The question of whether or not turtles can feel touch has been asked for centuries.
So Can turtles feel their shell?
The answer, as you may have guessed from the title of this article, is yes they do!
In fact, there are many different ways to show that turtles actually enjoy having their shells touched and even enjoyed by humans.
In order to understand how turtles feel touch on their shells, first let’s take a look at how other animals respond when they receive physical contact.
For example, if someone were to pick up a dog without using any type of restraint such as a leash (or collar), the dog would most likely start barking or growling because he/she feels threatened.
A cat however, would probably just lay still with its eyes closed until the person was gone.
Why does this happen?
It happens because dogs and cats both use their sense of smell to communicate with each other while other mammals, including reptiles, depend more heavily upon sight.
Dogs also tend to be very vocal creatures which makes them easy targets for predators.
Cats on the other hand are much quieter than dogs but rely mostly on vision to keep track of their surroundings.
Reptiles on the other hand, don’t possess either of these senses so they must make due with only hearing and feeling.
So now that we know why dogs bark and cats meow, lets move onto understanding how turtles react to being touched on their shells.
How Turtles Feel Touch On Their Shell
When people think about touching an animal, one of two things usually come to mind-a puppy or a snake.
When people see puppies, they want to hold them close since they’re cute little balls of joy.
However, a closer examination reveals that puppies really aren’t anything special compared to snakes.
Snakes are known as cold-blooded creatures because unlike warm blooded animals, like us, snakes don’t maintain body heat through internal means.
They instead absorb warmth from whatever environment they find themselves in.
Therefore, when holding a snake, you’ll notice that it doesn’t seem to mind your presence as long as it stays in constant contact with its source of heat -the ground.
If you try to separate a snake from the earth though, it will quickly become agitated and attempt to escape.
Now imagine trying to pull apart a turtle from his shell…not fun at all right?
As mentioned before, turtles lack the ability to regulate their own temperature so they need something to help shield them from extreme temperatures.
That “something” is called the carapace, or hard outer shell.
Just like a snake, turtles wrap their bodies around their shells to stay protected from external elements.
While some species of turtles have soft bellies, others like tortoises have hard ones.
Regardless of where their belly meets their shell, the shell provides protection against wind, rain and snow.
And although turtles spend most of their time buried under soil, dirt, leaves and logs, their shells provide additional shelter during times of high sun exposure.
So once again, back to our original question:
Can turtles feel their shell being pet?
Yes, turtles definitely feel their shells being pet.
One great way to demonstrate this is to place your hands behind the shell of a turtle who is laying on his side.
You should then gently push down on the top edge of the shell.
What will happen next is quite interesting.
You won’t get a reaction from the turtle since it isn’t able to feel your fingers pressing into its shell.
But wait!
Don’t go running out of the room yet, you haven’t seen the best part yet.
Once you release your finger pressure, the turtle will slowly lift itself up off the ground, revealing a pair of small webbed feet underneath.
These feet are used primarily to aid the turtle in swimming and crawling across land surfaces.
After releasing your finger pressure, the turtle will lower himself back down to the surface and resume normal activities.
Keep doing this process over and over and you will soon realize that turtles absolutely love receiving attention and affection from human beings.
Are all turtle shells the same?
While all turtles share common characteristics such as having four legs and no wings, there are several differences between individual species.
Some turtles live exclusively underwater while others prefer living above ground.
Others choose to remain hidden away inside their shells while still others like to bask in the sun.
Since these factors are important to the overall health and well-being of each specific species, it is imperative for anyone interested in caring for a turtle to learn everything possible about their chosen subject.
By learning about the habits, needs and behaviors of a particular species, you can better ensure that they thrive and live happy lives.
There are currently thousands of reptile species roaming the planet today.
Of those species, turtles are considered to be among the oldest living organisms.
With millions of years of evolution already under their belts, turtles continue to prove themselves resilient despite hardships and challenges along the way.
Whether you decide to care for a freshwater variety, saltwater variety or a tropical sea turtle, you’ll surely experience firsthand the amazing abilities of these remarkable creatures.
