redearslider.com

Sorry, generally I get peoples attention by using that, obviously it worked.

Anyhoo, I'm a first time turtle owner, and I have a slightly stupid question to ask, but it must be done so I don't go to worrying frantically.

When turtles sleep, is it supposed to be underwater, do they come up for air? What's the breathing habit of a sleeping RES basically. I know I'm probably just freaking out, but hey, it's for the best!


... I hope

I dont know what their breathing habbits are but I asked a similar question. Some do infact sleep underwaterm my hatchling likes to sleep on his/her fake plants under water or he/she will sleep on the dock sometimes.

BTW, nice avatar ;-p

Also can we see a pic of your lil/big one ?

Most do like to sleep underwater. Sometimes they'll sleep or nap on their basking platforms. Watch your turt while he/she sleeps underwater. A turtle can can hold his/her breath for a long, long time, but every so often he/she will slowly rise to the surface, stick his/her nose up to get a sniff of air then sink slowly back down.

Thanks so much! I'll post a picture of the little hoodlums as soon as I can manage to get on my home computer. Darn school and their lack of... turtles! D:

I remember the the first night I brought home my RES. When he was a hatchling, his tank was in my room and I would get up every one or two hours to make sure he didn't drown in his sleep. But now I know that they can hold their breath for a really long time, so it doesn't worry me anymore.

My turtle seriously sleeps with his nostrils only sticking out of the water. I have a few resting places in the tank, so he picks whichever he likes for the night, sticks his nose up, and off to sleep!

Spike has a couple of places he likes to sleep, three that I have seen so far. For some reason though he always sleeps vertically with his rear legs hanging down, which just looks very uncomfortable, and about an inch below the top of the water. Then he just has to extend his neck all the way out to take a breath without moving his body.

I actually noticed last night that my turtle was sleeping at the bottom of the tank. I got really freaked out and turned the lights on in hopes to wake him up so he'd go up and get some air. He started moving a little bit and then I noticed him swimming around with eyes still closed trying to locate the top of the tank. It was too cute.

But yes, turtles do indeed sleep underwater.

All my turtles sleeps underwater.. never see them sleeping at basking area.. huhu.. just for the hatchlings, sometimes I see my two girls sleeping hanging at the fake plant..