Turtle Rampage

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Do people like having a turtle as a pet? I do. Turtles are not that hard to take care of if people have the right equipment. Many factors come in as the turtles environment changes from their natural environment to being in a human home environment. Turtles are ancient animals that have evolved. “From man’s viewpoint turtles are slow, harmless creatures, and in this characterization they have an important role in mythology and folklore” (Carl H. Ernest and Roger W. Barbour, 1). Many people seem to think that turtles are just another animal that are easy to care for, but that is not always true; a lot of factors come into play when taking care of turtles, and the things people discover while taking care of a turtle is very interesting.

First, here are some basic facts about turtles: turtles are cold-blooded, which means that they cannot raise or lower their body temperature. Their body temperature reflects the temperature of the surrounding air or water. Turtles date back to around two hundred million years ago. Having over forty nine species of turtles, they can live both in water and on land. The top shell, referred to as carapace, of land a turtle are over-grown and makes the ribs wider. Beneath the top shell is the lower shell, referred to as plastron. Both of the shells protect the turtle from other animals and their environment. Thus, turtles have developed long necks and an unusual way of getting air in and out of their lungs. A turtle’s neck forms a tight S-shaped bend, and the curve becomes shallow as the neck extends (Smith and Zim, 18). Also, having modifying their bodies, turtle legs are attached within their ribs. The unique structure of turtles has made them long-lived and unusual specie.

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