Most aquatic turtles can spend up to eight hours out of the water, but then they need to get back into their watery environment. Softshell turtles on the other hand can dry out and become dehydrated much faster because of their softer shell. They usually come out of the water on occasion to bask and dry off in an effort to help stave off algae and fungal infection, but they typically don’t spend more than an hour out of the water at a time. If you own a spiny softshell turtle, we suggest only taking it out of the water for short periods, and only when absolutely necessary. If it needs to move, try and keep it in a humid environment, such as a box with damp cloths, or a little bit of tank water.