One of the most frequent words you will hear when learning about pet turtle care is basking. It is one of the most important elements of turtle care and is essential for the health of a turtle. In today’s article, we will discuss how long turtles can go without basking, as well as why it is important in the first place.
How long can a turtle go without basking?
A turtle can only go 1-2 weeks without basking before they will start to experience serious health defects.
For some turtles, basking is even more important than eating. While there is no need to worry about a turtle not basking for a couple of days, you should never let a turtle go longer than a week without basking.
Why do turtles need to bask?
Turtles need to bask for multiple reasons. These include body heat, drying off their shell, and vitamins.
Body heat
Turtles are naturally cold-blooded animals. While this can suit them well when they are underwater, turtles need to retain heat in order to have a healthy metabolism. While some turtle can actually bask while they are in the water, it is not as effective because water does not retain heat as well as a land surface. This is why turtles prefer to bask on a warm, dry area.
Dry off shells
While having a wet shell is usually not an issue, it is still important that a turtle dries their shell off every now and then. For starters, it can help dry off algae that is stuck to their shell and cause it to fall off. Additionally, drying off their shell helps prevent fungal and bacteria infections. This is because both of these thrive in wet conditions. Additionally, drying their shell can help protect turtles from parasites.
Its important that your turtle’s shell doesn’t get too dry, as this can also make it weak. If you think your turtles shell is too dry, you should check out my article on how to moisturize a turtle shell.
Vitamins
One of the most important vitamins that turtles acquire when basking is vitamin D3. Turtles get D3 from UV-B light, and it helps their bones and other body parts grow. Additionally, turtles can absorb calcium while basking, which is very important for maintaining a healthy shell.
What happens if a turtle goes too long without basking?
There are many problems that will arise if your turtle does not bask enough. They might develop a bacterial or fungal infection, and their shell might start rotting. When this happens, their shell starts to deteriorate, and it can even cause your turtle to die.
Additionally, a lack of vitamin D3 can lead to bone diseases as well as a stunt in growth. This is especially true for younger turtles.
How much should your turtle bask?
There is no magic number for how much your turtle should bask, but I would generally say they should bask for at least a couple hours a day. Sometimes my turtle will only bask for an hour or two, and the next day he might bask for 10 hours.
The most important thing is that you have an accessible basking area for your turtle that has access to both UV-A and UV-B lights.