5 Turtle Facts That Might Suprise You
- Nov 20, 2021
- Rita
- 582 0 0
Are you thinking of getting a turtle as your next pet? Here are 5 interesting facts you might not have known about these wonderful water creatures.
5 Interesting Turtle Facts
1. A turtle’s shell is a modified ribcage
A turtles shell is part of its skeleton. The shell forms part of the spine as well as the ribs of the turtle. Together, they form a shell many refer to as an exoskeleton. The shell, however, isn’t an exoskeleton like many people believe, it simply means the turtle’s ribs and spine isn’t inside its body like other reptiles.
2. Turtles and tortoises aren’t the same animals
Turtles are aquatic creatures that need to submerge themselves in water to survive. Tortoises on the other hand are fully terrestrial, they only need water for drinking. Unfortunately, this isn’t completely true. The term ‘turtle’ refers to the group of animals in the testudine group that includes over 200 species. This group includes both turtles and tortoises.
3. Turtles have two shells
Turtles have an upper shell referred to as the carapace and a lower shell called the plastron. Together, these two shells form the complete skeleton of a turtle. The lower and upper shells are joined on both sides of the body to hold them together.
4. Turtles can be very noisy
Many believe turtles to be silent. This is not true. These creatures can be extremely noisy, especially during mating. You will also hear a range of other noises that can resemble a chicken’s clucks or a dog like bark depending on the species you keep or interact with.
5. The temperatures in the nest of a turtle affect gender
In most turtle species, the gender of the babies is determined by where the eggs are in the nest. Generally, the eggs in the lower half of the nest will be male while the eggs in the upper half will be female. This is due to the temperature difference between the upper and lower level of the nest. Cooler temperatures normally lead to males while water temperatures develop females.
Final Thoughts
Turtles are interesting creatures, right? If you enjoyed these 5 facts, you might be interested in more turtle related articles. Before you make your final decision to get one, however, make sure you know what you’ll be getting yourself into. Turtles have some special needs that need taking care of.
Happy researching!
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