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How to "Speak" Turtle
Obviously, we humans don't know how to talk the turt lingo (don't laugh!
Some turtles are known to make quite distinctive sounds), but there are
terms and phrases you should learn to help you understand basic turtle
anatomy.
- Scute
- the "scales" that comprise the turtle's shell... It is keratin
based (similar to a human's fingernails) but DO have nerve endings. A
turtle can feel when something touches its shell. The scutes are shed
periodically and tend to come off in very thin sheets, much like if you
chipped a fingernail. Your turt will be rather "itchy" during shedding and
may scratch on anything handy or want to be GENTLY scratched with a very
soft toothbrush.
- Carapace
- The turtle's top shell (covering the back)... The carapace is
made up of bony plates covered by scutes and is attached to the ribs and
backbone of the turt. Remember, there's nerves running throughout that
carapace! A turt feels anything that touches its shell.
- Plastron
- The belly of the turtle... The plastron is also made up of bony
plates covered by scutes. Some turts have a hinge in the plastron (an
eastern box turtle, for instance) while others, such as a red eared slider)
do not.
- Cloaca
- opening common to the digestive, urinary and reproductive tracts.
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