Turtles can be quite curious creatures. There are a lot of things that can cause strange behaviors, like sticking their legs out. And if you are a new turtle owner strange behavior like this can leave you quite clueless about what you should do. Fortunately for you in this article, I will cover every possible reason why your turtle is kicking with its legs.
Why do turtles stick their legs out? The most common reasons why turtles stick their legs out are:
- The lack of UVB light
- The lack of heat
- Relaxing
- Pregnancy
So this is the shortlist, now let’s go over each reason and get into a little more detail.
The Lack of UVB Light
One of the most common reasons why turtles stick out their legs is the lack of UVB light. By stretching their legs out, they increase the surface that the UVB light covers. Now let’s take a closer look at what UVB light is and why turtles need it.
What is UVB Light and Why Turtles Need It
UVB light is a light spectrum of the UV light that plays a very important role in the life of most reptiles, and that also includes turtles. UVB light plays a vital role in the production of Vitamin D3 which is essential for the calcium in the body.
Without UVB light turtles ( as well as humans and many other species ) wouldn’t be able to get the proper amount of calcium which can lead to improper bone growth, metabolic bone disease, softshell, shell rot, and many other bad things.
Difference Between UVB and UVA Light
When choosing a light bulb you have to be careful not to confuse UVB light with UVA light. UVA light helps regulate behaviors such as feeding, diurnal movement, mating, and similar activities. And while all those things are good, this is not the kind of light bulb that you want to get for your turtle.
How to Solve This Problem
To solve this problem you simply have to buy a UVB light bulb for your turtle. In case you already have one, there is a possibility that it might have run its life course and needs changing. Even if the light bulb still emits light, the UVB rays might have disappeared.
If you want to know more about how to choose a proper UVB light or more about heating and lighting a turtle tank, you should check out this guide: Guide for Lighting and Heating a Turtle Tank and Basking Area.
The Lack of Heat
Another very common reason why turtles stick their legs out is the lack of heat. To ameliorate this problem turtles will stick their legs out to increase the surface area that the heat from the heating lamp covers.
Why Do Turtles Need Heating Light ?
Turtles are cold-blooded reptiles so the temperature of their body depends on the temperature of the environment. So the simplest answer to this is to warm up, this answer might seem too simple at the first glance but in reality, the only reason pet turtles need a heating lamp is to warm up, the light from the UVB light usually takes care of the rest of their needs.
How to Solve This Problem
Solving this problem is quite easy, get a new Heating bulb for your turtle. If you already own one, you might need to get a more powerful one. Here is a quick guide on how to choose the right wattage:
Most heating light bulbs usually have 50, 75, and 100-watt options to choose from. And you can choose the right options by taking into consideration the following things: The size of the basking area, the number of turtles that will be using it, and the size of the turtles.
If you have just one turtle and a relatively small basking area then you will probably need the 50 watts light bulb. But if you have 2 big turtles and a medium-sized basking area then you can go with the 75-watt option. And if you have more than 3 turtles and a big basking area you will definitely need a 100 watt light bulb. In case you have 5+ turtles and a huge basking area then you will find even more powerful bulbs on the market, or you can just buy multiple 100-watt bulbs.
More watts mean more power, and more power means more heat. So basically when you are choosing the wattage of your bulb you are choosing the amount of heat that will be produced.
If you choose a bulb that is too powerful for your turtles, you can easily solve the problem by placing the bulb farther away from the basking area. Unfortunately, this trick doesn’t work too well if you want to place the bulb closer. Even if you put the bulb millimeters away from your turtle it still won’t be able to produce the needed heat in some cases. And placing the bulb too close can be dangerous and unhealthy for the turtle.
Here are the distances that you should put your heat bulbs away from the basking area ( they are not exact, but they will give you a basic idea ):
- If you have a 50 watt bulb you should place it between 6-8 inches away from the basking area.
