General Care Discussion :: Under water

[watcher]

Does anybody know how long a RES can stay under water without breathing?I have two at home and see that they are sleeping
under water.

[Kookala]

They hibernate underwater.

[TheComputerGremlin]

They typically sleep underwater. They should wake up periodically and try to get to the surface for air. You can make it easier by putting some resting places just below the water level so they don't have to go so far. Aquarium plants, overturned dishes, or even soap dishes with suction cups on them work well.

[megcornell]

Most RES sleep underwater and periodically come up for air throughout the night.
So long as there is nothing that can trap them underwater or obstruct their path to the surface they won't drown.

[1981camaroz28]

don't forget they can take in oxygen from there shell

[SpotsMama]

Welll, turtles can absorb a small amount of oxygen through the skin on their throats and around their cloacas, but they don't absorb enough to keep them alive when they are active, and they don't absorb any through their shells. If a turtle gets trapped underwater, for instance if he gets stuck on the intake pipe of the filter, for very long he will drown just like you or I would. That's why you need to be sure there's nothing in your turtle's setup that he can get stuck in. Another pretty common place turtles get stuck and drown is between their docks and the wall of the tanks.

When they are hibernating, however, their oxygen needs are very low - much lower than normal. Then, the small amount that they can absorb is sufficient to sustain them.

A normal turtle that isn't trapped will usually sleep underwater. When they need to take a snip of air, they will rise to the surface, breath, then slowly sink back down. This goes on all night.