Don’t they look like frogs when turtles inflate their throats like that? While it may seem odd, puffy necks are habitual. Rest assured because most of the time this is a normal occurrence. Though turtles are categorized in the same category as frogs, the meanings behind their inflating throats are far different.
They do so simply just to breathe, turtles breathing will cause their neck muscles to move as well, which you see as inflation. Sometimes, you may see their inflating throat when their body is underwater, this helps them to stay afloat.
An infection within their respiratory system can cause them puffy inflating necks as well, namely bacterial infection or vitamin A deficiency.
Feeding them too much glucose, sodium, and dairy too will cost them a painful ballooning neck considering that they have no proper enzymes to break them down and rely a lot on their pectoral muscle.
Reasons Why Turtles Inflate Their Throats
If frogs do this, it’s typically for mating reasons. But if a turtle does it, the reasons behind it can be both usual and unusual. Inflating in their neck can resonate with something as simple as breathing or as major as a bacterial infection in their system.
If your pet turtle is showing signs of a bacterial infection or vitamin A deficiency along with inflating necks, do not wait and bring them to your vet.
Breathing
Turtles aren’t all flexible with its shell, a turtle with its shell can’t work like other reptiles because of its rigidity. Inflating their necks aids them in breathing as it acts as a diaphragm as opposed to other reptiles who don’t have hard shells like turtles.
It will look like their necks are inflating like a balloon if they are taking a deep breath or sniffing something around them. Turtles are simply drawing in the air by using muscle power since they have no diaphragm to help their lungs work a little more flexibly.
Being Underwater
Turtles fill up their throat with air thus creating the inflation you see. It’s very typical as it is one of the ways to stay buoyed on water or when they are submerged. The turtle is possibly holding its breath if you see it ballooning its throat underwater.
Remember that turtles can’t breathe underwater, they are part of reptiles, not amphibians. If you also see your turtle’s throat bloating once it emerges from the water, it might indicate that it is taking a deep breath, acting as a diaphragm to draw in most air.
Respiratory Infection
As mentioned before, turtles lack a diaphragm which causes them to use their pectoral muscle to perform respiration. This unconsciously also interrupts them to cough properly which makes them vulnerable to respiratory diseases like hypovitaminosis A or bacterial infection.
These diseases usually occur internally in their shell or mouth. If your turtle tends to skip meals, wheeze a lot, or stick out its neck while being underwater, these are clear signs of respiratory infection aside from inflating necks.
Feeding the Wrong Diet
You may unknowingly feed them foods that contain too much glucose, sodium, or dairy. For instance, guavas, passionfruit, celery, beets, and even some berries are particularly harmful to their system.
Turtles don’t have the proper enzymes to digest excessive amounts of glucose, sodium, and dairy. They rely on the pectoral muscle and hyoid bone to perform most of the job.
How To Prevent Frequent Neck Inflation?
Improve the ventilation of your pet’s tank, air pumps for aquariums are affordable and they provide oxygen-rich air that certainly lets your turtle breathe much more easily.
Avoid putting musty-smelling things like flowers, bread, or trash near to their tank to prevent them from excessively sniffing around. This can overuse their throats and cause puffy necks.
Clean your pet’s tank and provide the right nourishment activities on a regular basis and remember to not feed them unnecessary sugar, salt, and dairy!
Conclusion
If frogs do this it’s generally because they are searching for mates, but if turtles do it, it means both natural and unnatural reasons.
Majorly, turtles can be losing their health if you see them inflating their necks by illnesses that interrupt their respiration and the wrong diet that cause their neck to inflate. On the minor side, it can be simple as breathing like sniffing around or holding their breath underwater.
If your pet is showing painful symptoms of hypervitaminosis A accompanied by an inflated neck, bring him to the vet for further treatment.
