Softshell Turtles

have tough, thick skin instead of horn over the bony layer of their shells. They are web-footed and spend almost all their time in water. They have long, fleshy snouts that can be used as breathing tubes when they lie under water. Softshell turtles range in length from 5 to 18 inches (12.5 to 45 cm). They are widely distributed in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains and in eastern Canada. Related species are found in Asia and Africa.

Which Turtles Relax on River Bottoms?

When soft-shelled turtles relax, they usually do it on muddy river bottoms. The mud is a soft place to settle down. It also hides the turtles from predators.

Once a softshell finds a good spot to rest, it can stay underwater for a very long time. Softshells do not have hard, bony shells as most other turtles do. Instead they have a round shell that is covered with thick, leathery skin. This skin lets oxygen enter the turtle’s body from the surrounding water. And that lets a softshell relax a bit longer!

Softshells also have long, tube-shaped noses. They use their noses to turn over stones as they look for food, such as worms and crayfish. Softshells can also use their snouts as snorkels. When they come to the surface to breathe, just the tips of their noses peek above the water.