When you think about slow-moving animals, there’s a high chance you think about turtles. We are all familiar with the old story of the tortoise and the hare, where ironically, the slow tort beats the quick hare. Well, the tale is about the tortoise, but they are technically turtles. So, this tale is a validation that turtles are indeed languid creatures.
In the Animalia world, speed is considered a vital factor for chances of survival. The fastest animals efficiently run from their predators, but it’s also easier for faster predators to catch their prey. However, turtles are an exception here because they manage to live for decades and centuries despite their slowness. Many ecological and biological factors come to play.
Humans might have cooked up stories about these helpless hard-shelled creatures, but most of the stories about the turtle’s slow pace are simply what they are: cooked-up stories.
Why do turtles walk so slow? Are turtles slow? How slowly do they walk? Can turtles move faster? How fast can turtles move? Does it mean turtles are lazy? Are turtles faster in water? Can you make the turtle go faster?
This guide answers these questions, including how they survive so long with their slow speed. We will also talk about some of the fastest turtles that can swim faster than some fish.
Why Are Turtles So Slow?
Turtles move slowly because their environment and lifestyle allow them to. They do not need to move fast because they are primarily herbivores, and since plants don’t move, they don’t have to chase their food, like most creatures. They also feed on insect larvae, tiny worms, and crustaceans.
In other words, they are opportunistic feeders and don’t need to rush for food because they can easily access food while being slow and easy. Underwater, they can easily trap small fish because they are more agile in the water.
Besides, they have a thick shell, which places them higher up in the food chain. The hard shell means many predators can’t reach them, so they don’t even bother. Although there are animals that can break their shells, they are very few. Whenever they sense the first sign of danger, they can just retract in their shells.
The turtle shell has two parts – the carapace and plastron, which are fused. On top of the carapace or the back of their shells are scutes which further strengthen the interior bone. Although the heavy shell makes the animal slow, it’s the most outstanding defense for the turtle. Most animals can’t break the shell, but others like honey badgers, sharks, and whales can break a turtle’s shell.
The fact that they don’t have to trap most of their food and have few predators is why they are anything except fast.
It’s believed that being slow is among the main reasons why turtles can live for many decades. Turtles have a relatively slow metabolism and are among the longest-living vertebrates alongside crocodiles and some fish. You may be aware that turtles are cold-blooded, and hence they depend on the temperature of the surroundings to keep their bodies warm.
Since they don’t have to utilize a lot of energy, they eat less, meaning they move very slowly. On the brighter side, the slow metabolism allows them to use stored energy for a long time, leading to a longer lifespan.
While metabolism contributes to speed, it also accelerates aging because the body produces certain products. With their slow metabolism, turtles deal with less unhealthy metabolic products responsible for aging, hence their ability to survive longer than many humans. It’s the reason why some turtles outlive their owners and can live for up to three centuries.
Also, they are well-adapted to their ecological niche. Moving fast can be hazardous for them because they may fall and end up with broken shells and bones, bruises, and sprains. Remember, the shell is still a living body part and is sensitive to pain. If a turtle falls and shell cracks, it’s excruciating and can lead to death. Unless there’s a real threat, turtles usually maintain a relatively slow speed. They walk on their toe tips and balance their shell to avoid hurting or bruising the shell.
Lastly on why turtles are slow is due to their shell. Evolutionary anthropologists believe that turtles in the past didn’t have shells and that they were faster than present-day turtles with shells. The logic is simple – while the shell keeps predators away, it’s also the main reason turtles have a decreased range of motion. With the housing, they cannot reach a fast speed, especially on land. Besides, a turtle’s shell is heavy for their body, and they struggle to carry it around.
Still, while most land turtles are extremely slow, not all turtles are slow, particularly sea turtles. When sea turtles chase their prey, they can clock at higher speeds comparable to race cars. However, it’s just the speeds don’t last for many seconds. They can only maintain the fast speed for under a second.
What Is the Fastest Turtle In the Sea?
The leatherback turtle currently holds the fastest aquatic turtle record at an impressive 22 miles per hour. Sea-dwelling turtles are adapted to swim quickly and even survive the extreme pressure conditions deep under the sea. A standard adaption found in the leatherback turtles is the presence of flippers on their feet which aid in swimming.
