Turtles’ shells aren’t big enough to hold their heads completely within the shell; therefore, they often leave their heads out which how you probably always see them
However, in some instances, turtles do extend their necks.
In others, this behavior is due to habit; however, it could also be alarming in some situations.
Why?
Because,
Turtles extend their neck when they feel threatened by something nearby.
Let’s get into more detail in this article and find out Why Does My Turtle Stretch His Neck?
Carry on reading
Why Does My Turtle Stretch His/Her Neck?
Turtles commonly develop neck infections because they breathe through their mouth rather than nose.
The condition usually occurs due to bacterial growth in the throat.
Neck swelling restricts the movement of the turtle’s head and prevents him/her from opening its mouth wide enough to breath properly.
To avoid this, turtles regularly stretch their heads forward to open their mouths wider and increase airflow.
They also extend their necks to warm themselves up before diving into the water, just like other animals do.
They do this by stretching their bodies, much like how Michael Phelps stretches his arms, slaps his body before he dives into the pool.
I guess you can call it a war,m up exercise
Possible Reasons Your Turtle Is Stretching Their Neck
- Your may be experience difficulty in breathing
- Your turtle may be choking (If your turtle appears to choke, take action immediately by removing any food particles from his/her mouth. Remove anything that might obstruct their airway. Do not attempt to force feed them. Call your veterinarian if necessary.)
- Turtles naturally stretch their neck
- They stretch their neck when hunting
- Basking
- They just want to stretch their neck!
Your turtle might have trouble breathing.
Respiratory infections are very common among turtles.
Poor water quality and low levels of Vitamin A can lead to respiratory illnesses.
If you notice any signs of respiratory issues, contact your veterinarian immediately.
They can treat your pet at home until he recovers completely.
Turtle Choking
If your turtle gets stuck, try gently shaking him/her around until he/she pops back into his shell.
This usually works if your turtle has been eating something hard.
Some turtles cannot eat without chewing their food.
They must take this task outside of the water because water does not aid them in swallowing food.
Some turtles even require tools to break apart the food before eating.
Turtles sometimes get stuck eating rocks, causing them to choke.
This can lead to breathing difficulties and even death.
To prevent this, try placing some soft material around the aquarium to protect the turtle against swallowing any sharp objects.
Symptoms like gasping, frantic swimming, open mouth breathing, etc., are seen.
There isn’t much you can do about it.
Take your turtle to a veterinarian immediately.
Turtle necks stretch during hunting.
Turtle neck muscles weren’t only used to hide heads from predators; this flexibility also helped ancient turtles capture prey with their mouths.
Turtles are known for being slow moving creatures, however, their flexibility allows them to quickly lunge at prey near them.
Once they catch their prey, they will retract their head and shoot away.
Turtle necks stretch while basking.
Turtles are cold blooded animals.
They do not produce any internal heat to maintain optimal temperatures inside their bodies like humans.
Therefore, they must bask in sunlight to absorb enough ultraviolet light to stay warm.
Ultraviolet radiation helps protect turtles against various types of cancer.
Wildlife in the wild does not have the same luxuries as captive wildlife.
They must endure harsh weather during cold months, limiting how much sun exposure they get.
To compensate, they will extend themselves to maximize their body surface area to absorb as much sunlight as possible.
Turtles often extend their neck during basking, stretching their bodies forward and upward.
This behavior may serve to increase exposure to sunlight.
Turtles stretch just for the sake of stretching.
Most turtles need to extend their necks for everyday tasks.
While many other animals have specialized limbs for grasping objects, turtles’ necks serve multiple purposes.
They are used for hunting, swimming, and even eating.
Turtles’ necks are used primarily to provide them with relief from stress caused by swimming through water at high speeds.
This allows them to swim faster than any other creature without sacrificing speed.
Their amazing ability to capture prey despite being among the slower animals makes this species unique.
Can a turtle have a long neck?
Snapping Turtles can extend their necks over 20 feet long!
They do this by extending their heads forward while keeping their body straight.
This allows them to reach prey much further away than any other turtle species.
Snappers also have very sharp teeth that enable them to eat almost anything.
Sea turtles have no neck muscles because they don’t use their necks much.
They spend most of their time swimming underwater without using them.
Instead, sea turtles rely on flippers for propulsion.
The only part of their body that protrudes above water when they swim is called the carapace.
This hard shell protects the turtle against predators while allowing air to flow into the lungs.
Sea turtles have a flattened and streamlined shell that has evolved over centuries to help them swim faster for hunting and cover thousands of miles for mating.
Sadly, their streamlined shells lack sufficient room for their head and neck to be retracted like other turtles.
That is why sea turtles cannot retract their necks.
Wrapping UP
Excessive neck stretching over longer periods of time seems quite alarming.
This could possibly be due to a respiratory illness.
Turtle owners experiencing symptoms similar to those listed above should seek veterinary care immediately.
These include mucous discharges, swelling around the head, stretched necks, open-mouth breathing, and difficulty breathing.
