Adaptable Armor: The Incredible Story of Turtles with Hinged Shells!

Turtles first appeared millions of years ago during the late Triassic period. This was long before T-Rex and other famous dinosaurs came to rule the earth. The basic design of the turtle was in place and throughout evolution it has barely changed. The point? Turtles got it right from day one. The shell is the ultimate defense mechanism but some species have an added characteristic that helps them achieve survival more so than others. Box turtles, hingeback tortoises and a few others possess a shell hinge that can act as a drawbridge. This allows the two main parts of the shell to close or partially close which further protects the animal from harm. See how these remarkable turtle and tortoise types use their unique shell hinges and learn what other species can do that lack this peculiar adaptation.

Want to support Garden State Tortoise? Become a patron today by joining our PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/gardenstatetortoise

Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/gardenstatetortoise

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/garden_state_tortoise/

Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gardenstatetortoise

Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GardenStateTortoise/

Visit our website: https://www.gardenstatetortoise.com

Follow our Diamondback terrapin conservation work on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terrapinconservationinitiative/

Who is Garden State Tortoise?

However you made it here, thank you and welcome to Garden State Tortoise. Garden State Tortoise is home to hundreds of animals from all around the world. We are a family dedicated to adventure, conservation of wildlife, and all things nature. We are a reptile rescue and breeding facility for more than ten years, offering refuge to those who need it, and working everyday to protect the beautiful world of reptiles in any way we can. Here on our YouTube channel you will be able to join us on our animal adventures while learning how to care for, protect, properly identify, feed and even breed many species of turtle, tortoise, snake and lizard. We even work with frogs and salamanders! We hope you enjoy our videos and help us share them with the world so we can continue to educate people of all ages about herpetology.

Chris and Casey Leone