Help, one of my RES loves to burrow itself in the cracks of the rocks I have in the water and I know it's not stuck because I've seen it get out, but now it looks like it's asleep and it's face down in the water. Will it drown? I thought RES needed air from time to time as they are only semi-aquatic....help!
2007-07-09 16:36:25 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Reptiles
see my answer above under "small turtle got stuck...." for more on drowning if it appears it has, but aquatic turtles can stay underwater for a long long time. They may only come up for air once and hour or more. Many actually hibernate underwater and may only come up rarely. Aquatic turtles also can derive some oxygen directly from the water through a gill like organ in their cloaca. It may not be a problem unless the turtle is unresponsive when you disturb it. Remove any rock structures that may cause it to get stuck.
2007-07-09 20:53:15 · answer #1 · answered by Fireside3/Phrynosoma-Texas 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You will need a place to bask-the zoomed floating dock is a good choice. If you do not have this your turtle will not be able to get out of the water and will drown.
You are right-they are semi-aquatic.
However, turtles go to sleep anywhere in the water and subconsiously float up in their sleep and breath through their nose-very rarely do they sleep on land.
I own two turtles (one is an RES) and I have seen them in their sleep-personal experience is the best!
Good luck.
2007-07-09 23:41:21 · answer #2 · answered by Adam 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They can sleep in the water for quite awhile. This is normal. Check out www.austinsturtlepage.com for great info. :)
2007-07-09 23:48:12 · answer #3 · answered by KimbeeJ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