Picture courtesy of Tracy Angus-Hammond
What the variations are between a turtle and a tortoise is a standard query for individuals to ask unique pet retailer house owners. And it is truly a extremely necessary query to ask, particularly in the event you’re planning to buy a turtle or tortoise. That is as a result of though these two animals look extraordinarily comparable, they’ve very completely different wants from one another.
So if you are going to be taking dwelling a brand new tortoise or turtle, you may wish to discover out which one you have bought and what its specific wants are. Here is what you might want to know concerning the variations between these two chelonians…
First, what the heck is a chelonian? Some type of alien?
Chelonian refers back to the order of reptiles which have shells. All chelonians have shells, and each turtles and tortoises are included on this group.
Talking of phrases, the phrase turtle can consult with all chelonians. Technically talking, tortoises are a specific kind of turtle. Nevertheless, when most individuals speak about turtles vs. tortoises, they’re utilizing the phrase turtle to imply all the chelonians that aren’t tortoises. So, to make issues much less complicated it is simpler simply to name them chelonians while you’re speaking about the entire group and depart the phrases turtle and tortoise to explain the 2 primary subcategories of chelonians.
If we’re being actually particular although, after we say “turtle” what we’re actually speaking about is aquatic turtles, which brings us to the primary distinction between turtles and tortoises.
Turtles swim and tortoises do not
Aquatic turtles are nicely outfitted to swim. Tortoises, alternatively, are land animals. The truth that they appear so comparable to one another could make this a giant downside. There have been many instances of individuals throwing tortoises into massive our bodies of water, considering that they are saving a turtle. However tortoises are usually not outfitted to swim, and most of them, when thrown into a big physique of water, will merely sink to the underside and drown.
Below splendid situations that contain the scale and weight of the tortoise, and the way calm the water is, some tortoises handle to drift and drift till they arrive again to land. However this isn’t a protected or pure conduct for tortoises.
Within the subsequent sections will get into the physiological variations that designate why turtles swim and tortoises do not.
Totally different shells
Though each turtles and tortoises have shells, in the event you actually have a look at them, you’ll see that their shells are usually not formed fairly the identical. Tortoises have a heavy, dome-shaped shell that’s not good for swimming.
Turtles, alternatively, have flatter, extra streamlined shells that assist them glide by the water with out being weighed down.
Totally different legs and toes
After all, shell variations may be delicate in the event you don’t actually know what you’re . The higher solution to inform the distinction is to have a look at the reptile’s toes.
Turtles have flippers and a few claws. The flippers are what make them so good at swimming.
Tortoises, nonetheless, have legs and toes that type of appear like these of elephants (solely a lot, a lot smaller). Their legs are clearly made for strolling throughout land, and never swimming. You’ll additionally see clawed toes on their toes, relatively than simply the couple of claws on aquatic turtles toes.
Totally different diets
Tortoises and turtles additionally eat completely different sorts of meals. Many aquatic turtles are omnivores; nonetheless, there are tons of of various species, starting from full carnivores to full herbivores. However all tortoises are strict herbivores, consuming solely plant meals.
If you happen to resolve to deliver dwelling both a tortoise or an aquatic turtle, The Tye-Dyed Iguana has all of the provides you want, together with meals.
Click on right here to take a look at our number of tortoise meals.
Click on right here to take a look at our number of turtle meals.
