“It’s turtle day! Let’s go bury the turtles!”
A pet owner says that in a popular video online. Then, she digs a hole. She buries her pet turtles, Jelly Bean and Squirtle.
People usually shouldn’t put their pets in the ground. So, what’s going on? Well, Jelly Bean and Squirtle are box turtles. In the wild, those animals bury themselves in winter!
Box turtles are native to North America. They are named for their special shells. When the animal is in danger, it goes into its shell. The shell has parts that close up the holes. It’s like the turtle is in a closed box!
For winter, box turtles have cool tricks. They into the ground. Box turtles are great diggers. They may go as deep as 2 feet (60 cm). Then, they brumate.
Brumation is like , except for cold-blooded animals. The box turtles get very still. They save energy. They don’t eat. Their breathing slows down.
Being buried helps keep the box turtles from freezing. However, if their bodies do freeze for a short time, the turtles can still survive! This is called being freeze tolerant. Box turtles are the largest freeze-tolerant !
Box turtles dig out in warmer weather. After months of brumation, they get moving.
But don’t forget about Jelly Bean and Squirtle! In another video, their owner says, “It’s turtle day! Let’s dig up the turtles!” She gets the animals out of the ground. Jelly Bean is still sleepy. Squirtle is ready to go. This doesn’t mean everyone should bury their box turtles. People should always check with a vet first. But Jelly Bean and Squirtle have been going in the ground for years.
Brrring on the brrrumation!
Updated January 23, 2023, 5:01 P.M. (ET)
By Ashley Morgan
