General Care Discussion :: question

[Jayqualin]

How long can turtles stay out of water or how long can they survive without any water to drink? :D

[Kallistos]

I'm really curious to why you're asking this question. I'm not really sure, but they shouldn't go w/o a water supply for more than a couple hours if they're under a basking light. If at room temperature I think it'd be safe for maybe 6-8 hours, I mean they'd survive, but I still wouldn't do it...

[d0eb0y]

i really hope this aint the case but i got a feeling his turtle escaped and hes worried about how long he has 2 find it.

[kikicool]

Oh, I hope there isn't an escapee! Mine usually make a bit of noise when they are out. They are always trying to creep behind things and bumping them around.

Well, as a fairly new owner, I've wondered the same thing. I'd like to take them out of the tank more often but I worry that it's too dry, or too chilly. I keep the house at around 70. If they need water that's 75-77, and a basking area that's in the 90s... is 70 too cold for walking around the house? And can I leave them for an hour or two? I have wondered this as well. (RESowner thanks for the answer on time.) Any advise on temp?

[industrial_girl_2000]

One time many yrs ago, I was still living with my parents & we went on vacation. Sheba had somehow managed to climb out of the top of her tank's basking area, onto the kitchen counter (which was next to the top of her tank) and fell about 3.5 feet down onto the linoleum kitchen floor (!). She walked all the way to the back of the house, into my room, and hid under the big pile of stuffed animals I had in my room. The person who was taking care of her at the time was completely freaking out because she comes over to the house to feed Sheba & Sheba was GONE from the tank. The lady called us immediately that evening to let us know, but the good news is that we were coming home the next day. We got home, I went to my room, and the first place I looked was the stuffed animals & there she was.

So if I had to guess, I'd say Sheba was out for 24 hours maximum. Crazy turtle......

Honestly, nowadays I only let her out for a maximum of 8 hours at a time (while I am at work, or maybe overnight). It's good for the shell to completely dry out. And even after 8 hours, Sheba has been peeling lately, and if I peel a scute, there is still water underneath the scute so I know the 8 hour max. is fine. The shell really does hold quite a bit of water in it. BUT, I do not recommend the 8 hours for a turtle that is smaller than 4 inches. They tend to be a little more fragile.....

[kikicool]

Oh my goodness. I just realized that Sheba is sheba of the shoe!! AND sheba who comes when you call her! Your turtle really is a unique little being. And also she rocks!

[BullDog]

I lost Ralph one summer when he was probably ~2 inches. I had both my turts outside in a little "pen" I built out of popsicle sticks, but Ralph escaped. I looked all over, in all the bushes and in both neighbor's yards.

Two weeks later he showed up under the house! He was dehydrated, so we put him in some warm shallow water overnight, and in about a week he had gained his strength back.

I don't think he had any water during that time, because it's usually so dry here, but it was cooler under the house than outside, so maybe that's what helped him survive?

Obviously, you don't want your turt out of water for more than a few hours, but if he/she does get lost, don't give up after a day of looking!

[industrial_girl_2000]

Oh my goodness. I just realized that Sheba is sheba of the shoe!! AND sheba who comes when you call her! Your turtle really is a unique little being. And also she rocks!

Thanks! I love her to pieces. Every now and then she has her moments though....

[Jayqualin]

i really hope this aint the case but i got a feeling his turtle escaped and hes worried about how long he has 2 find it.

No no no no no. ^_^;; It was just a question. My turtle didn't escape. Sorry if it sounded that way..... oh and I'm a girl ok? Thanks for the info everyone.

[industrial_girl_2000]

No no no no no. ^_^;; It was just a question. My turtle didn't escape.

Glad to hear that!

[Hoooneylynn]

kristin, do you have your home "turtle proof"? lol ... thats awesome sheba has so much freedom. I would be scared to leave karlyn unattended, only because she could go under furniture, and I could never reach her. She goes under the couch, and then she stays in the middle because she know I cant get her... lol... and now shes getting so big, she barely clears the bottom of the couch!

[Kai.]

Yea i was just about to ask how you could possibly allow your turtle so much freedom... wouldn't she get stuck somewhere or knock down something glass or scratch a tv or something like that?

[CountryGirl68]

Considering how big Sheba is, I doubt she'd fit under most furniture - especially since Karlyn who is much smaller is already barely able to get under the couch!

[Pizza]

I only worry about two things when my turtles come out of the tank, dropping a few logs/some body fluids, and biting the wires all over the outlets. Which is why I restrict them to the kitchen or in the foyer.

[industrial_girl_2000]

Yea i was just about to ask how you could possibly allow your turtle so much freedom... wouldn't she get stuck somewhere or knock down something glass or scratch a tv or something like that?

Sheba is, quote frankly, very large. And I am a minimalist in my house since I like to try to keep dust to a minimum.....I have a really odd-looking extremely modern sectional couch (if Dali or Picasso ever painted a couch, mine would be it!). Lots of floor space, very little furniture other than my hand-woven chinese sculpted rug, a korean apothecary cabinet (tons and tons of mini-drawers in it), antique piano stool, small bistro-style kitchen table with 2 chairs, and my very modern all-glass TV stand. There really isn't much for Sheba to hide under except the couch and she really has to squeeze to get under there sometimes. The only danger is the door to the basement which I always close when she is out.

So there isn't any trouble she can get into so I just let her roam!