Do Turtles Shed Their Shells? Interesting Pet Turtle Facts To Know!

A turtle will no doubt shed but will never grow out of its shell as this exoskeleton is part of its body.

The baby and young turtles shed their skin along with shell scutes in comparison to the adult turtles and it is completely normal. Turtles are known to shed their skin as well as shell scutes annually.

The turtle species are from the order of Testudines and live on land as well as in water. Most species are semi-aquatic and spend their time on land and in water depending upon their comfort and need.

Sea turtles are known to travel long distances and migrate in order to lay eggs in the place of their choice.

Turtles are also known to be eco-friendly animals as they help to balance the coral reef areas and seagrass beds. The green sea turtles are known to eat the overgrown seagrass and further facilitate the marine environment.

Turtles age slowly and even shed their skin accordingly every year, either during the time period of their long sleep or after it.

If you spot that your turtle is over-shedding, then it might be a sign of overheating, overfeeding, fungal infection, or a high level of ammonia. So, every step must be taken into consideration before you come to a conclusion that they are shedding.

If you enjoy reading this article about the species of turtle shell peeling process and shell rot reasons, then do read some interesting and surprising fun facts about whether turtles sleep underwater and if turtles make noise.

Do turtles shed their shell?

Yes, turtles shed their shell and skin. It is critical for turtles to shed in order for their shells to expand larger than the older ones. However, turtles cannot outgrow or leave their shells.

The turtle species go through normal shedding that is different from the shedding of other animal species. The shells of turtles and burrowing tortoises work as shields for them. The shell shed is a natural process and is made of epithelium.

The epithelium is a thin layer that is made of bones and many small scutes as outer layers are seen on the shell of the turtle. Turtles shed scutes, which appear like shell skin shedding. Turtle scale shedding often takes place while basking in the sun.

The basking temperature helps the shell peeling or shell shedding along with the turtle's scutes. Actually, the scute shedding in the basking temperature is actually the coming of a new scute which is located under the outermost layer of the turtle's scutes.

Shell and skin shedding of aquatic turtles (including sea turtles) takes place once every one to three years. Box turtles shed their shells rarely.

The turtle shedding process might vary on the basis of their size. Even if you notice or observe sudden growth in your pet turtles, it might at the same time lead to excessive shedding of skin.

Overheating these cold-blooded turtle species is also one of the reasons for abnormal shedding or excessive shedding. Many times, prolonged skin shedding can also be a sign that the turtle species may be suffering from some health problems such as fungal infections or thermal burns.

The shedding process of the shell peeling must be keenly observed and in the case of some different things you notice, such as turtles peeling shell scutes but not shedding, must be taken into consideration and consulted with the vet. Shell peeling is done to get rid of algae and parasites attached to their shell scutes.

What does it look like when a turtle sheds?

When a turtle sheds its shell, it does not mean that it will get its shell apart from its body; rather, the shedding scutes of turtles can be visible. The turtle shedding skin is also a part of their molting process.

The shell expands with the growth of turtles. The leathery skin is shed along with the turtles' scutes.

Not only turtles but also tortoises shed their scutes. The process of shedding their scutes is normal among these reptile species. You should also remember to never touch the turtle shells while a turtle peeling or scute shedding process is taking place.

If you knowingly pull off the skin of the turtle in order to help them out, then you might be wrong with this and need professional help only if the turtle is unsuccessful in shedding its scutes or skin. The turtle's skin sheds and the turtle's shell peels take time to shed.

It does not take place at one time. Around a time period of one to two months, it takes the turtle to shed its shell according to the size of its body.

Turtle shell scute shedding is like each scute's upper layer shedding like skin, and the lower scute of the shell appears, which also helps in the removal of algae, parasites, and many more. A young turtle's shell shedding is more prominent in comparison to an adult turtle's shell peeling.

A healthy turtle's shell scutes will easily peel apart from their shells.

The turtle grows and their shell grows along with it. So, a turtle's shell peeling is a normal and natural process for them to grow in a healthy way according to their surroundings.

How often do turtles shed skin?

The turtle shell scute shedding occurs every year and takes approximately one to two months to shed its scutes.

The species of turtle shed their scutes once a year when they are young. It might also vary from turtle to turtle in how long it takes them to shed their shell.

A healthy turtle shell scute sheds annually. The skin of the turtle is also shed along with the scutes of its shell.

The turtle skin is very much different from the skin of humans. The way humans have temporary and permanent teeth, in the same way, turtles shed their skin along with scutes to get a new one as they age and become older.

Most reptile species, along with turtles, are known to shed their skin. The shedding of skin takes place due to the natural process of their body growth.

When the body of the turtle species grows, the skin does not grow or stretch along with its body size but instead sheds the older skin in parts to get along with the new skin. Most of the time, the skin and turtle shell peeling scutes are normal, as well as, a healthy sign.

If the shedding of skin and turtle shell is more frequent than necessary, then it is time for you to be concerned about your pet turtle and consult the vet. Turtle shell peeling is also due to environmental issues and insufficient diet or excessive diet food.

In the wild, turtles are known to shed easily in comparison to when they are kept in captivity.

This is because they are able to fulfill their natural requirements on their own where they are comfortable. While in captivity, they shed their skin at the bottom or surface of the aquarium or tank they are kept in.

The turtle will shed their skin and shell either before hibernation or after it. If you own a pet turtle, then you might have noticed that your turtle might have shed just before its hibernation or brumation period, because once it enters into its deep sleep, its body metabolism decreases along with its body movements.

Some species, such as map turtles and diamondback terrapins, are known to shed less frequently in comparison to the shedding taking place in their wildlife.

However, it is most noticeable in turtle species that shed their skin or shell scutes after a long, deep sleep. This is because they spend most of their time basking under the sun, which provides enough calcium for their shell.

This helps the turtle shells shed easily by drying out the scutes completely and not in parts or fragments. Shell peeling is visible in species of the red-eared slider and the painted turtle once they reach sexual maturity, which is around 4 in (10 cm).

What does shell rot look like on a turtle?

The shell rot will never aid the turtle to shed its scutes, but rather will create infections and a rough texture with holes, making the shell crack or fracture if not taken care of.

Shell rot can be life-threatening for the turtle species. Turtles shed their scutes annually or depend on the species on how much time they need to shed. However, turtles do not always shed their skin. The turtles' shells also rot over a period of time if they are suffering from some severe infection, making their shell weaker.

So, turtle species' shell rotting and shell shedding need to be taken care of, and one should also know the difference between the two different things. The major difference between the two processes is how the scute peeling or shedding takes place.

The shedding of scutes is like a thin layer of plastic getting off their shell completely, while shell rot will do neither of those things and will create an uneven shell with pits, making it weaker to fracture in the near future.

As turtles are cold-blooded animals, they need a warm temperature to shed their scutes and skin. When they lack UV rays from the sun, the scutes do not shed but get stuck, making the shell rot.

In these stuck scutes, algae or parasites can accumulate, making it difficult for the turtles to survive. The shell rot will completely make the shell weaker and decay over a period of time if gone unattended.

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