Aquatic turtles not only lack claws, but also they don’t have scales and horny shells. Instead, their shells are streamlined to move through the water thanks to a rubber-like texture. When the turtles dive underwater, the shells compress instead of shattering under immense pressure. This adaptation allows some varieties of leatherback turtle to dive up to 4000 feet below sea level.
The fastest turtles on the sea all belong to the sea turtles category, which has only seven species.
Here’s the average speed of the seven turtle species:
| Turtle species | Average speed in MPH in the sea |
| Flatback sea turtle | 15 |
| Loggerhead sea turtle | 15 |
| Hawksbill sea turtle | 15 |
| Olive ridley sea turtle | 17 |
| Kemp’s ridley sea turtle | 17 |
| Green sea turtle | 19 |
| Leatherback sea turtle | 22 |
What Is the Fastest Turtle on Land?
The soft-shelled turtle holds the record as the quickest turtle on land. While these species can only clock in an average of 3 miles per hour on the ground, it’s essential to remember that turtles are more adapted for a semi-aquatic lifestyle and not constantly running on dry land like their tortoise cousins. Thanks to their lightweight build, soft-shelled turtles can achieve this underwhelming speed, allowing them to get away from their natural enemies.
Some turtle species, such as the snapping turtle, can achieve up to 174 miles while striking. Turtles cannot sustain such speeds for more than the hunt duration. This allows the turtle to take on its prey by surprise and quickly overwhelm them before they can get away.
| Turtle species | Speed on land |
| Box turtles | 0.25mph |
| Cooter turtles | 1.07mph |
| Sea turtles | 20mph |
Why Are Turtles Fast In Water?
Compared to land turtles, sea turtles are much faster. Although they are generally slow swimmers traveling at 1.7 mph, some turtle species can speed up to 12 mph. The leatherback sea turtle can swim as fast as 22 mph, although the speed is only achieved during brief bursts, mainly when catching prey or due to flight reactions. Newborn hatchlings are faster than adults and can swim about 25 miles in an hour.
It’s surprising how the slow turtles can rise to such speeds in water. Well, the secret is in their physical structure. Most turtles thrive in water, and so their bodies have adapted for aquatic life. The turtles’ limbs have flippers that enhance their speed in the water if you look at them. The front flippers move in up and down movements allowing the turtle to produce a thrust and move forward. However, the rear flippers aren’t used for speed. Instead, turtles use their hind legs for steering.
On the other hand, aquatic and semi-aquatic species are characterized by their long claws and webbed feet. Turtles generate their speed by paddling their feet. The giant sea turtles are certainly the most efficient paddlers, although they tend to be almost helpless on land where they come to lay their eggs. The giant sea turtles are fast migrators and can swim as fast as 35 miles an hour.
When Do Turtles Stop Moving?
As you already know, turtles are cold-blooded creatures. This means their activity decreases when the surrounding temperature is cold. Wild turtles are known to hibernate during winter when the temperatures go low. They stop moving and hibernate until the weather improves when they can go find food again. Aquatic turtles are known to burrow in the mud underwater. They will usually bury themselves in the bottom of the pond and other water bodies before ice covers the water surface. They will rest there until the summer comes.
However, turtles in captivity do not hibernate because they live in controlled environments. As such, there’s no need to hibernate even during cold weather, although you may notice reduced activity. But due to the easy access to food and artificial UV light, they barely hibernate. A hibernating turtle will be still as turtles become lethargic and sloppy when the temperature falls.
If there’s no temperature change, a turtle will not stop moving unless it suffers from critical conditions. If you think the turtle has an infection that may be affecting its activity, it’s probably wise to seek a vet as the turtle may be dying already. It may help you rescue the turtle before the issue aggravates.
Can Turtles Run?
Turtles are probably the slowest, but most animals can run when the need arises, so can turtles run? Well, yes, they can. For instance, when a groper tort senses any danger, probably a person or something approaching, they can increase their speed to three miles per hour which is relatively fast compared to its usual slow pace. The rate at which turtles can run is dependent on species. When cooters and slider turtles bask on the shore and sense any danger, they can run fast towards the water. However, no matter how fast a turtle runs, it can hardly outrun an average human walking at a moderate pace.
There are a few reasons turtles can run, such as when running towards their food or when threatened by something.
