Hobbies And Interests
Marine Turtles
Sea turtles can sleep on the surface of the water when far out on the ocean deeps; they wedge themselves under overhanging rocks or coral outcroppings to rest in shallow water. When they are inactive, sea turtles can remain submerged for three hours or more without needing to surface for air.
Freshwater Turtles
Painted turtles bury themselves in sand or mud at the bottom of a pond to sleep, absorbing oxygen from the water. Semi-aquatics, such as the map turtle, may dig themselves partially or completely into a marshy area of grass or moss.
Temperate Tortoises
Most box turtle species live where they need to hibernate through the winter. Hibernation is a form of deep sleep from which the animal cannot be awakened easily. All of its bodily processes slow down; it does not eat when no food is available and needs less warmth. This enables it to stay alive until spring, if a predator does not find and eat it while it's immobilized.
Desert Tortoises
In the Southwestern United States, the endangered desert tortoise hibernates during the coldest part of the winter in an underground den; it comes out to warm up on mild, sunny days. The giant tortoises of the Galapagos and Seychelle Islands do not need to hibernate, but they do sleep during the cooler nights and often up to 18 hours a day, moving around only when they get warm enough.