how do turtles stay alive all winter long under the ice?

Answer 1

I have always wondered this too I would assume they do some version of what the wood frog does a wood frog can freeze in a block of ice and all his organs freeze then when he melts he wakes up and starts living again, It canm only last this way for around a year and then come back though. Or if not they probably hibernate like a lot of other animals during the winter.

Answer 2

Turtles that live in places where it gets cold enough hibernate to get through cold weather.

Pond and aquatic turtles will burrow into the mud in a nice patch of water, somewhere deep enough that the cold water holds lots of oxygen in it, but a place that won't get too cold or actually freeze.

The hibernation state changes a lot of the metabolism of the turtle- its need for air reduces so much that it can absorb what it needs directly from the water through its mouth and cloaca/vent. It will burn incredibly few calories and generate almost no waste products. The hibernation state is so efficient that baby turtles will gain weight!

Healthy, dark colored turtles have been seen on sunny days swimming under clear ice- they absorb enough heat from the sun to be active (although the water in cases like this is also usually warmer than you'd expect.)

Answer 3

Turtles that live in areas that have winter(snow/ice), hibernate. Read the following info at this website:
http://www.turtlepuddle.org/kidspage/hibernation.html

Answer 4

you should read the little kids book The Aligator Hotel ... its about how the Aligators dig holes and they live in them during the winter but during sprind and what not the fish use them as 'hotels' but they dont know if the aligaor is in it to eat them or if they are safe ....

id asssume the turtles do something of the same thing ... just a whacked out similarity tho.

xoxo
Emily

Answer 5

Hibernation. They are in suspended animation where their entire body and systems slow down to the point where they do not have to eat because they are not expending hardly any energy.

Answer 6

because of how there reptiles the turtles carry whats known as natural antifreeze

they survive

Answer 7

Suspended animation.

Answer 8

yes