How Do Turtles Run?
Most people believe turtles can’t run, but that’s far from the truth. Due to their slow movement, some people easily disguise a turtle walking with running. The truth is that considering their average walking speed, sometimes they run.
Fair enough, there’s not much difference between a turtle walking and running. They move one leg forward to establish a firm grip on land before switching to alternative legs. Their muscles are pretty effective since they feature a triangle of support with three legs touching the ground at all times. This way, they can distribute their body weight so that no portion gets more pressure than the rest.
When running, the speed of movement increases a bit. Cooters and sliders are perfect examples of sprinting turtles. Instead of the usual dragging, the legs can be seen moving up and down, increasing their speed. While the up and down movement allows them to move fast, they are not good in terms of energy.
How Fast Can Box Turtles Run?
Box turtles are considerably slow, with an average running speed of 0.25 miles per hour. The large size of a box turtle shell restricts their legs and impedes much-needed flexibility. As a result, the turtles have to pull their weight along, making them rather sluggish. Their diet, however, doesn’t require them to hunt aggressively as they rely on an omnivorous diet.
Box turtles evolved to have thick and hard shells that add extra weight but also provide much-needed protection. As a result, they don’t have many predators; hence no need to run as fast.
The characteristically slow nature of box turtles serves them well in an ecology where the turtle can not afford to rush and fall as blunt trauma is likely to fracture the shell or even break the turtle’s bones. Their slow metabolism quite possibly influences their slow nature due to dietary limitations.
How Fast Can Cooters Run?
Cooters have a relatively low running speed of around 1.07mph, thanks in part to their aquatic nature, and they swim much faster. Cooters use their flippers as paddlers while swimming, but this is less efficient on land, giving them a clumsy gait. The adaptation also comes in handy during the winter when cooters dig their way into the muddy bottoms of rivers to hibernate. Cooters live on an omnivorous diet mainly consisting of plants, snails, crayfish, insect larvae, tadpoles, and worms. Such a diet does not require much adaptation in terms of speed on land.
How Far Can a Turtle Travel?
How far a turtle can travel depends mainly on species, although other factors can come to play. Some species love to travel anywhere they can, while some will stay in the same area. Sea turtles, for example, are known to travel over long distances for mates. They can migrate up to hundreds and thousands of mules, which can take them months.
The green sea turtle is among the best travelers where an adult green sea turtle was recorded to move for 3472.4 miles from Chagos to Somalia. Besides, leatherback turtles were, recorded traveling for 9942 miles in one year searching for their favorite snack – the jellyfish. Also, loggerhead turtles can traverse over 8078 miles searching for food.
Land turtles are not traveling lovers as their aquatic counterparts, though. Giant land turtles can hardly move over 60 meters in an hour. A box turtle can only travel for only a hectare in its lifetime. They mostly prefer to stay in one area around their home range. Strangely, specific land turtles are known to travel in a single direction only without looking back.
How Fast Are Turtles On Land?
Due to their semi-aquatic nature, they are considerably slower, with an average running speed of 3 to 4 mph for most species. Others are even slower, with box turtles running an average speed of 0.25 mph on land. This slow nature is attributed chiefly to having sizeable shells and legs that evolved to have flippers that are not designed for walking on land.
While some turtle species can achieve faster speeds, they can only do so while striking at their prey, and the pace is only sustainable for a short distance. Often a turtle will have to take a break or move at a below-average walking speed after a quick burst of speed. Keep in mind on average. A turtle has to carry around a shell that can weigh almost 25% of the turtle’s weight.
Why Are Turtles Slow On Land And Fast In Water?
Turtles are not among the swiftest of swimmers in the sea. Nevertheless, they can swim faster than they walk. Most turtles swim at speeds of 1 to 5 miles/ hour. When they feel threatened, the speed can also increase.
Various factors help them swim fast, such as their webbed feet that enhance their ability to swim. Sea turtles have flippers instead of feet, the reason why they swim much faster than freshwater turtles. The flippers act like paddles, which makes their swimming effortless. Flippers are a wing-like bony structure with cartilage, joints, and tendons. Flippers also feature claws that prey a vital role in handling prey. Sea turtles beat their front flippers in the direction they choose while the hind flippers play the role of rudders. They make it easier for the turtle to change direction and keep the turtle movement stable.
