Book 4, Question 63
Why Do Turtles Hide in Shells?
A turtle's shell is its skeleton on the outside! The ribs and backbone are joined to that armor, so the turtle can never take its house off. When danger comes, the soft parts just pull in.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 4
More fun facts
- When danger strikes, turtles use their bendy necks to pull their heads safely inside their shells.
- Some turtles tuck their heads in sideways, while others pull them straight back.
- Box turtles can close a hinged bottom shell to seal in their head and legs.
- Young box turtles cannot fully hide in their shells for many years.
- A turtle's shell formed long ago as its ribs grew wide and flat.
- Fossils show that early turtles could pull their heads only partly into their shells.
Sources: Smithsonian Magazine, National Park Service, Smithsonian Magazine
Questions kids ask
Can a turtle leave its shell?
No. The shell is part of its skeleton, grown from its ribs.