What is the difference between tortoises and terrapins

In common usage:. This means that strictly speaking all tortoises are turtles, but not all turtles are tortoises. As might be expected, as closely related reptiles both turtles and tortoises have plenty of physical traits in common.

Both turtles and tortoises:. Below we list the easiest ways to tells a turtle and a tortoise apart:. Perhaps the most critical difference between tortoise and turtle is that tortoises are terrestrial animals whilst turtles tend to live in water, or spend much or most of their time in water. Turtles can be completely aquatic aside from egg-laying , semi-aquatic, or mostly but not completely terrestrial.

Sea turtles rarely leave the ocean, while freshwater turtles can be found living in and besides most aquatic environments — from ponds and lakes to rivers, swamps, and wetlands. As turtles generally live or spend lots of time in water their shells are relatively flat, thin, and streamlined, to help them swim and dive. Tortoises are land-dwelling and have heavier, rounded, dome-shaped shells to provide protection from predators.

The exception to this rule are box turtles and some mud turtles which have dome-shaped shells. A sea turtle left with sleek, flat shell, vs leopard tortoise with a high domed shell. Turtles shed their scutes to remove old growth and make room for new scutes to grow through underneath. One of the reasons they bask in the sun is to dry their scutes and help them flake off. Their keratin is constantly growing without shedding, pushing up old growth to give the shell a layered look.

Turtle tortoise? Tortoises have feet that are padded and stumpy, with horned, scaly toes, looking a little like tiny elephant feet. Their chunky elephantine legs help tortoises to carry their weight around on land.

Turtle feet are very different, being either webbed with long claws to help them latch onto floating objects and climb in and out of water, or in the case of aquatic turtles, there are true flippers rather than feet. There are tortoises from Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas — though none from Australia and none from Antarctica which would be too cold to support reptilian life of any kind. Semi-aquatic turtles, however, like the box turtle we just mentioned — spend some of their time on land and some of it in the water.

Turtles are more common in North America than tortoises and they can also be from Africa, Asia and Europe.

They do this in the same manner as tortoises, they dig a burrow and hide out there during the Winter months where they can stay warm. Tortoises are plant eaters. In the wild, they eat the plants that surround them carefully avoiding anything that is toxic and this can be quite varied. Related article: How to feed a tortoise: The tortoise diet guide. A desert tortoise might be found snacking on a lovely cactus whereas a forest tortoise might chow down on a banquet of berries.

Related article: Is your tortoise a picky eater? That is, they will eat both plants and meat. However, there are some turtles that buck this trend. Softshell turtles are happy to be completely carnivorous and if you see them eating plants, something is very wrong, indeed. Annoying, there are also a small number of turtle breeds which are completely vegetarian.

In the case of tortoises, in particular, they can be very long lived indeed. A tortoise will still be going strong long after a pet cat or dog would be expected to have passed on. You might also want to think about what to do with your pet if you are no longer able to take care of it in your old age. It happens because your tortoise might keep going even after you pass on.

Related article: Can a pet tortoise survive in the wild? As you might expect though, given that turtles and tortoises are, in fact, two completely different species as this stage in their evolution — there are marked differences between their bodies. There are four different parts of the body which have changed to reflect this that can be easily identified with the naked eye: the shells, the feet, the tails and the necks.

The most distinctive feature of Chelonians is the shell and there are distinct differences between turtles and tortoises. So, their shells have evolved to become a superb way to fend off attackers and predators instead. Related article: How far can a tortoise travel in one day? Dirt Boi Apr 26, Xbox dude Aug 26, Aug 27, Apr 27, Mackenzie Dec 20, Payton Feb 6, Sophie Mar 2, Mar 2, As cool as the other side of the pillow, Sophie.

Feb 7, Thanks, Payton! Dec 21, You're welcome, Mackenzie! Oct 6, Karter Sep 16, Sep 18, Raeline McVicker Nov 19, Nov 20, We're really glad you liked this Wonder, Raeline!

May 22, Kyle May 13, Sweet learning! Tortoises and turtles are just my kind of learning! Wonderopolis May 14, Emilie May 13, Stephanie May 13, I am so glad that this was today's Wonder! I am doing a Summer Reading Program and one of our weeks is about turtles, so I can definitely use a lot of the information from today's Wonder!

Thanks, guys! Ariana May 13, There is something different between each type of turtle and there is also a difference between them because they all don't live the same. Wonderopolis May 13, Higgins' Class May 13, What a great Wonder!

We learned a great deal about turtles today. Where we live, we call them turtles! Are terrapins smaller than turtles? Do terrapins have teeth? Yeah awesome video I like the tortoises they get very old and big and they are very strong. Sam May 13, I knew there was something different between the three, but I never knew what the difference was. Wonderopolis told me! I can't wait to read tomorrow's wonder. I think it is about the mystery or horror genre.

I also think that the next one will be knock knock jokes. They are, Wonder Friend! May 13, Knock Knock? ME WHO? No, seriously, it's Just Me. G's Class May 13, Hi Wonderopolis, Today's Wonder of the Day was nice because we enjoyed watching the turtle swim around. One of our classmates has a pet turtle. We thought it was fascinating learning about turtles, tortoises and terrapins. The clue for tomorrow's wonder makes us want to tell knock-knock jokes!

Turtle Lovers OUT! G's Class. Mason May 13, Wonderopolis I'm timing you to see how fast you will respond and can we be friends and what's your favorite color. Shields Class May 13, We think it is going to be about knock knock jokes! Glover's K-Class May 13, There are many different types of turtles in the world. I saw a little turtle shell at the park. We wonder: What helps turtles swim so fast? I wonder about sharks.

How do animals come alive? How are TV's made? Froggy 1 May 13, Hi Wonderopolis! Our class has many connections because we have seen turtles before! How did the camera get under the water for the video? We predict tomorrow's wonder will be about Knock Knock jokes, a haunted house, hide and seek, scaring someone, knocking on a door, a stranger, a ghost, or an owl.

Mad D May 13, I think tomorrow's Wonder of the Day will be about echoes or owls. Grant May 13, I love reptiles. I'm going to Florida soon, and I hope to see some turtles. I am going to an aquarium, so I"m sure I'll see some turtles there.