# How can they hold their breath?



## DoctorCosmonaut (Jan 10, 2010)

Anyone know the biological mechanism or evolutionary reason that enables tortoises to supposedly hold their breath for a really long time (like surviving underwater for so long)? Anyone have some source because my roommate was really interested in it.


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## dmmj (Jan 11, 2010)

I do not have any links but I thought it was some type of gas exchange that watar turtle do that enable them to stay under water for so long, I have heard almost every theory including they asorb O thru their skin, to they breathe thru their cloaca.

I did find this one I laughed pretty hard when I read it, about butt breathing.
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2325/is-it-true-turtles-breathe-through-their-butts[hr]
I found a lot of wiki answers but since anyone can edit wiki I do not considefr it a credible source myself.


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## Shelly (Jan 11, 2010)

dmmj said:


> I thought it was some type of gas exchange that watar turtle do



I think he's talking about tortoises, not turtles.
First off, I believe that torts have a very slow breathing rate to begin with.....


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## DoctorCosmonaut (Jan 11, 2010)

Yeah I meant land tortoises ^_^

but the article was interesting


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## DoctorCosmonaut (Jan 17, 2010)

An interesting article I found that may explain why they can:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8453053.stm


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## Homerist (Jan 17, 2010)

Hi DoctorCosmonaut,

I don't think tortoise will be able to hold their breath when they are a pool of water, or when their head is in a small area of water.

Logic tells me that they will breath normally, and take in the water through their nose (unwillingly) where later, may or maynot develop flu, or RNS.

Um.. sounds correct?


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## DoctorCosmonaut (Jan 17, 2010)

Homerist said:


> Hi DoctorCosmonaut,
> 
> I don't think tortoise will be able to hold their breath when they are a pool of water, or when their head is in a small area of water.
> 
> ...



Huh? Who the is planning on torturing their tort like that? The goal of the post is to find the scientific reason as to why tortoises can survive in low oxygen environments and survive for so long with no oxygen.

fyi the underwater comment came from people discussing their torts surviving falling into water and being in it for a considerable amount of time.


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## Homerist (Jan 17, 2010)

Hi DoctorCosmonaut,

Does my comments sounds like a suggestion to torture our beloved tortoises? If it does to you, I will like to apologise here. =)

"The goal of the post is to find the scientific reason as to why tortoises can survive in low oxygen environments and survive for so long with no oxygen."

So is this true? The part where, "...survive for so long with no oxygen".
I'm curious. =)


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## DoctorCosmonaut (Jan 18, 2010)

I think dmmj's article talks about it... or mine does? I don't remember. lol


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## Homerist (Jan 18, 2010)

So they do hold their breath?!
Fascinating!

wooo.... we can never totally understand them(animals)

they are simply marvelous....

And my homer is absolutely cute! =D

Hope everyone enjoy their time with their torts.


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