Do Turtles Actually Breathe Through Their Butts?

I still remember the first time I heard this. I was watching a nature documentary, half-asleep, when the narrator casually said, “Some turtles can breathe through their butts.” I sat straight up. Rewound. Rewatched. Googled. And then… I fell into the strangest rabbit hole of turtle biology ever.

Yes, turtles can actually breathe through their butts. But like most weird facts, there’s a whole story behind it.

Let’s clear something up right away

Turtles do have lungs like us. They breathe air through their noses, and they can’t survive without oxygen. So no, they don’t only breathe through their butts. But under certain conditions, especially during winter, they rely on something very special: cloacal respiration.

Sounds fancy? Let’s break it down.

What Is Cloacal Respiration?

Okay, let’s talk butts. Specifically, the cloaca. It’s a multipurpose opening used for pooping, peeing, and laying eggs. Think of it as nature’s all-in-one port. In some turtle species, especially freshwater turtles, the cloaca also happens to have a set of specialized sacs called bursae.

These sacs are lined with blood vessels and can absorb oxygen from water. When a turtle stays underwater for long periods—like during hibernation in icy lakes—it uses these sacs to “breathe” underwater.

It’s not like the cloaca is gulping air and blowing bubbles. The turtle just sits there, still and quiet, and water flows over the bursae, allowing oxygen to pass through.

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Why Do Turtles Need This Weird Trick?

Let’s say you’re a turtle living in a pond. Winter hits. The pond freezes. You can’t surface for air anymore. If you were a fish, you’d be fine since fish have gills. But you? You’ve got lungs.

This is where cloacal respiration saves the day.

Turtles hibernate under the ice. Their bodies slow down. Their heartbeat drops to just one or two beats a minute. They barely move. And instead of drowning, they slowly sip oxygen through their butts like some ancient ninja master.

I once tried explaining this to my niece. She stared at me, horrified, and said, “So… turtles drink air with their butts?” Not wrong, kid. Not wrong.

Which Turtles Can Do This?

Not all turtles are butt breathers.

The champions in this field are species like the Australian Fitzroy River turtle and the North American Eastern painted turtle. The Fitzroy turtle is especially known for this ability—so much that some scientists call it the “bum breather.”

Imagine having a superpower so weird it becomes your name.

These turtles have highly efficient cloacal bursae. Some can extract enough oxygen from water to survive months without surfacing. It’s like having scuba gear built into your bottom.

Butt Breathing vs. Regular Breathing

Here’s the interesting thing. Even when they’re not hibernating, turtles can use cloacal respiration to some extent while underwater.

But it’s not nearly as effective as breathing through lungs. Think of it like charging your phone with solar power—it works, but don’t expect lightning speed. This slow oxygen absorption is only enough when turtles are inactive and in cold water.

If a turtle is swimming around, active, or stressed, it will still need to come up for air like usual.

What Happens If They Can’t Butt-Breathe?

If a turtle is trapped under ice but the water is too low in oxygen, things can get risky. They can survive for a while by switching to anaerobic respiration (making energy without oxygen), but that builds up lactic acid. Over time, this becomes dangerous.

To buffer the acid, turtles actually use the calcium from their shells. Their bones and shells help neutralize the acid in their bodies.

Yes, their shells are like living shields, chemistry labs, and acid blockers all in one.

I once read a study that described this in detail and couldn’t help laughing out loud. I mean, who knew turtle shells were basically giant antacid tablets?

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Does This Make Turtles Special?

Absolutely. This little party trick sets turtles apart from most reptiles.

They’ve been around for over 200 million years, and surviving winter by breathing through their cloaca is just one reason why. It’s not glamorous. It doesn’t involve fire or flying. But it works.

And that’s what turtles do best—quietly outliving everyone with the weirdest adaptations.

Can Humans Do This?

Before you ask (and trust me, people have asked), no—we can’t breathe through our butts.

There was some wild buzz during the pandemic when scientists tried rectal oxygen therapy on pigs and mice. It worked to a small degree. But for us humans, it’s not a thing. We don’t have cloacal bursae. Just regular butts with no special talents.

So don’t try anything weird. Let the turtles have their moment.

So next time you see a turtle chilling underwater, just know it might not be holding its breath. It could be sipping oxygen in the most unexpected way.

Through its butt.

And that, my friend, is science at its weirdest and most wonderful.