleep at the bottom of a pond by burying themselves into mud or sand. Freshwater turtles are known to breathe oxygen from the water while they are sleeping. The Japanese pond turtle as well as the painted turtle can breathe underwater with the help of their specialized muscles located in their butt. During brumation, this type of respiration provides many benefits. However, it is essential that the water has a sufficient amount of oxygen present. This type of respiration that uses these muscles is called cloacal respiration. White musk turtles are known to breathe by utilizing muscles present under the neck.Did You Know…Some turtle species have the ability to hold their breath for as long as 30 minutes. Sea turtles can hold their breath for approximately five hours under the surface of the water!Turtles have the ability to remain submerged for a long duration due to the water’s low temperature, which is generally between 70-75oF (21.1-23.8 oC). Such low temperatures cause the metabolic rate of the turtle to decrease resulting in a reduced requirement for oxygen.Turtles are not mute and can speak! They cannot speak as loud as a lion or a cat, but can make sounds that range between clucks similar to chickens and barks similar to dogs. Noises vary among species.A turtle can be fed fish food if turtle food is not available. Turtles can eat fish food but one must not feed their turtle just fish food as it wouldn’t fulfill the turtle’s dietary requirements.Eggs of some species hatch into a male or a female depending upon the temperature. If the temperature is low, males will hatch, and if the temperature is high, females will hatch.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for how do turtles sleep then why not take a look at what is a group of turtles called, or Indian Roofed turtle facts!

Turtles are interesting creatures that have unique sleeping habits.