Turtles are interesting creatures, often regarded as the calmest and most empathetic. When kept as pets, they can be wonderful companions. While not all turtles make good pets, some do, and they can be an appealing option. Some people are sociable, while others are reserved. Turtles are also known for having a longer lifespan, and in some cases, they may live longer than humans. They rarely die, and when they do, determining whether or not they are truly dead is one of the most perplexing aspects.
It’s perplexing because turtles can die with their eyes open in some cases. I know it sounds strange, but research has shown that turtles can die while their eyes are still open. While not every turtle dies in this manner, some do, and because of its calm nature, it is difficult to confirm. Continue reading if you’re curious about how and why turtles die, as well as what happens after they die.
How do turtles die?
It is critical that you understand the causes of your pet’s death before dealing with their death. Turtles can die for a variety of reasons, including dehydration, old age, illness, drowning, and poor habitat. We often have no idea why our pets die, which is extremely sad because we have to deal with both the loss of our pets and the uncertainty about what caused their death.
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When your turtle remains motionless with its eyes closed and does not react to touch or light, it’s time to take it to the nearest pet clinic. When they are not responding, even with their eyes open, you should seek medical help and confirm that they are alive.
Turtles, like all other living things, will lose their sensitivity, movement, and their skin will sink, emit foul odors, and begin to decompose when they die. While these are the telltale signs of a turtle’s death, you can’t just sit there and wait for them to die. If you notice that something is wrong with your pet, you should seek medical help as soon as possible.
Because turtles have such a long life span, it is extremely rare to see one die. Turtles kept as pets have the same lifespan as those living in water and forest areas. However, if your pet is dying, the above-mentioned scenarios, on the other hand, could be the cause of your turtle’s death.
While knowing the reasons behind your turtle’s death may help you cope, the way that they died might help you understand better. When a turtle dies, all of its bodily functions, including brain, heart, and movement, come to a halt. The breathing will stop, and all life functions will come to a halt. This occurs when a turtle reaches old age or succumbs to illness.
There might be cases where turtles experience sudden death, due to a heavy injury or an unavoidable attack. In such cases of sudden death, you can deduce the causes and injuries and use them to confirm the death.
Do turtles really die with their eyes open?
There are some cases where you can see your turtle’s eyes are wide open in both cases, sudden death and death due to old age or illness. This may make it difficult to determine whether it is truly dead or simply hibernating. The majority of the time, turtles die with their eyes closed, but there are some instances where your turtle can be seen with its eyes open but not moving or reacting.
There are also instances where turtles’ eyes are closed and they appear to be dead, but they are not. As a result, confirming your turtle’s health status with their eyes may not be very helpful, as they have a calm and composed personality and rarely react.
Dead or hibernating: How do I know?
Turtles, like other animals, go into hibernation. If you’re unfamiliar with hibernation, let’s start here. Hibernation is the process of becoming dormant or inactive for a period of time, usually the winter. It is considered a resting period, and most animals appear to be dead (but are not actually dead) during this time. The time gap varies depending on the situation, but it is usually 6 months.
When you notice your turtle hibernating or brumating, know that they are simply resting and that you should not disturb them. They rest and do not eat or drink water when they brumate. This happens when the weather is mild and they bury themselves in a warm place. During brumation, turtles lose weight because they don’t eat much. Going into brumation when a turtle is sick is not a good idea because the health of the turtle may deteriorate during the process. However, it can be difficult to tell whether they are alive or not during brumation.
While certain aspects of your turtle’s life, such as breathing, coldness, and sensitivity, can help you clear your doubts, confirmation is often required. Brumation is a natural part of your pet’s life, however, if you’re new to the world of rising pet turtles, you can learn more about it and the signs that can help you confirm your pet’s death.
Turtle death: 5 signs to look for:
A lack of response:
Even when brumating, the majority of turtles are aware of their surroundings and stimulating behaviors. You can take advantage of it to see if your pet is still alive. Pull the legs of your turtle or flip it over. They should respond, and if they don’t, wait a few minutes before confirming the bad news.
Low body temparature:
When turtles die, their bodies become extremely cold. If you feel cold while carrying your turtle, you can assume it has died. However, you can’t tell if it’s dead just by looking at it because turtles have a low body temperature when they’re brumating. Look for other signs as well.
Foul smelling odor
Unless they are dead, turtles do not emit a foul odor. You can check the other signs and confirm that your turtle is dead if you notice a foul odor coming from it.
Sunken Eyes:
When your turtle is laying motionless on the ground, pay attention to its eyes. Because turtles can die with their eyes open in some cases, you can confirm the death by observing your turtle’s sunken eyes.
Flies and maggots:
Unless a body is devoid of life, flies and maggots will not cover it. You can confirm your turtle’s death if you notice a swarm of flies and maggots on its body.
Conclusion
It’s difficult to cope with the loss of a beloved pet. Pets, on the other hand, can have a good life if we provide them with enough care and attention, as we all know. They can be our ideal companions, and they will try to console us in times of need. Turtles are wonderful creatures with a calm demeanor. They will stick with you and keep you in good shape if you treat them well. As a pet owner, the best thing you can do is take good care of your pets until they pass away.