Do turtles grow with their shells or do they molt and have to find new ones every time they grow?

Question

If they do have to find new ones, how do they find them?

Answer 1

........

Answer 2

they are atached to their spines.

Answer 3

Their shells are like their bones and grow with them.

Answer 4

Grow with them.

Answer 5

umm i think they find mew ones........lol jk no they grow with them

Answer 6

they obviously grow with them. they arent hermit crabs which find new shells. thats a stupid question

Answer 7

As they grow their scute, sorta like scales shed off as they grow.

When they bask for 8 to 10 hrs a day it helps them grow and the old scutes fall off and new shell growth appears.

They need lots of fish.

If you have allot of $$$$ and start out with a 60 gal plus size tank and great filtration system for Aquatic turtles I say do it!

They are the cutest!

A 60 gallon tank to start cause they grow quick.

A real good filter cause they p**p allot!

A rep light for 8 to 10 hrs of basking gives them vitamin D which promotes shell growth.

Plenty of feeder guppies, minows and goldfish, and leafy greens at least 3 times a week.

This way they get the calcium from the fishes bones and protein, lettuce gives them the vitamins they need.

Sliders, Cooters , painted ,map and yellow bellied are require the same care and feeding. I have two that are 36 yrs old!! Plus an 8 and 5 yr old.

I have had them in a pond for about 6 yrs now..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29035692@N0...

Answer 8

they grow with there bodies what kind of tard are you everyone knows that

Answer 9

A turtles shell grows with them. They shed the top layers of skin as it gets larger, the same way a lizard or snake sheds it's skin. And the shell gets bigger as they do! They do not live inside their shells, they are attatched, so is is impossible for the whole shell to come off without killing the turtle or tortoise.

Answer 10

They grow with their shells.  The shells are actually attached to the body as part of the spine (if you ever happen upon an empty turtle shell you can see the vertebra marks on the shell roof).

Answer 11

they grow with their shells

Answer 12

...seriously?

It grows with them..

If they had to find new ones, where would turtle shells be coming from?

Answer 13

Bored_ 2_death?  I'm sorry I wasted my time to load this.  ARE you this naive, or just THAT bored?!!

Are you the one who posted the "Is a turtle without a shell naked or homeless" question?

A bird molts.  Do you know what google is?

But, to answer your question - The shell is comprised of scutes.  The top layer of each is shed as the animal ages and grows, or replaced/healed if an injury occurs.

A turtle is not a hermit crab.  Nor a conc (though they grow their shell, until they die and it becomes available as a home to other animals).

I hope this has been helpful.  

Answer 14

the shells grow

Answer 15

They grow with their shells. At times you might see some of the shell peeling. This is also somewhat of a molt if you can call it that.  

Answer 16

Hermit crabs are the creatures that have to find new shells.

Turtle shells are actually living tissue, growing from the inside.  Occasionally the top layer sloughs off, but new tissue is already prepared to replace it.