Having a turtle for a pet can be a pretty cool thing, especially when you are going through stress and anxiety. This is because speaking to turtles will go a long way in helping you reduce stress and anxiety. That is, according to psychology.
Now, one thing you might not be too cool with is having to watch your turtle stay in its shell all day without coming out. You might not be cool with this if you are looking for ways to play and have a bonding time with your turtle. We are going to be giving you reasons why your turtle stays in its shell all day and tips to get your turtle out of its shell.
Why Does My Turtle Stay in its Shell?
There are a few reasons why your turtle keeps staying in its shell. Below are a few of the reasons you should consider.
Reason 1: Protection
This is the first reason why your turtle might be hiding in its shell. If the turtle doesn’t feel safe with you, there is a pretty big possibility that the turtle will hide in its shell. The shell serves as safety or protection for the turtle.
You might be wondering why the turtle doesn’t feel safe around you. It could be that the turtle is having issues relating to people. When this happens, it becomes problematic for the turtle to come out of its shell to play with you. If it doesn’t feel safe around you, it will keep hiding in its shell.
Reason 2: Hunting
You might be wondering how a turtle can hunt its prey by hiding in its shell. It sounds incredible, right?
Well, you should know that some turtles hide in their shell to disguise themselves. The prey would think it is probably a rock or a lifeless thing. With this assumption, the prey then moves much closer to the turtle.
By moving close to the turtle, and possibly trying to enter its shell, the turtle catches the prey, possibly a rodent or something, and has it for a meal. Disguising inside its shell is one reason the turtle stays inside its shell.
How to Get a Turtle Out of its Shell
There are different things you can do to get your turtle out of its shell. Below is a list of things you should consider doing if you are trying to get your turtle to come out of its shell.
Step 1: Try being Calm and Gentle
This is the first thing you need to do if you are trying to get your turtle out of its shell. It could be that the turtle keeps hiding in its shell because it doesn’t feel comfortable around you. You need to try to be calm and gentle around the turtle. The moment you do this, the turtle might begin to start coming out of its shell after a while.
You will not bring any success trying to shout or frighten the turtle out of its shell. The more you do this, the more time the turtle will stay inside its shell. The only method to getting the turtle out is by being calm, reassuring, and gentle.
Step 2: Remove Everything That Might Agitate the Turtle
It takes more than being calm and gentle to get the turtle out of its shell. You also need to look around to confirm if there is anything that might make the turtle keep staying in its shell. You need to look out for the presence of predators, loud music, TVs, cats, dogs, and other things.
If there are any animals around, you need to take your time to clear them out. By clearing them, you create a calm and relaxing environment for your turtle. When your turtle feels calm and relaxed, the tendency for it to come out of its shell is much increased.
Step 3: Give Her a Treat
If there is one thing you should know about animals, it is the fact that they always remember people that were nice to them. This work with dogs, cats, birds, and a lot of other animals. The same thing applies to your turtle.
If you want your turtle to feel comfortable around you, you need to give it a treat anytime you come around to play with it. When you do this, the turtle begins to look forward to the next time you are coming.
The moment you come around next time, you won’t meet a shy turtle. you will meet a turtle who is outgoing and ready to play with you.
Can You Take a Turtle Out of its Shell Without Killing It?
There is no way you can take a turtle out of the shell without killing it. While some people wrongly assume that the shell is removable, I will advise you not to even think about having such an idea or trying it out on your turtle. The moment you do this, you will end up killing the turtle.
This is because the shell is part of the turtle’s exoskeleton. No matter how skilled you are, There is no way you can remove the exoskeleton without doing damage to the life of the turtle.
Can Turtles Feel Pain in Their Shell?
Yes, turtles can feel pain in their shell. Do not wrongly assume that the shell is just a home that is immune to any type of pain. This is wrong. The shell of a turtle isn’t just a home. It is also part of their body and any damage done to the shell is felt in every part of their body.
The amount of pain a turtle feels also largely depends on the amount of damage you inflict to the shell. If you hit the shell, it is as good as trying to kill the turtle. Do not hit your turtle or any other turtle in general in the name of trying to confirm if they feel pain
How Do I Know if My Turtle Is Dying?
There are different ways to know if your turtle is sick or dying. Below are things you should watch out for when it comes to the health and well-being of your turtle
– Lack of Appetite
Animals love food. The moment you notice that your turtle isn’t eating, you should begin to be worried as it is a sign that there is something wrong somewhere. You need to take your turtle to the vet as quickly as possible as lack of appetite is a sign that your turtle is dying.
– Respiratory Infection
This is another thing you should keep in your mind if you are checking the health and wellbeing of your turtle. The moment you notice that your turtle is coughing or sneezing too often, it is a sign that your turtle is sick.
You need to take your turtle to the vet as soon as possible if it is a respiratory infection. This is because respiratory infections kill turtles a lot.
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Conclusion
There are different reasons why your turtle might not be too comfortable with coming out of its shell. A few of these reasons have been discussed in the article above. We have also discussed the things you can do to get your turtle out of its shell.
Lastly, you should know that turtles can feel pain and it isn’t possible to separate a turtle from its shell. A lot of information you need about turtles have been discussed in this article.
