Turtles are considered to be slow animals, and if we talk about the metabolism of turtles, they have slow metabolism even under normal conditions. We all know very well that turtles do not eat too much food. They just require little food to survive. If you have a pet turtle with you, then you must feed him only every three days. But keep this thing in mind that it is the only case with the adult Turtle. Young turtle’s diet is different than adult turtles.
These types of questions come into your mind if you have a pet turtle and have to go on a trip or vacation. Usually, the adult turtles can live for months without eating anything, but they are different than the Juvenile turtles or baby Turtle. It is difficult for the baby turtles to survive without food, especially the proteins.
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Hibernation
Turtle undergo hibernation, just like many animals. In the turtles, the hibernation is commonly called brumation. Usually, the animals undergo hibernation in the winter season. However, if we talk about the pet turtle, they do not undergo brumation because they eat the food all the time given by their owners. Also, the owners of the pet turtles maintain the temperature in the aquarium, and they are under the healthy UV light all around the year.
How long can turtles go without eating?
We all know very well that turtles are different than the other animals and if we talk about their eating habit, then they do not eat much. Especially, the adult turtles eat less than the Juvenile or young turtles. If you are thinking of going on a trip or on vacation for a longer time, then you have some questions in your mind that if you leave turtles for a longer period, can they survive without eating or how long they will survive without eating?
To answer this question, you must keep in mind that it depends on the species of the turtle and also its age. If a turtle’s age is less than one year, then it will survive less without eating. Also, the hibernating species of the turtle is one year old; then, it will survive for only two weeks without eating, whereas the elder individual can live for 12 weeks without eating.
If we talk about the hibernation period, then the turtles can survive without food for months generally. In the hibernation period, the metabolism rate is low, and the turtle saves its energy by reducing its overall activity. So when they save energy, the fats are also used for a longer period of time during hibernation. So, generally, the turtle can survive without eating for about five months with no food.
How long can turtles go without water?
It depends on the environmental conditions in which the turtles are surviving. Above we have discussed brumation, but it is somewhat different from hibernation because, in brumation, the turtles undergo the state of inactivity with a low temperature of the body when the temperature falls below 7 degrees centigrade. However, they become active again when the temperature increases.
At this critical time, the turtles need water to survive as they can survive for a longer time without food, but they cannot survive without water.
As we all know that turtles are considered aquatic animals, so they cannot survive without water. Water is necessary for their bodies to hydrate. If you have a pet as a turtle, you can take it out of the water, but only for 30 minutes. After that, you have to put it back into the tank full of water.
So to prevent the turtles from dehydration, you must keep it under the water as they may lose their weight when they are out of the water. So, turtles can survive without water for hours. Also, the adult can even survive for days without water, but it all depends on the humidity, temperature, and especially the species of The Turtle.
How long can red eared sliders go without food?
Usually, people keep red-eared sliders as the pet. They are very beautiful, having red ears, and have a sense of attraction for The Turtle lovers. If we talk about the red-eared sliders, then they can survive without food for months. However, if we talk about the wild turtle then they do exactly the same thing when they are in the hibernation stage.
So, in the hibernation period called brumation, the turtles are inactive and have low metabolism and temperature. So, they can survive without food for months.
But if we talk about the red-eared slider which is kept by their owners, have a constant supply of food. Also, the owners maintain the temperature environment inside the tank full of water. Also, they are given a consistent UVB light all the time. So, usually, the red-eared turtles in captivity do not show any kind of hibernation.
Also, keep this thing in mind that red-eared sliders can only go for weeks or months without water if they have a constant supply of water to drink and to swim. This water will keep them away from dehydration and weight loss. Also, the turtles must have access to the heat lamp, basking area, and UV light along with the clean water, if they are surviving without food.
How long can red eared sliders go without water?
Red-eared sliders must be in the water. If you keep it out of the water, it is highly recommended to take the turtle out of water for only 2 to 4 days.
