Do Turtles Shed Their Shells? Yes, turtles do shed their shells. As a turtle's shell (bones) grows larger, the old scutes (the outer portion of the shell) must fall off to make way for the newer, larger scutes. But, that isn't the only reason a turtle will peel its shell.

Do softshell turtles shed their shells?

In most turtles and tortoises, the scutes remain on the shell for life, which causes the shell to thicken and protects it. The outer layers of scutes can be worn down, especially in burrowing tortoises, but are not normally shed.

Can you keep a softshell turtle?

At roughly half that size, the spiny and smooth softshell turtles are more manageable as pets. They can be kept in a large aquarium that's at least 75 to 100 gallons. The water must be kept very clean, and there should be nothing sharp or rough that could cause a wound on your softshell turtle in that tank.