Do Sea Turtles Breathe Air. Sea turtles spend a majority of their time underwater, so they must be able to hold their breath for long periods. Turtles breathe air through external nares located above their mouths.
Air moves through the glottis and into the trachea, made of a series of rings of cartilage. Sea turtles are reptiles, like snakes and lizards, and breathe air. However, the turtles can hold their breath for a longer period of time which enables them to adapt to the underwater surrounding by absorbing small amounts of oxygen without actually breathing.