Usually, the red-eared slider turtle has the ability to stay on the land because it has lungs just like humans. But if he wants to eat something, then it cannot swallow without water.
So, the question arises in your mind that how long a red-eared slider can go without water. The answer is clear that these turtles can survive for only two to four days without water.
The red-eared sliders spend 75% of their life in water. So they cannot survive for a longer time without water. However, they get out of the water for basking so that the skin dries out. But it is for a shorter period unless and until the turtle has to go in the water to survive itself.
However, if you provide the water to these turtles for some time, they can survive. This is because many types of these turtles go for land migrations, but they have to be in the water to eat and defecate.
How long can a hatchling turtle go without eating?
Hatchling turtles are very small in size, and usually, they are kept in a small aquarium or plastic tubs. Usually, people kept these turtles in the plastic tubs because they are very cheap and work very well for making these turtles as temporary homes for them.
Now, we talk about the meeting of the hatching turtle. The hatching turtles do not eat frequently, and it is difficult to get these turtles towards eating. Usually, in the first two weeks, they survive because of their yolks. Usually, people get worried about hatchling turtle that they are not eating in the first week. This is because they are dependent on their yolk and sustain because of these yolks.
Hatchling turtles are much more attracted to the live insect. So giving them live insects such as Black worms, blood worms, mosquito larvae, etc. is a good choice.
Sometimes, the live insect is not available, so you can try the frozen one. Usually, the favorite insect of hatching turtle is brine shrimp and daphnia. The baby turtle or hatchling turtle can survive a couple of days without water. They cannot survive a week or two without food. Here, I am talking about the hatchling turtle, but if we talk about the small adult turtle, then they can go longer, especially if they are undergoing brumation.
How long can snapping turtles go without eating?
Snapping turtles are large in size. They are the American turtles who usually catch their prey with the help of snapping. That’s why they are called the snapping turtle. Usually, they bite or scratch when the human or any other living thing comes near him. When the food is not available, then the turtles get the food source from the fat pad present in their body. In the stage of hibernation or brumation, they require less food as it is the stage of inactivity. So they can survive without food for much duration when the food is not available.
Usually, the snapping turtle goes without food for several months. But it is highly recommended that if you are the owner of snapping turtle then you cannot leave it without food for more than some weeks. It also depends that if you had your snapping turtle with the regular food, then it can survive for 5 to 6 months without eating.
It also depends on the age of the turtles as well as the species of the turtles that how much time they can go without eating. In the stage of brumation, when the turtle is not doing any physical activity and has low body temperatures, then they can survive without food for 2 to 3 years.
How long can you leave a tortoise without food?
We all know very well that tortoise and many other reptiles are different from dogs and cats. They do not eat too often. Even this thing of forcing them to eat all the time is dangerous for their health. They usually go to temporary states of suspended animation, usually called brumation. Just like other animals who undergo hibernation or brumation has the ability to recover from this suspended animation state.
There are many factors on which it depends on how long a tortoise will survive if you leave him without food. It depends on the size of the tortoise, the species of the tortoise, its overall health, and age, etc. Also, keep in mind the process of hibernation or brumation in tortoise and turtles. At the stage of brumation, when the tortoise is inactive and has low temperatures, they need less or no food and can survive for a longer period of time.
Normally, the adult turtle who is also healthy can live for as much as six months to 3 years without food. At this time, they must have access to drinking water and other needs.
How long can a baby turtle go without food?
The adult turtles have more stamina than the baby turtles, and they can live without food for a longer period. The case is different in baby turtles at if they have no supply of food, they cannot survive for a longer time.
Usually, the baby turtles less than six months old need daily protein intake and vegetables. However, proteins are the major part which the baby Turtle needs if you have it as a pet.
The turtles who are 6 to 12 months old usually feed on vegetables every day, whereas you should give them proteins every other day. The baby turtles cannot survive for a longer period because they need protein regularly and other food more frequently than adult turtles.
