How Do Turtles Sleep?04:18

Turtles are some of the most primitive and oldest reptiles in the world. As diurnal animals, turtles are awake during the day, and asleep at night.

As one of the longest living creatures on earth, it may be smart to steal some of their sleeping habits for our own. But how do turtles sleep? How many hours do they sleep and when is too much sleep for your pet turtle?

This article will explore the sleeping habits of turtles and how sleep has helped them live to over 100 years old.

WHEN DO TURTLES SLEEP?

Turtles sleep at night and sometimes during the day. They follow the natural cycle of daylight, which is somewhere between 10 to 12 hours. Though some species only get a few hours of sleep at night, somewhere between 2 to 4 hours, most species are awake when the sun is out, and asleep once it gets dark.

The reason why turtles are awake during the day is that they need UVB light, which can only be sourced from sunlight and other artificial sources of light. Once their environment gets dark and temperatures start to cool, they will close their eyes, and sleep. But of course, because there are many different species of turtles, there are some species that may not follow this sleeping pattern such as the snapping turtle and the stinkpot, which are both nocturnal.

While it is rare for turtles to sleep during the day, they do nap when they are basking. This is especially true when they have just laid their eggs, or when they’re tired and want to rest to get energized.

It is important to note that there may be some differences between a pet turtle and a wild turtle. Pet turtles may have different sleeping patterns when their environment is controlled – such as when they stay in an airconditioned room with no access to natural light. Wild turtles, on the other hand, are exposed to the natural cycle of the day, and thus have a natural instinct to wake during daylight and sleep once the sun goes down.

WHERE DO TURTLES SLEEP?

Turtles sleep in places they believe are safe from predators. In the wild, turtles are incredibly attractive to predators because of their size and slow movements. Birds, mammals, reptiles, and fish prey on turtles, which means turtles are basically considered as food to most predators. In the wild, turtles are eaten by hungry birds, large reptiles, mature frogs, raccoons, coyotes, and foxes. For sea turtles, sharks prey on them. And for pet turtles, some cats and dogs may not intend to eat turtles but when they play, the dog’s teeth can puncture a turtle’s internal organs and get deadly.

Because turtles are preyed on by many kinds of predators in all kinds of environments, they have evolved to sleep in places that protect them from animals that could eat or harm them.

Their sleep location depends on the environment the turtle lives in. For pet animals, of course, an aquarium would be their sleeping spot. In the world, sea turtles sleep on the surface of the water, or beneath the water where they can easily reach the surface for air. For terrestrial turtles in the wild, turtles look for a place where they can easily blend with the environment, such as within rocks, dense vegetation, near rivers where there is sand or mud, and tree stumps.

Turtles love sleeping within rocks because from the predator’s point of view, such as large birds, the turtle’s shell will look like rocks. They also love hiding beneath mud and sand, as well as vegetation where they can easily blend with the environment. They also love sleeping in tree stumps, or any hole on the ground.

HOW DO TURTLES SLEEP?

Turtles sleep with their eyes closed, their head, and legs hidden inside their shell. This natural intent to hide is a way to protect themselves from predators, who would have to break their shell in order to get to the turtle meat for food. There are turtles, however, that don’t hide inside their shell and even have their legs and head out when they sleep. This is usually done by pet turtles who are comfortable in their environment and don’t have fear of any predators.

HOW LONG DO TURTLES SLEEP?

The amount of sleep a turtle needs every day depends on the age, the environment, and the species of turtle. Most adult turtles can get enough sleep with 4 hours, while some need at lest 10 hours of sleep. Baby turtles need more sleep, somewhere between 19 to 22 hours because they need it to help them grow and develop. Furthermore, certain species of turtles, such as the Giant Galapagos requires 16 to 18 hours of sleep per day.

As a turtle age and physical activity slow down, a turtle will most often be found sleeping, even during the day.

TURTLES AND HIBERNATION

Some species of turtles hibernate when the temperature of their environment starts to cool down. In such places, food can be scarce and hunting can be close to impossible, forcing them to hibernate until the warmer seasons.

Turtles who hibernate usually sleep for 3 to 4 months, and typically from October to February, where they wake up in Spring.

HOW DO TURTLES SLEEP UNDERWATER?

Aquatic turtles sleep underwater from 5 to 7 hours but other kinds of turtles can stay underwater for long periods of time as well. Some species can’t stay for more than 30 minutes, but some of them still choose to sleep underwater. They only need to resurface every now and then to get oxygen.

It’s important to note that turtles don’t experience deep sleep as humans do. When turtles sleep, it’s more like a resting kind of sleep, where they are partially aware of their environment. This resting sleep status has helped turtles live up to 100 years because their senses are attuned to the sounds of their environment, such as when a predator is nearby, allowing them to move and find ways to hide.