- If you have a 75 watt bulb you should place it between 7-9 inches away from the basking area
- If you have a 100 watt bulb you should place it between 9-11 inches away from the basking area.
- If you have a 100+ watt bulb you should place it between 11-14 inches away from the basking area.
If you want more information about how to choose a proper heating bulb for your turtle, and some recommendations, you can check out this guide: Guide for Lighting and Heating a Turtle Tank and Basking Area.
Relaxing
Another reason why your turtle is stretching out its legs is that it might simply be relaxing. If you are sure that your turtle has enough heat and UVB light, then this is the most probable reason. If your turtle got used to its environment and feels safe, it might want to relax a little so it decided to stretch its legs, just like we do when we want to lay down and relax a little.
If this is the case you don’t really have to worry about anything, it’s just normal behavior.
Pregnancy
A pregnant turtle will act very strangely, she will stop eating, she will stop basking, she will try to kick things, etc.
When turtles are pregnant they store their eggs inside their bodies, and as you can imagine things can get quite cramped in there. So during this period, they will stretch out their legs more than they usually do
If your turtle is pregnant there is nothing that you can do to make her stop acting strange. You just have to wait and take care of her like you usually do, even if she is not very cooperative.
The first thing you have to do if you want to know if your turtle is really pregnant is to find out if it’s a male or a female. To find out you should read this article that is going to tell you if that’s the case: How to Tell If Your Turtle Is Male or Female.
And if your turtle is a female, and you want to know if she is pregnant, then you should read this article where you will find all the info you need: How to Tell if Your Turtle Is Pregnant.
One important thing about turtles is that they can get pregnant even if there is no male around. The difference is that the eggs won’t be fertilized so no baby will come out of them. So even if you only have a female turtle she can still lay eggs.
Conclusion
So those are the most common reasons why turtles stretch out their legs. I hope you managed to find the answer that you were looking for.
In case you have any more questions you can always leave them in the comment section, and I will do my best to answer them as soon as possible.
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I watched turtle dig hole and lay and cover the hole. Walk across sidewalk to the brick wall, draw legs and head into the shell and roll over the wall to the shore of pond and swim back into the water. How did it know to do that? How did it select a specific spot to lay eggs? It certainly did not climb the wall to that spot. How did it decide its journey to lay and decide another path back to the water? Is that turtle involved after the eggs hatch?
Turtles, including aquatic turtles like the one you observed, have fascinating instincts and behaviors related to nesting and egg-laying. While the specifics can vary between species, many turtles share similar characteristics in these processes. Here’s an explanation of the behaviors you witnessed:
Nesting Site Selection: Female turtles often exhibit site fidelity, which means they return to the same general area or even the same spot to lay their eggs year after year. This is influenced by various factors, including environmental cues and learned behaviors. They prefer locations that offer suitable conditions for egg incubation, such as well-drained soil, sufficient warmth, and protection from predators. In your case, the turtle may have learned to prefer that specific area over time.
Nest Digging and Egg-Laying: The turtle dug a hole to create a nest chamber. This behavior is instinctual, and turtles use their rear legs to dig and create a space for egg deposition. They lay their eggs in the nest chamber and cover it with soil or sand, which helps protect the eggs from environmental factors and predators.
Returning to Water: After laying the eggs, the female turtle will often return to the water. The journey back to the water typically follows a predetermined route based on the turtle’s knowledge of the area. Turtles can be quite resourceful and use their instincts to navigate obstacles.
Post-Laying Behavior: Once the eggs are laid, the female’s involvement generally ends. The eggs are left to develop and hatch on their own, and the young turtles, once hatched, must fend for themselves. The mother does not provide any care or protection to her offspring.
In summary, the turtle’s nesting and egg-laying behaviors are largely instinctual and guided by a combination of environmental cues, genetic programming, and learned behaviors. The mother turtle’s role is to create a suitable environment for her eggs, and after that, the survival of the hatchlings depends on their own instincts and abilities.