Basking in the sun is definitely one of the most important things that turtles do. These reptiles need that in order to raise the temperature of their body and get enough ultraviolet lights to provide their body with the necessary amounts of vitamins and minerals. However, in some cases turtles may need to leave this activity just to survive or, simply, to avoid predators.
What is more, in the case we are not prepared for a UV bulb failure, then the habitat we created for the turtle will most certainly be exposed to temperatures that are lower than the turtle likes and accepts. In such a situation you will definitely look for an alternative. But can your turtle go without basking? The answer is yes, but not for too long if you don’t want to expose it to very dangerous consequences.
Why do turtles need to bask in the sun?
Turtles are cold-blooded animals. They can’t regulate the temperature of their body. Instead, they have to readjust to the temperature by either cooling themselves or warming up. Cooling is quite easy – they simply get into the water and after a while they are all set. Sometimes the problem is with getting enough warmth to stay healthy.
That is why they came up with a san basking method, which is basically sunbathing that we all do. Except turtles treat it as a necessity to stay healthy and alive, whereas people do it for the tan and to relax. Interestingly, the appropriate place, where there is a lot of space and it is not covered with leaves and other objects that cover the sun with shade, is not that easy to find. However, they usually figure it out by either changing the location or with the use of stacking.
Basking in the sun provides them with warmth, and that is an obvious reason for doing that. Nonetheless, there are some other ways of getting warm like, for example, staying on the stone that once was in the sun or, simply, piling up with other turtles. The other reason why turtles have to bask is UV light. You see, to maintain strong bones and keep their shell in the best condition possible, they need to have a lot of calcium. However, to utilize that mineral, they require a lot of vitamin D3. The moment the skin is exposed to UVB rays, it creates Vitamin D, which is later on converted into Vitamin D3.
Is it possible for a turtle to live without basking?
Well, turtles will definitely survive without basking for a few days. Some sources say that it is possible for a turtle to live more than 20 days without basking. Nonetheless, such a long time without getting UBV light or warmth from the sun will most certainly cause serious health complications later on.
So, even if it is possible for a turtle to stay alive, we have to remember that usually turtles bask once a day. Obviously, sometimes it happens every other day. Nonetheless, not basking longer than 3 days is definitely a problem. What is more, we should address that issue once we figure out that the turtle hasn’t been basking for days.
Things that happen if your turtles don’t bask for too long
Unfortunately, there are plenty of issues that can happen to a turtle that does not bask. Generally, their lifespan will significantly decrease, since basking is crucial for keeping a healthy and long life.
The true problems the turtles will have concern the shell and the bones. The shell is an organ and just like for human beings, keeping it healthy is incredibly important. Sadly, without UVA and UVB, the turtle’s shell will not be able to strengthen its shell. No UVA/UVB light, no way to assist calcium absorption, no way to keep it hard and free from infections and other problems.
Similarly to what happens to the shell, the same thing will happen to the bones. Inability to absorb large amounts of calcium will sooner or later weaken the bones and make it much easier for a turtle to get an injury.
Let’s also not forget about the fact that their daily routine is heavily rooted in daily sun basking. If a turtle doesn’t have the opportunity to bask, it will definitely influence the rest of its daily routine like, for example, eating, diurnal movement, and others. As a result of that, it will become scared and stressed out. Besides that, no warmth from sun basking will lead to troubles with paradistes, since the sunlight was there to get rid of them. Without the sun (or other source of UV light with similar parameters), the turtle will not be able to fight off the parasites.
To sum up, if your turtle do not sun bask, you risk such consequences as the following:
- Inability to take care of its shell and bones;
- The risk of having parasites;
- Erratic behavior;
- Decreased lifespan.
Here are the reasons why your turtle may not bask!
First of all, make sure that you provide a turtle with all the necessary tools to sun bask. See whether the stone you brought or any other homemade basking area is encouraging enough for your pet. Besides that, adjust the temperature of the water. If it is too hot, your turtle will not feel the need to bask, even if it means a lot of problems. Turtles need to regulate their own temperature, and therefore having cold water and a hot basking area is a way to go.
Obviously, not enough sun basking may be the result of a wide range of other reasons and it is up to you to figure out what is going on with the turtle. If none of the tips provided in this article is helping, I recommend visiting a veterinarian to understand what is the reason for your turtle to not sun bask.
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