Some turtles are quite amusing, such as biting their own skin and spitting water. There’s more to turtles than meets the eye. Biting can be used to soothe their skin irritations. Digging holes is another example of an eccentric habit.

Why Do Turtles Dig Holes?

Nearly all species of turtles love to dig and burrow. This behavior can be triggered by many factors, including hibernation and food hunting, as well as preparation to lay eggs. Comfort, enjoyment, and rock-eating are all reasons why turtles dig holes.

This last reason is quite concerning, isn’t it? All of the reasons listed above are valid. You need to investigate the root cause and take appropriate steps.

Let’s take a look at the points above in detail.

7 Reasons Why Turtles Dig Holes

Turtle Is Preparing For Hibernation

A turtle’s body temperature is affected by the environment. They prepare for long hibernations in winter. They will start digging in the ground, sand or mud as soon as they feel the temperature drop. This helps to regulate their body temperature.

Their bodily functions such as breathing and digestion suffer when the temperature drops. According to scientists at the University of Georgia the turtles become slow when temperatures drop below 10 degrees Celsius. This leads to the need for hibernation holes.

This period of inactivity is rarely broken by turtles. Red-eared sliders, an aquatic species, often sink into the mud near the bottom of lakes and ponds. They only occasionally get air.

If your turtle starts digging holes in the fall or winter, it will likely go into a long sleep. You might want to do the exact same thing.

Turtle Is Preparing To Lay Eggs

Another reason why turtles dig holes for eggs is because they are preparing to lay eggs. Sea turtles will dig holes for eggs in the ocean, where they can be found on the shore. This could explain why your pet does the same thing in the tank as outside. Gravid turtles make multiple holes to confuse predators.

Foxes and rats can smell the eggs, which is why they are so attracted to them. To fool them, dig multiple holes. This gives enough time for eggs to hatch.

If you are unsure if your female turtle is digging for eggs or other reasons, then observe her digging style. This is the most obvious indicator. It’s the biggest giveaway. Pregnant turtles dig with their hind legs and back into the hole. Turtles normally dig with their forelegs, and head first.

The depth of the hole is another indicator. The chances of laying eggs are higher if the hole is deeper than it is. To deposit eggs and smoothen out the chamber, females dig deeper holes.

Your turtle will then repackage the dirt to disguise the entry point, making it appear that the area was not dug.

All of the digging signs might not be visible if your pet is kept in a tank. However, it is important to verify the digging style mentioned above.

Turtle Is Foraging

Your pet turtle will dig a hole if it is hungry or has just found some bugs or worms. This is not a normal behavior in pet turtles, but it is common in wild turtles.

This could indicate that your turtle isn’t getting enough or the right diet. A well-fed turtle rarely forages.

You should ensure that you are eating greens and vegetables rich in vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.

Turtle Is Preparing For Aestivation

It may surprise you to learn that aestivation can also be called hibernation in the summer. They do slumber in summer, too. To beat the heat, turtles will dig holes to hide under the surface of the earth when it gets too hot.

If you see your turtle digging holes in the sun, it is possible to guess why.

Your Turtle Wants To Eat Rocks

Geophagy is a well-documented phenomenon that occurs in reptiles such as turtles, crocodiles and lizards. It’s also known by the rock-eating tendency. It is believed that turtles eat rock to satisfy their mineral needs, although the reasons are not clear. Pebbles are preferred by turtles, especially if they have a calcium or iron deficiency.

Although small stones may occasionally cause no harm, large ones can be fatal to your turtle by blocking the intestine or choking it.

Watch out for your turtle digging holes in the ground to collect pebbles. You can prevent this by giving your turtle nutritional supplements.

This could be the solution: SunGrow’s calcium supplement balls. These balls are almost identical to pebbles.

Your Turtle Is Stressed

Turtles can experience a wide range of emotions but are not capable of feeling them all. However, they can be stressed. To feel secure, turtles often dig holes. Digging holes can help your turtle channel their emotions.

