How Long Can a Snapping Turtle Hold Its Breath?

Do you know an amazing thing about snapping turtles? They can hold their breath for a maximum of 30 minutes underwater. Yes, these pet turtles can live underwater and stay underwater for a considerable amount of time.

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There are many unique characteristics of a snapping turtle. For instance, they can grow up to two feet and can live for a maximum of 100 years, provided they get good care. Before bringing this lovely creature home, ensure doing thorough research. That’s because they need special attention and care for ideal growth and health.

This article highlights interesting facts about snapping turtles. From how it holds its breath underwater to whether or not it can survive without oxygen, learn plenty about this creature here. Anyone considering adopting a snapping turtle as a pet at home should read this article first.

How Long Can A Snapping Turtle Hold Its Breath?

Here’s a simple answer for you. They can stay submerged in water during summer for a minimum of 10 minutes or a maximum of six hours. However, this depends on their heart rate and activity level.

Meanwhile, they can stay submerged in water during winter for 3 to 6 months, which means the entire season. However, this also depends on the harshness of the winter and where they are located. With alternative breathing methods like cloacal respiration, they can stay for a long period underwater.

Snapping turtles are capable of holding their breath for up to 100 days with the help of anaerobic respiration. However, they can only hold it for that long during the hibernation or brumation period. The low metabolism of their body during this stage makes it possible.

The environmental condition and temperature influence the metabolism of a snapping turtle. Compared to colder months, the metabolism of these pet creatures is much higher in warmer months. The higher the metabolism, the more the energy requirements of the turtle.

Thus, they end up breathing more often during warmer months. Despite that, these pet turtles can hold their breath for 30 to 50 minutes during warmer months. They especially hold it when they wait for prey to come nearby. However, snapping turtles have to come to the surface for breath.

They have to do so right after 10 minutes if they spend more energy chasing the prey. Meanwhile, if they do not move and stay still, they can undergo a heart rate decline. This enables them to stay submerged in the water without breathing for a maximum of six hours.

How Do Snapping Turtles Breathe Underwater?

As mentioned above, snapping turtles have the ability to hold their breath underwater for an average of 30 minutes. But how can they manage to do so?

This is possible because of their unique adaptations. These little creatures consist of large lungs that enable them to store and retain oxygen. Their skin also allows seamless absorption of oxygen. That’s one of the main reasons why experts recommend keeping snapping turtle pets in clean water.

When underwater, these pet turtles use their cloaca (butt) for breathing. Their butt consists of dense blood arteries. This helps them diffuse oxygen and carbon dioxide in and out of their body.

Nevertheless, sometimes the cloacal (butt) breathing technique can become incapable of meeting the oxygen requirements of the turtle. For instance, the surface of lakes freezes during winter, making it difficult for them to use this breathing procedure.

Let’s say the winter is harsh and cold. In that case, the pond or lake will have a limited oxygen supply. Thus, the snapping turtles won’t be able to extract sufficient oxygen from it. So, it may seem that these creatures have to breathe without oxygen. Is that even possible? Let’s find out in the next section.

Is It Possible For Snapping Turtles To Breathe Without Oxygen?

Yes, snapping turtles breathe or respire without oxygen, as they can undergo the anaerobic respiration procedure. In this process—no matter if there’s no oxygen—the body of the snapping turtle breaks down the glucose stored in it.

Moreover, the chemical reaction metamorphoses energy from the glucose to the cell. Let’s say the snapping turtle is using the anaerobic respiration procedure. In that event, the turtle will experience a deposit of lactic acid instead of water and carbon dioxide.

However, relying excessively on this method can have an adverse impact than good on the turtles’ health. It will result in lactic acid deposits, which will cause muscle cramps and make them drown in water.

But the best part is that snapping turtles are highly enduring in nature. They take no more time to adapt to this respiration method than other turtles. Even with the use of the anaerobic respiration process alone, these creatures can survive for over 100 days.

How Do Snapping Turtles Breathe During Hibernation?

With declining surrounding temperature, the metabolism of the snapping turtle slows down significantly. This is when their heartbeat falls down to 5 beats per minute. (Their normal heartbeat rate is 25 beats per minute).

However, if the temperature degrades and falls even below, these creatures will start preparing themselves for hibernation. When doing so, the heartbeat of the snapping turtle falls down to 1 beat per minute. The lower metabolism of the turtle during winter lowers its oxygen requirements.

Henceforth, these creatures will need considerably less amount of oxygen. Snapping turtles respire via their butt when the temperature is moderately cold (not freezing cold). The butt of these turtle species can absorb oxygen from the water through its dense blood vessels.

Oxygen gets entrapped within a pond or lake when it freezes due to extreme cold weather conditions. Consequently, the dire situation will make it next to impossible for these turtles to breathe oxygen inside the water. Nevertheless, these turtles adapted themselves quite well.

Thanks to evolution and years of adaptation, snapping turtles can perform anaerobic respiration. Thus, they can break the glucose needed by their organs without the use of oxygen. However, as mentioned above, the extensive use of this method can be harmful to their health due to lactic acid deposits.

Can Snapping Turtles Drown In Water?

Yes, snapping turtles–no matter whether baby or adult–can drown. They can drown for many reasons. Firstly, they can drown when the water in the tank is dirty. The dirty water can make breathing difficult for them, and thus, they may eventually drown. That’s why it’s crucial to always put clean water in the tank.

Secondly, these creatures can drown when they get trapped or caught in a net. That’s why it’s crucial to be cautious and alert while handling them as a pet.

Lastly, snapping turtles living in the wild can drown when they rely excessively on the anaerobic respiration method. That’s because it results in excess lactic acid deposit in the muscles, leading to cramps. The cramps make it difficult for them to stay in the water, and thus, they drown.

How Long Can Snapping Turtles Go Without Water?

Not only can they hold their breath for a long time, but snapping turtles can also stay without water for an extended period. Moreover, these turtles can live without water for a couple of months, depending on the surrounding temperature and circumstances.

Nevertheless, every individual intending to adopt a snapping turtle should know that access to water is crucial for these species. They need water to stay hydrated, regulate body temperature, and be healthy.

Conclusion

To conclude, snapping turtles can hold their breath for as much as six hours and as little as 30 minutes. During hibernation, they can hold their breath for several months by switching to the anaerobic respiration procedure.

When adopting a snapping turtle as a pet, get more information about them. Not only this, but also learn about their food habits, environmental condition requirement, and more.