can turtles smell underwater?

Question

can turtles zero in on food at the bottom of a murky lake? Or is it luck when they come across something edible?

Answer 1

Yes they do; they use their sense of smell to find and identify food, mates, territory etc. On land turtles smell things the way we do but under water many have special little bumps or barbels on their chins that contain olfactory (sense of smell) nerve endings to help them find food in dark or muddy water. Tiny Painted Turtles, for example, are born knowing that the smell of a Snapping Turtle means danger and they react to fast movement by diving for cover.

Answer 2

Yes. Turtles open up their mouths to empty out the water when they smell. That is more of a paraphrase, but a direct quote states it this way:

"Most researchers believe that turtles have an acute sense of smell underwater.

2. Turtles open their mouths slightly and draw underwater through their nose, then automatically empty it out another time throughout the mouth. Pulsating Movements of their throat are thought to be associated with their smelling."

Yes, turtles can zero in on food even when eyesight is of no use and it is not luck when they find something.

Answer 3

I would have to say yes, because every animal at on point in there life has to depend on it's sense of smell. Turtles use it to find food, mates, and family members

Answer 4

yes - i have turtles and they can smell the food in the water even when they are asleep