There are many possible reasons for this. The turtle may become stressed if there is a lot noise or footfall around the tank.

Other reasons could include aggression among tank mates or a poor environment.

For some turtles, digging holes or hiding under can provide a comfortable environment.

Your Turtle is Bored

Turtles can easily get bored, believe it or not. It is important to provide a stimulating environment that encourages them to have fun. The chances of digging are higher in smaller habitats. It’s better to improve if this is the case.

There is no way to tell if your turtle is bored or digging for food. After excluding all other possibilities like stress, pregnancy, slumber and food hunt, your turtle will just dig holes.

Add toys that will keep your turtle happy if there is enough space. My best friend gifted my turtles a basking platform and a ladder last Christmas.

They love it. They can be entertained for hours and get exercise.

The one I have is large.

These seven reasons are all you need to know about why turtles dig holes. As you can see, there are many reasons that turtles dig holes. It’s instinctual for turtles.

Let’s not forget about good substrate. It is essential that you choose a substrate which supports this natural behavior.

Based on thousands of 5-star Amazon reviews, Zoo Med Eco Earth’s product seems to be a great choice.

Why Is My Turtle Burying Itself?

For the same reasons that it is digging holes, your turtle may be burying itself. The reasons for your turtle digging holes can be anything from hibernation to aestivation or foraging to more serious issues like stress, geophagy, and laying eggs. Sometimes it’s simply boredom.

How Deep Do Turtles Dig?

Box turtles, a terrestrial turtle, are better at digging than their aquatic counterparts. Therefore, their holes are often deeper. However, in general, turtles can dig up to 2 feet. Some turtles can dig as far as 3-4 feet, but this is not the norm for pet turtles.

Do Red-Eared Slider Turtles Bury Themselves?

Although red-eared sliders dig holes and burrow themselves, they are less frequent than terrestrial species. Same goes for painted turtles, their cousins. The semi-aquatic species dig holes to hibernate and lay eggs.

We can rule out aestivation in their case as they can just dive into the water on sunny days.

How To Help A Turtle Dig Safely?

It should be obvious that turtles dig instinctively and naturally. It would be unfair to stop them digging. We can only encourage safe digging. You can make a safe mounding area with some hides. You can also let your turtle explore the yard if the environment and time permit.

Mounding For Turtles

You can make a corner mound if it’s not possible to fill the enclosure with enough dirt to dig. It should work, as most turtles will only dig in one area.

The mound can be kept in a small box. If you have the space, you could opt for a larger box with stepping stones to house your turtle.

To avoid future hassles, make sure that the materials you are mounding are easy to gather and easy to clean.

Digging Hides For Turtles

Each turtle should have access only to a few hides. One can be made with soft moss or dirt. This will allow your turtle to pass the time, even though it is not as exciting as digging in dirt.

I use a mixture of sand, peat moss and garden soil. Sometimes, I add coconut fibre.

Outdoor Time For Turtles

Your turtle shouldn’t spend its entire time in a four-wall tank, no matter how beautiful or spacious the environment. You need to be patient and committed when raising a turtle. You should make time to take your turtle outside every now and again to enjoy the outdoors in a safe place.

Conclusion On Why Do Turtles Dig Holes

To make a long story shorter, turtles have a natural habit of digging holes. In most cases, the underpinning reason could be for preparation for hibernation. Other possible reasons include searching for food and a place to lay eggs. This behavior could also be due to boredom or stress if you have ruled out any of these causes.

Although all turtles can dig holes and burrow themselves in the sand, this behavior is more common in terrestrial turtles like box turtles. This is why they are more skilled than the aquatic species in this area.

The depth of the dug hole can be anywhere from 1ft to 2ft. Some turtles can reach up to 3-4 feet in length. It’s highly unlikely that your turtle will reach that depth.

Pregnant turtles are more likely to dig multiple, deeper holes in order to better protect their hatchlings.

It is an instinctive behavior among turtles to dig holes. Once you understand the reason, you can address it and make this easier.

If the turtle is digging too much, you can distract it by adding toys or decorations.