Going back to aquatic turtles who can sleep underwater for many hours, they usually stay in depths where they can easily resurface to get oxygen. Turtles have the ability to stay underwater for many hours without having oxygen because when they’re sleeping, their metabolism slows down, allowing their bodily functions to slow down as well, requiring less oxygen.

CAN A TURTLE DROWN WHEN SLEEPING?

Yes, a turtle can drown when sleeping underwater if they are part of the species that can’t stay long without oxygen, such as the box turtle. Also, if they sleep underwater and they get trapped, and they’ve exceeded the amount of time they can go without oxygen, then they can drown.

DEFENDING AGAINST PREDATORS WHEN THEY SLEEP

As mentioned earlier, turtles are prey to many kinds of predators, both in the water and on land. They have mastered the art of camouflaging in the wild, allowing them to protect themselves from potential dangers.

When turtles sleep in brush piles or tree limbs, they are placing themselves in a spot where they’re out of reach from aquatic predators such as alligators and reptiles, while also being far from a terrestrial predator. If a predator does spot a turtle on a tree limb, the vibration will cause the turtle to wake up since they’re not really in deep sleep, but still have some semblance of awareness when do close their eyes and as if they are faking sleep.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE WAY PET TURTLES AND WILD TURTLES SLEEP

We’ve touched upon the differences between a pet turtle and wild turtles above but let’s dig deeper into the topic. Pet turtles may have different sleep cycles due to the environment they live in. If you have dim lighting and they’re placed in a cold room, they will have a tendency to sleep more. Whereas, if you place them outside, they will follow the natural cycle of the day, wherein they sleep when the daylight is out, and sleep when the sun goes down.

In terms of differnt kinds of turtles, there are also major differences:

PAINTED TURTLES

Painted turtles are the most widespread native turtles in North America, and are known for their long, oval, and smooth shells. They bury themselves in sand or mud at a bottom of a pond, absorbing oxygen from the water. Their average lifespan is somewhere between 25 to 30 years and can live up to 50 years old. They usually sleep for 4 to 7 hours at night.

SEA TURTLES

Sea turtles sleep on the surface of the water and wedge themselves under rocks or coral outcroppings., They need about 4 to 7 hours of sleep, where they go to the surface and get oxygen, and go back again underwater to continue sleeping. Sea turtles are known to live somewhere between 50 to 100 years old.

BABY TURTLES

Baby turtles need the most sleep as sleep is a large part of their biological makeup when they are so young. Also known as hatchlings, they need about 19 to 22 hours of sleep every day.

BOX TURTLES

Box turtles are another type of North American turtle species. They have a domed shell which is hinged at the bottom, allowing them to easily hide inside their shell tightly. They sleep for an average of 7 to 10 hours per day and are known to live from 50 to 100 years old.

IS THERE A PROBLEM IF YOUR TURTLE IS ALWAYS SLEEPING?

The amount a turtle sleeps depends on the species, age, and their environment. Nevertheless, there are signs that you can check whether or not your turtle’s sleeping patterns can be considered as problematic.

Most baby turtles need more sleep than older turtles because they need to develop. It’s common for baby turtles to sleep for 19 to 22 hours per day. Juvenile turtles are more active and therefore, sleep less than baby and older turtles. Older and senior turtles require more sleep, especially when their activity levels go down.

If your turtle is an adult and usually sleeps an average of 7 hours but it’s suddenly sleeping more than usual. you should check your lighting and room temperature. As mentioned earlier, the colder the environment is, the more sleep a turtle will have. The more light in the environment, the more awake your turtle will be. If you have dark or dim lighting and your temperature is low, then that might explain why your turtle is sleeping more than usual.

In terms of aquatic turtles, a water temperature of 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal, with a basking spot of 85 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

If your turtle is suddenly sleeping more than usual, you’ve changed the lighting and temperature of the room or water in the aquarium, then there may be an underlying health problem. In such cases, it would be wise to bring your turtle to a vet.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Before the onset of electricity, humans slept when the sun went down and awoke when the sun rose in the sky. Today, we sleep when we are no longer working, or when we are no longer enjoying our hobbies or other recreational activities. Sleep is one of the major biological needs of the body but to many people, restful sleep is elusive.

As humans, we might learn a thing or two about the turtle’s sleeping patterns, such as sleeping when it starts to get dark, and sleeping more when we are tired, or when we get older. A change of temperature to a cooler room, or dim lighting or no light at all, might help as sleep, just like how it helps turtles.

If you want to improve your sleeping habits, you might also benefit from a sleep tracker that can determine whether you’re getting the recommended amount of sleep and can help you improve your sleeping habits. While a turtle may have a pet parent who can change the environment for them, humans may not have anyone to make sure they are sleeping properly, but sleep trackers just may do the job.