Other Turtle Discussion :: can turtles die from being on their backs??

[alanna338]

I know this may be a stupid question, but me and my boyfriend have been having this ongoing discussion about if turtles could die or not from being on thier backs for even just a short amount of time. Is it true? he says they can suffocate when they are on their backs. so he gets worried when I am holding our turtles and have them in an almost upside down position, when I look at their stomachs. he says I will kill them if I do that, but i don't think its true. If anyone knows please respond. thanks!!

[jenaero]

If it's only for handling, there shouldn't be a problem. I think most cases of deaths from being upside down are due to turtles flipping over in shallow water and not being able to right themselves (drowning) or turtles flipping over under a basking lamp (baking)

I had 2 large res that were impossible to hold unless they were upside down because they'd try to get away. I'd turn them over and they'd tuck in and stay still.

[Turtle addict]

The lungs are located on the top of the shell, this helps water turtles stay afloat. Upside down causes their stomach etc to crush the lungs. I too have a larger 12 inch water turtle that is very hard to hold without getting scratched or bit so I carry him to the tanks upside down. Anything under 5 minutes and they should be fine!

[Starchick]

Really interesting, Turtle addict! Is that true of other turtles as well? I remember seeing a tortoise at a petstore that had tipped onto its back in its food bowl, and I told a store employee and he was just like 'He still hasn't gotten up?!' Apparently he'd been there like that for a half hour. Whether it's dangerous or not, who sees a turtle on its back and doesn't help it out?

[pumpkinsherbet]

right? that's insane, i would've flipped the poor thing over myself. isn't the ability to right itself quickly the sign of a healthy turtle?

turtle addict - where'd you get that info? can you by any chance also point me in the direction of someone who might now how fast a turtle can go (in times of recorded speed)?

[Turtle addict]

If you google turtle anatomy then you get the insides of a turtle, kinda intesting. Tort's normally die when flipped from the belly being exposed to heat, they can take as much on their belly as on their backs. How long I'm not sure it takes and hope to never find out. Tort's by the way have alot harder time flipping bck as they are more round on top then water and wood turtles.

How fast they move I have no clue but will ask around, I do know if my female sulcata know you have food then they move pretty darn fast! And water turtles are faster on land then tortoises.

[pumpkinsherbet]

cool, thank you

heehee i love this
Internal anatomy of a turtle: reptile with an oval shell and a horned beak. It has a very short tail and four short legs, and moves very slowly.
haha.

*edit* found a page: http://hypertextbook.com/facts/1999/RachelShweky.shtml

[marisa]

It's very difficult for them to breath on their backs, and eventually they'll suffocate (very short term isn't a problem).

Two summers ago I found a female painted that had been apparently hit by a car (badly injured) and tossed on the grass by the side of the road on her back to lie in the hot sun. It was ghastly. I was out walking and was a few miles from home. I picked her up and tried to walk as quickly as I could home so I could bring her to a vet. The poor thing was put to sleep to put her out of her misery. I still feel bad when I walk by the spot where I found her.

[Impulse Shopper]

Hm.

I was rubbing George on her belly, and she appeared to be in absolute bliss, resting her head back and smiling. Boyfriend says she can die by holding her like that. Scared the crap out of me, so I immediately stopped. She's almost 16 months old.