How to Tell if a Turtle is Dead Or Hibernating?

Death is a harsh reality of life. Like the other animals and species, a turtle can be dead at any time. However, it is quite hard to be assured whether a turtle is dead or brumating. In case you don’t know, brumating is a period when the turtle hibernates as like the other cold-blooded animals. In this period, the behavior or external condition may be occurred as dead.

Usually, turtles become extremely irresponsive due to the extreme cold temperature. Sometimes, these situations are also caused by sickness. Some tricks can help you to comprehend whether a turtle is dead or not. Keep reading this article on acknowledging how to tell if a turtle is dead.

How to Tell if a Turtle is Dead Or Not?

Stimulate the turtle

The first thing you should do is stimulating the turtle to be assured whether it is dead or alive. You can poke or prod him gently. Most of the time, the turtle will respond to the poke by moving or closing the shells. Sometimes, they can also produce hissing sounds. More so, you can poke the turtle in the legs or the tail gently. They should respond by closing the shell or wiggling the legs to be free. Before you do anything else, we advise you to stimulate the turtle.

Visual symbols

Even when the turtle is hibernating, they require breathing to be alive as like the other species. However, the turtle can grasp their breath for an extended time. It is quite impossible to understand whether the turtle is breathing or not. However, there is a trick to know whether they are breathing or not. That is by giving a closer look at the back legs and tails of it. In this area, delicate pumping movements are caused by the association of the lung of the animal.

Even it can be hard to detect the movement because of the slowness. Another thing you can do is to put a feather in front of the nostril area of the turtle. The feather should move if the turtle is alive. However, make sure that you are attentively checking it for some time, possibly 10 minutes.

Bad Odor

Like the other animals, the bad odor can occur in the dead body of the turtle as the decomposition procedure starts. Besides, the decomposition in the turtle starts quicker than the other animals. As the decay starts, the microorganism starts eating the turtle’s dead tissues, which cause an awful smell. Generally, it takes one or some more days to get a bad smell from the dead body. Especially in the cold temperature, it may take many more times.

Another thing about the dead turtle is when the decomposing process starts; the turtle will start floating on the water. So, if you think the turtle is gone, then you can put in the water to check whether it is floating or not. However, note that the test is not 100% accurate as the microorganism can take some more time to produce enough gas to float the body in the water.

Moreover, the turtles can float on the water from their own. So, they can be alive and chosen not to sink in the water.

Putting pressure in the cloacal region

Another excellent way to check whether the turtle is alive or not is by placing pressure in its cloacal area. If you apply gentle pressure in between the tails and the cloaca, the turtle should try to escape on a quick order. More so, some of them may extend their heads in response to the poke. If the turtle doesn’t show any response, then another thing you can do is put it in its back. The lively turtle will try to free themselves and flail their legs as well as extend their necks.

Consult a veterinarian

If you didn’t be assured by the above tests, then you should consult a veterinary expert. It is recommended to consult as the turtle can be sick, and the veterinarian can help to aid them by suggesting the right medications. They can also assist you in deciding whether the turtle is alive or not.

How a turtle looks like when it dies?

The turtle usually starts getting stiff as after three to twelve hours of death. However, the stiffness can getaway within a couple of days, and the body will also begin to loosen up. More so, the eyes of the turtle will begin to sink in. Besides, a watery thing will start getting out from the mouth as well as the nose of the turtle.  That means the decomposition will begin, and the bad odors will also start to occur.

All pets are important from the tiny turtle to the giant size mastiff. However, when they are dead, there is nothing you can do but leaving them. Hopefully, the article will help you to understand how to tell if a turtle is dead.