The sun is the giver of life on earth, animals in the wild need it but it seems that some animals in captivity, who have lights in their enclosure, seem to be fine without it, or is this truly the case?
This article looks into the question of can I put my turtle in the sun
Table of Contents
Can I put my turtle in the sun:
Turles, just like a variety of other cold-blooded animals have unique requirements when it comes to their exposure to light but what about their exposure to sunlight?
This article looks into whether you can put your turtle in the sun and the things that you’d need to note if your pet is out in the sun.
Putting your turtle in the sun:
Yes, you can put your turtle in the sun, a turtle out in the sun is one of the most natural things you can do for your pet.
The sun does two things for your turtle, it helps keep the animal warm and it helps the animal’s body synthesize vitamin D which is needed for good health
Warmth:
Turtles are cold-blooded animals, their environment greatly determines their body temperature because of this, the animal needs to be put in the sun in order to get warm and stay warm.
Turtles in captivity need a heat source in their enclosure in order to keep warm and stay warm but the sun will do just fine.
UV rays:
Not only do turtles need warmth from the sun, they need to use the sun’s UV rays.
The UVB rays that come from the sun allow these animals to absorb calcium properly which is needed for strong bones and a strong shell
The UVB allows the animals to convert vitamin D into its active form for proper calcium absorption
If the animals don’t have access to these rays they run the risk of developing a condition called metabolic bone disease.
To dry off:
Turtles need time in the water but they also need some time when they are completely dry, this is where the sun comes in
If your pet’s skin and shell stay wet for too long they have a higher chance of contracting harmful bacteria and fungi so as much as being in the water is necessary, being out and drying off in the sun is also necessary
Note when taking your pet out in the sun:
Supervise the time:
If you have your pet out in the sun in your yard, supervising the animal is very important. Supervising will keep the animal out of harm’s way and keep it from getting lost or escaping from your property.
Be wary of the tank:
Putting your pet’s tank out in the sun will help to keep the animal safe.
But what you should never do is place a glass or plastic tank out in the sun with your pet in it. If left out the tank can overheat and kill the animal inside.
In addition, the glass will block out the UVB rays that your pet needs which would be counterintuitive.
When in doubt:
When in doubt you can simply use a heat lamp that gives off heat as well as UVB rays, this will warm the animal up and will make sure that the animal’s body can absorb the rays of the sun
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other turtle/tortoise related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: My Turtle Keeps Splashing, What Happens If You Drop A Baby Turtle, Turtle Hasn’t Eaten In A Week, My Turtle Escaped His Tank, My Turtle Hasn’t Eaten In Months, Why Is My Turtle Floating Upside Down, How To Find Lost Turtle In Yard, Turtle Hiccups, Why Is My Turtle Bleeding From Tail?
