| How long have turtles been around? |
| Turtles along with tortoises have been on earth since before the dinosaurs! |
| Why do the live such a long time? |
| They live so long because the important parts of their bodies do not weaken with age. They continue to grow, very slowly, as along as they live. Their bodies do not need much energy to survive and they can live for long periods without food or water |
| What's the difference between turtles and tortoises? |
| Tortoises live on the land and do not swim. They have high domed shells and thick, heavy scales on their front legs, that can be used to shield their faces. Because they walk on land, they have round, sturdy legs. Their back feet have four toes. Turtles are swimmers. They have flatter shells that are without the thick, heavy scales on their front legs. Unlike tortoises, turtles can pull both their head and legs completely into their shells. Because they can swim, they have webbing between their toes. Unlike tortoises they have five toes on their back feet |
| Why do turtles lay so many eggs? |
| Female turtles lay their eggs on sandy beaches, they bury them in deep pits. Each turtle lays 100 or more eggs, many of these eggs are dug out by scavengers and young turtles, that don't hatch are often eaten by predators. By laying so many eggs, the turtle makes sure that a few will survive |
| How many kinds of turtle are there? |
| There are over 260 types of turtle. |
| What is the largest turtle? |
| The Leatherback Sea Turtle is the largest, they can reach 6-8 feet in length and weigh between 1,200-1,500 lbs. They are dark green or black skinned turtle, often speckled with white or pink blotches |
| How long can turtles stay under water? |
| Most sea turtles can say under water for around 45 minutes and green turtles can stay submerged for up to five hours! |
| What should I feed my turtle? |
| Firstly,
it is important to know what species you are feeding, the diet and
care is determined by the natural habitat of the turtle. By reproducing
the natural diet as much as possible, the turtle will be happier
and healthier. The following can be fed to turtles: - Apples - Bananas - Blackberries - Carrot Tops - Chickweed - Crickets - Dandelion - Earthworms - Grapes - Green beans - Peas - Snails - Sweet Potatoes |
