do land turtles need light if so for what? and how do they drink water?

Answer 1

Land turtles drink water from their mouths, just like any other reptile. Mine have large terra cotta bowls in their terrariums and they dunk their heads in and gulp it up.

Like most creatures, they need full spectrum light with UVA and UVB rays. These can be provided via special bulbs for animals kept indoors or by natural sunlight if kept outdoors. Mine are "indoor" turtles, but they get to romp outside several times a week for a few hours in a special "turtle paddock" complete with a screened in top so that the hawks can't snatch them up.

They need the light to process vitamins, just as we do. Our bodies cannot process Vitamin D for instance without sunlight to help. If you stayed out of the sunlight entirely you would become sick.

THere is also the warmth factor. Since turtles are reptiles and "cold blooded" they can only heat up their bodies by absorbing warmth from the environment and the primary source of that is via light. Indoor turtles then commonly need infrared lights or warming lamps. The temperatures have to be regulated so that they are not too hot, but also warm enough that the turtles can get warm enough to digest their food.

Answer 2

Good lighting offers heat, visibility, and UV-B rays.

Tortoises need heat- but most tortoises hide during the brightest part of the day. In fact, many tortoises will almost always choose deep shade over light, so offer shade or keep the light rather dim.

Tortoises need UVB as well, unless they get vitamin D3 from their meaty diet- like Redfoots, Hingebacks, etc. seem to do. (It is entirely possibly that these forest species can live in the darker habitat because they eat enough meat in the wild to help them with the D3 needs.) http://www.redfoots.com strongly advocates NO UVB for young Redfoots and has a lot of success with their program.

By the way- lighting is obviously not the only way to do heat, and it often is not the best way, either!

Water- they drink from pools or creeks like most other animals. Some tortoises can get a lot of their water from their food, but most should have a bowl available. Many enjoy a bowl big enough to soak in.

The only glitch to a tortoise water bowl is that the tortoise will flip most bowls, and cannot reach into a bowl with high sides. I use a wide, heavy, shallow dish partially buried in the substrate.

Answer 3

Reptiles generally need a UV light in their tank especially during the winter months or if you plan to keep them indoors. You should also invest in reptiles vitamens. As far as how they drink, you should have a tub or bowl for them to swim around in every so often. I think they mostly absorb water through their skin but may also drink if directly into water for short periods. Better if you have a tank that is half dry area and half water.

Answer 4

They need UV light and a basking light for heat.

Answer 5

because its hard for them to read in the dark. actually its heat they need, they are clod blooded, they may or may not drink but they probably get hydration from the food they eat.