If we talk about the small adult turtles, then they can survive for a longer time because they undergo the stage of brumation. However, baby turtles must need water all the time because it is very necessary to prevent themselves from dehydration. If the water is not available along with the food, then survival becomes much more difficult. When the water availability is not there, the growth rate in baby turtles is also reduced.
So, normally the baby turtles can survive for one week or two without food and a couple of days without water. However, when they are not in the brumation stage, they need water and food as their daily routine.
Factors affecting how long turtles can survive without food and water
There are many factors on which how long turtles can survive without food and water. The factors are very important in the life of the turtles.
Accessible Sources of Water
The tortoises or turtles must have accessible sources of water. The tortoise can survive for a longer period of time if they have enough water for drinking and swimming. However, if they have ample access to water, then it will cause problems in the long run. It can cause many health issues such as kidney failure, renal system backup, etc.
Age of the Turtle
The age of the turtles or tortoise also matters a lot as the Juvenile Turtles do not recover from the difficulties than the adults. The young Turtles only survive for a few weeks to one month without food, whereas the adult turtles can survive for a longer time without food and water.
Accessible Heating and UV
If the tortoise has no food to eat but access through heating and UV light, then it is helpful in survival. If the tortoise has access to both the UVA and UVB light and gets enough heat, then it can survive for much time with minimal health issues.
The Species
The species of the tortoise also matters a lot, especially when they are in the brumation stage and can survive for a longer time without food. Many species of tortoises such as Russian tortoises, spur-thighed, Hermann’s tortoise, and marginated tortoises usually undergo hibernation and can survive without food and water.
Meal Spacing
As we all know that Turtles and reptiles are cold-blooded animals, and therefore they are different than mammals and birds. They do not eat as much as the humans eat. It is necessary to put some time between each meal so that the tortoise digestive system does not get disturbed. We call this thing meal spacing, as it is very important in the case of Turtles and reptiles.
What do I do with my tortoise when I go on vacation?
Whenever you go out for a holiday or a long vacation, you have questions in your mind that where to keep your tortoise, as leaving them alone is not a good choice. You can also take them to the boarding or a friend. Professional pet sitter or family pet sitting can also take into account.
So the main question is what to do with your pet tortoise when you go on the vacations. Sometimes, it is not possible to have someone check on your tortoise or take care of it when you leave. What are the common problems when keeping the tortoise is that they are very little or not for a few days? Also, the owners of the pet tortoise worry about water availability because if the water tank is open from the above, then there is a danger of evaporation of the water. Also, if the tank is closed, the water becomes dirty as the tortoise owner keeps on changing the water frequently.
So, you must go for the small pet boarding services to take care of your tortoise or put it in your friend’s house for some days where he or she will take care of it.
Conclusion:
Turtles and tortoises have the ability to live without food and water for certain periods. They usually can survive without food for a longer time, especially when they go in the stage of brumation. However, at this time, when the food is not available, they must have access to the water to prevent themselves from dehydration and less growth. The survival of tortoises and turtles without water is less. Usually, the turtles and tortoises can survive without water for less period of time. In this article, we try to cover of your questions regarding turtles and tortoise. So if you have a pet as a turtle, this article will help you a lot regarding their diet and survival without food and water, especially when you are out for a longer time or go out for vacations.
Hey, I work as a manager of a pet store in Texas. Dealing with a variety of pets is not only part of my job but also my passion. These adorable, loving creatures are so excited when they find their new home. However, many new pet owners struggle in taking care of their pets and come up with a lot of queries every day. So, based on my knowledge and experience, I am using this platform to address major issues faced by pets, their food options, grooming techniques and so on. The major issue I addressed is that most of the part-owners prefer to surf through the Internet instead of going directly to the vet. And the worst part, they are rattled with multiple types of information available there. So, my target is to provide authentic information with my experience. Walkthrough my blogs and ask any of your queries. I would love to help!
