Some Turtles Can Hold Their Breath for a Very Long Time
Green sea turtles have an amazing ability to hold their breath. This allows them to stay underwater for up to five hours at a time before needing to surface for air. Even with this ability, they do not dive for more than five minutes at a time when feeding. Being able to stay underwater for that long comes from the turtles’ ability to slow their heart rate. By doing this, up to nine minutes pass between heart beats, which allows for oxygen conservation.
Sea Turtle
Turtles Aren’t the Best Pets
Many people see turtles and tortoises as ideal pets. However, there are many arguments against adopting them as such. The first is the lifespan of a turtle. Considering human life expectancy versus turtle life expectancy, the commitment needed may not be possible. Second, the care they need is very specific and sometimes very expensive. Finally, salmonella bacteria are present in turtles. These bacteria can cause medical troubles that can even put your life at risk. Generally, turtles belong in the wild and not in homes.
A Turtle Being Fed
