2006-09-10 05:18:40 · 9 answers · asked by janet t 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
The turtle keeps his shell as he gets older. The number of plates (called scutes) enlarge forming rings around the center of the scute as the turtle ages. The same happens to the plastron, the belly covering part of the shell. Naturalists can estimate the age of a turtle by the rings in the scutes form the shell.
2006-09-10 05:30:07 · answer #1 · answered by Art 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've never seen or heard about or read about turtles living out of their shells. I know their shells grow with them. They may be hard, but they are made of Keratin and they grow in much the same way as a fingernail. The backbones and some of the rib-like bones underneath the shell are connected to the turtle, so they can't crawl out of their shells. I have often wondered, though, why you find shells lying on the ground with no bones in them. Maybe the wash up and the water washes the bones out.
2006-09-10 12:29:54 · answer #2 · answered by Rockstar 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Turtle's shells are part of their body. In cartoons you see turtles getting into and out of their shells, but that's just in cartoons, not real life. The shells are actually attached to the skeletal structure of the turtle. They grow right along with the turtle, and turtles cannot leave their shells.
This is true for all types of turtles and tortoises, including sea turtles.
2006-09-10 12:22:13 · answer #3 · answered by τεκνον θεου 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. A Sea Turtles shell is like hardened tissued enveloping a a set of midified ribs, which make up the turtles inner shell. The turtles spined is fused to the upper surface of its inner shell, so removing a turtle from its shell would not only be messy, but lethal to the turle.
2006-09-10 12:27:38 · answer #4 · answered by Eric D 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, Matthew, they DO NOT look for another shell. You've been watching too many cartoons. The shell grows with the turtle.
2006-09-10 12:25:21 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
no the shell is part of thee body it grows as the turtle grows
2006-09-10 12:25:51 · answer #6 · answered by norsmen 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the shells grow with them
2006-09-10 12:28:14 · answer #7 · answered by Shorty 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they look for another shell
2006-09-10 12:22:59 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i dunno but turtles are my FAVORITE! animal!!!
2006-09-10 12:36:45 · answer #9 · answered by goldengurl706 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