Crying is something humans do frequently and a lot. In most cases, we do that because we express our emotions – either sadness or pain that we feel. What about turtles? Can turtles cry? And why do they do that? Well, the turtles do cry. Nonetheless, the reasoning behind it is different than in the case of human beings. Turtles are not interested in crying because of emotions – they treat it as functional as it is possible.

To know more about the interesting concept of functional crying, I decided to share my own knowledge and experience with others. It took me quite a lot of years to realize that there is no evidence that turtles ever cried because of pain or because of any other reason that is not related with their anatomy and their physiological as well as biological needs. 

That is why in this article I will tell you the composition of turtles’ tears, the reasons behind crying, the differences between turtles and tortoises, as well as I will ask some of the most frequent questions you guys ask as far as turtles and crying is concerned. 

What are turtle’s tears made of?

The very first thing that comes to mind of many people is the composition of tears. Well, to be honest there are thousands of different micro ingredients that can be found there. However, the majority of it is water, salt, fatty oils, and proteins. Similarly to what people do, tears are a type of fluid that turtles’ eyes release when there is a need. Interestingly, its composition is almost exactly the same as the composition of saliva.

Obviously, there are some other ingredients just as well. A good example is electrolytes. As far as these chemicals are concerned, we can name sodium (the one that is responsible for the salty taste), bicarbonate, potassium, as well as chloride, calcium or even magnesium. As you can see, the true nature of tears is quite a complex one. But what is the reason turtles shed tears?

Why do turtles cry?

Contrary to what people do, turtles do not express their feelings with the use of tears. In the case of these reptiles, crying plays a crucial role in the way their entire organism functions. It is used in one, very important way to make sure that they stay healthy. And it is excreting the excess of salt

While swimming in the sea, they usually drink water to stay hydrated. It is because they are unable to find quick access to fresh water. Since most turtles live in saline environments, they had to figure out the best way to get rid of excess salt, since large amounts of it is poisonous. 

The most important thing that is connected to crying is getting rid of all the salt they gather in their organism. Turtles cannot take too much salt because it would become dangerous to them. To make sure that the excess salt is no longer in their bodies, they cry in order to facilitate the process of removing salt from their body. Humans usually do that by urinating. Unfortunately, turtles cannot get rid of salt through urine. 

What about tortoises?

Interestingly, tortoises also cry. Nevertheless, they are not forced to cry because of the salt they gather in the organism. As we all know, tortoises live on land and there is a much smaller amount of salt. As a result, it is highly unlikely that a tortoise would gather dangerous amounts of salt. Because of that, they do not have to remove excess salt via their tears..

However, tortoises live in environments where there is a lot of dirt. As a result, they need to remove it. Therefore, they cry to get rid of that and to make sure that their eyes are moist. Besides that, crying helps tortoises in the event of strong winds or dry climate. As a result, they are better equipped for staying on land for quite a long time. 

Can turtles cry because of pain?

The first time my pet was laying eggs I noticed that it started crying. At first I assumed that it had to be a painful process. However, as I realized that they do not do that, I understood that it was just a coincidence. Even if laying eggs may cause some discomfort for female turtles, they are not crying because of that.

As you all know, turtles lay their eggs on land. Sometimes it takes longer than usual. Because of that, seeing a turtle outside its natural habitat, namely water, made it easier to witness a turtle crying. Nonetheless, it is not connected with the pain itself. 

Now you know if your turtle cries or not!

Crying is a natural response for turtles. However, it is not the result of emotions or pain as in the case of human beings. The only reason why turtles cry is to make sure their organism functions properly. For the water-oriented reptiles, it is to eliminate excess salt from their body. Tortoises, mainly because of staying on land for most of the time, use tears to get rid of dirt that gets in their eyes and to cope with dry conditions.