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Also, one of my friends smokes drugs, and he puts his trutle in a cup. he then blows smoke into the cup and closes it to get the turtle high. i told him that the turtle wouldn't breathe in that circumstance, but he says that the turtle will breathe a tiny bit and get it high, and that's why it acts funny when placed in the tank. i don't think it's safe at all, but he swears the turtle loves it... what should i tell him?

You should tell him that he's a complete moron, if not just because he's doing drugs himself but because he's inflicting what could be permanent harm on the turtle whos well being he responsible for. It also sounds like the turtle has little choice considering he's being "locked" in a cup.

That is the equvilant of me duct taping him, putting him in a closet and beating him with a baseball bat, just because I'm stupid enough to think its fun doesn't mean he thinks it is as well....

I'm sorry if I'm coming off a little harsh but these kinds of things really piss me off.

Sorry if I'm wrong, but I smell a troll*

I agree with Flutter - your friend is a complete moron. The turtle isn't getting high, he's slowly being poisoned.

If authorities every got ahold of a tape of him doing that, it wouldn't just be drug charges, but animal cruelty as well. This just makes me sick. I'd love nothing better than to torture your friends, and I'm not sure how you can even call him a friend.

sorry, not a troll, no offense taken if none meant, but i was seriously wondering if his turtle was breathing it in or not... how long can turtles hold their breath?

I'm not an expert on turtle breathing, but I doubt that the turtle knows to hold his breath...therefore, he is breathing in whatever your friend is blowing at him. Turtles definitely don't have the lung capacity that we do, so I'm sure that doesn't help either.

How can people be so stupid???

some peple are just sick... i think you should get a video tape of him doing it again.. and turn him into the authorities... drugs is 1 thing... but cruelty to animals is another!!!

What the? Is your "friend" brain damaged from the drugs or what? Ask him if he would like someone doing that to one of his children (if or when he has them). Captive or domestic animals are just as reliant and dependant on mature humans for their safety and health as children are. This is just sick and evil of him.

seriously though, i really don't think that the turtles mind too bad, they've kind of learned.... when they go back into the tank, they're more active and less afraid of a crowd. one of them has learned to run in circles when the chamber is full of smoke. if they showed any sign of health deterioration, no one has noticed,,, these two turtles love life, love food, and enjoy people... don't be as alarmed as you are. many people smoke with their pets. and the pets are usually unharmed and unscared. its recreation.... does anyone know about RES breathing habits?

think what you want...it IS defined as cruelty...just because your friend is stupid enough to fry his braincells doesn't mean the turtles want to. I am still thinking TROLL on this whole thread.

YoSoyEseGato wrote:seriously though, i really don't think that the turtles mind too bad, they've kind of learned.... when they go back into the tank, they're more active and less afraid of a crowd. one of them has learned to run in circles when the chamber is full of smoke. if they showed any sign of health deterioration, no one has noticed,,, these two turtles love life, love food, and enjoy people... don't be as alarmed as you are. many people smoke with their pets. and the pets are usually unharmed and unscared. its recreation.... does anyone know about RES breathing habits?

I think that if you really believed all of this, you wouldn't have asked the question in the first place.

I've read that turtles have a great sense of smell and in some countries where turtles come on shore to lay eggs, it is illegal to smoke or build bonfires on the beach during that time.

Sandiegozoo.com says:

Turtles and tortoises do not have ears like ours, but they can feel vibrations and changes in water pressure that tell them where food, or a predator, might be. They do have a good sense of smell, which helps them find food.

Animal Planet's Reptile guide says:

Turtles have good eyesight and an excellent sense of smell. Hearing and sense of touch are both good and even the shell contains nerve endings. Some aquatic turtles can absorb oxygen through the skin on their neck and cloacal areas allowing them to remain submerged underwater for extended periods of time and enabling them to hibernate underwater.

Although you may think that smoking around pets leaves them "unharmed and unscarred" you are wrong. Studies have shown that the effect of smoking (cigarettes, weed, etc.) on humans also causes the same effects on animals. Many animals can develop cancer from secondhand smoke. So just because the animal "seems" unharmed, the damage your friend is doing will be irrepairable if it isn't stopped.

thanks countyr girl, you seem like the only person with some knowledge on this subject, everyone else is too busy wetting their britches about someone else's pets. the fact that turtles can absorb air through skin verifies that these turtles are receiving dosages. you were helpful in answering my question. the frequency of these sessions is rare, it's not like the turtles live in smoke, the chances of cancer are slim, as some smokers have smoked daily for 10+ years. other than smoking, how else can you relate to these turtles?