The shape of the body is also a reason why sea turtles move faster than land turtles. Their streamlined body allows them to cut through the water with more speed.
Do Turtles Walk Backward?
Yes. Turtles can walk backward, although this is not an ordinary movement they do every day. They prefer to turn around, but this is if the need arises. Walking backward is an option to get out of a tight space, the reason why these creatures look clumsy and slow. It’s probably because they can’t really see behind them and lack the flexibility required to achieve a good view. It’s like having a giant dump truck without a rearview mirror. Nevertheless, that does not stop them from moving backward.
They turn a little on the side while doing a little push and scoot motion to make it work. Remember, the project looks time-consuming, like an overloaded truck trying to reverse out of a small driveway. The box turtle looks to struggle, but others like the pancake tort have far more flexibility.
How Do I Make My Turtle Run Faster?
With continuous training, you can train your turtle to run faster, albeit not always on a straight line. The first step is finding out what incentivizes your turtle to run. Turtles are highly food motivated as long as you feed them their natural diet, depending on their origin. Try out various vegetables, fruits, and animal products to see which food category your turtle responds to most favorably.
The next step involves rewarding the turtle with the snacks of their favorite meal when they run towards the food by waving or dangling it a few feet from them. Over time, this behavior gets reinforced, and the turtle realizes that running towards you gets them a free snack.
Turtles that have grown in captivity and are used to getting handled on a daily basis can at times respond to affection or display attention to get snacks. You can rely on attention as a motivator to get your well-socialized turtle to run towards a brightly colored ribbon. Over time, they will learn to associate completing such tricks as a source for rewards in the form of snacks and attention.
Training your turtle to run faster is bound to take quite a chunk of your time and leave your turtle exhausted and probably stressed, so space out the training to around twice per week. You can also give your turtle a pet name which helps them associate certain noises to performing a required action for an end reward, and you might have better success at getting your turtle to run faster.
Are Turtles Just Lazy?
Turtles can appear reclusive and withdrawn in a lazy way when they are unhappy and remain unobtrusive for hours or even days. Such conditions are an indication that something is wrong within the turtle’s current environment so consider changing the water or moving the turtle to a new environment entirely. Given ample space and conditions that closely mimic their natural habitats, turtles are pretty active, and they don’t appear as just lazy reptiles.
As the weather gets colder during the winter, most turtles often slow down just as they would get into hibernation while out in the wild. During such months, your turtle may appear to be lazier than usual and even prefer burying themselves in the shallow sand on the bottom of its aquarium.
Semi-aquatic turtles can also draw in their hinged plastron (bottom shell) and the top shell (carapace) tightly as a form of protection from extreme cold, and they may remain withdrawn in this position for hours.
Can A Turtle Jump?
Yes, some turtle varieties, especially small and medium-sized ones, can jump about 2 to 4 inches high. More giant turtles often have many heavier shells and are not as skilled at it, although the common snapping turtle can jump up to 5 inches. They achieve this fit of glory by getting into a pre-jump position where the front legs are kept extended, and the rear legs are bent to get a good grip on the ground. The turtle then thrusts itself upwards, and its hind legs propel it into the air, although the turtle cannot repeat this movement as it’s physically demanding.
Wrap Up – Why Do Turtles Walk Slow
Turtles can move quite well, considering the weight of their bulky shells. They can walk, stroll, swim, and run, sort of. They do not have the zoomies like kitties and puppies, so they don’t chase their tails as fast as possible.
Well, turtles are slow because they don’t need speed. For one, they are primarily herbivores, so they rarely chase for food. The thick shells also limit the movement and speed, but they also discourage most predators. Speeding around can result in pain from falls, bruises, broken bones, and other unpleasant things. Besides, turtles have a relatively slow metabolism, which means they consume less energy. Is the slow metabolism beneficial? It turns out this is true because they live long, sometimes longer, than humans.
Still, some turtles run fast like the leatherback turtle as San Diego Zoo that clocked twenty-two miles per hour. When scared. Green turtles can swim for 300 miles in just ten days to migrate in search of mates. However, turtles cannot outrun any other animal on the land apart from a sloth, which also lives a very long life. Speed does not matter for the turtles in the survival world.
