50 Turtle Quotes For Protection And Abundance

By Clifton Sankofa | Published March 2, 2023

Take your time and check out our delightful turtle quotes.

Turtles are one of the oldest beings on the planet, and many cultures across the globe recognize their wisdom.

What is a turtle?

A turtle is a type of reptile known as Testudines, known for its unique shell that protects its body.

There are three hundred and sixty species of turtles, including land-dwelling tortoises and freshwater terrapins.

Turtles are on almost every continent, many islands, and every ocean.

Turtles are amniotes, so they breathe air and lay their eggs on land.

Turtles can be categorized into two groups: side-necked turtles and hidden-necked turtles.

Check out these astonishing turtle facts below:

May 23 is World Turtle Day
The leatherback is the largest sea turtle in the world
The world’s oldest turtle is Jonathan the turtle, who is 190 years old

Jonathan, the turtle, is in the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest turtle alive.

However, some scientists estimate that giant turtles in the wild can live four hundred to five hundred years.

What do turtles symbolize?

Turtles have been incorporated into cultures across the globe.

They symbolize many different things depending on the culture.

Turtles are associated with longevity, perseverance, protection, retreat, healing, earth, and transformation.

Let’s check out what turtles represent to different cultures:

Africa

Turtles have lived in the Nile River for a long time. Many Africans, such as the people of ancient Egypt, viewed the turtle as a sacred being who warded off evil.

People wore turtle amulets to promote protection and health.

Asia

In Chinese tradition, Feng Shiu practitioners place turtles in their entrance to ward off negativity.

In Hindu mythology, the giant turtle Kurma holds the god Vishnu on his back.

The Americas

Many Native American traditions and creation stories involve a turtle who carries the entire planet earth on its backside.

Europe

The Celtic god Lugh is the god of the sun and war. He is associated with the turtle.

In the Nordic traditions, Fjorgyn, the goddess of nature and soil, and Asha, the goddess of art, were depicted as turtles.

Australia

The story of Wayamba, who was outnumbered and put shields on his front and back sides to protect himself, centers around the turtle’s ability to protect itself from danger.

The turtle is kind and patient

Turtles are one of the earth’s oldest creatures; they have not needed to evolve for millions of years.

Humans look to the turtle for wisdom, health, protection, longevity, and fortune.

Check out our awesome turtle quotes below for more fantastic turtle content.

You will also enjoy our article on snake quotes.

Short turtle quotes about taking your time

It is unwise to rush into things. Take your time like the turtle.

1. “Turtle, turtle.” — Pistachio Disguisey, Master of Disguise

2. “I had a turtle that I called Kalidas.” — Aparna Sen

3. “Try to be like the turtle; at ease in your own shell.” — Bill Copeland

4. “Take a walk with a turtle. And behold the world in pause.” — Bruce Feiler

5. “You are absolutely free to describe me as a turtle or something.” — Paul Giamatti

6. “Watch the turtle. He only moves forward by sticking his neck out.” — Louis V. Gerstner

7. “I would honestly say I’m in the turtle’s race. My journey is a marathon.” — Omari Hardwick

8. “Behold the turtle. He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out.” — James Bryant Conant

9. “My favorite Christmas gift as a child was – I had a ninja turtle skateboard.” — Danny Amendola

10. “Anytime you see a turtle up on top of a fence post, you know he had some help.” — Anonymous

The top turtle quotes about life

Turtles live a long time; therefore, they know much about life.

11. “‘Turtle’ is one of our favorite ballad songs that we’ve written. It is very quiet but also so bright.” — Momo Hirai

12. “I got a few speeding tickets when I was young, but I’m a little more like the turtle than the hare.” — Christopher Lloyd

13. “Earle Gypsy was the name my brother gave a pet turtle he had. I always thought it was so peculiar.” — Joel Hodgson

14. “And when you look at the Turtle’s movie, there is something there, definitely something there.” — Eddie Campbell

15. “Hawaii was beautiful, of course. We played at Turtle Bay, an amazing resort right on the ocean.” — Natalie Gulbis

16. “Our cat is kind dove shellfish and thinks the world is hers, She finds a comfy spot, and then we pet turtle sheep purrs.” — Brian P. Cleary

17. “I’m like an old turtle these days. I don’t run wide-open everywhere, but at the end of the day, I’ll be where I’m supposed to be.” — Tracy Lawrence

18. “I remember I wanted to be Zorro, but I also wanted to be a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. I obviously had ideas above my station.” — Paolo Nutini

19. “People want to do authentic things. They want to go horseback riding, fishing, shooting or searching for turtle nesting spots on the beach.” — Philip Anschutz

20. “Every sea captain who sailed to the West Indies was expected to bring home a turtle on the return voyage for a feast to his expectant friends.” — Alice Morse

Turtle quotes to inspire and teach

The turtle is recognized as a wise animal with much to teach us.

21. “’The Green Turtle’ wasn’t all that popular. He lasted only five issues of Blazing Comics before disappearing into obscurity.” — Gene Luen Yang

22. “I ate some really amazing food in Thailand. I had river turtle, and dried rat, which was quite chewy and interesting and a bit like biltong.” — John Torode

23. “Words have a life of their own. There is no telling what they will do. Within a matter of days, they can even turn turtle and mean the opposite.” — Craig Brown

24. “We accidentally gave my boys’ Ninja Turtle’ names. I can promise you that Michelangelo and Donatello will not be coming out of me.” — Hilaria Baldwin

25. “Vernon Fenwick. He’s a cameraman at Channel 6 – he’s April O’Neil’s cameraman – and Vernon is a character who is from the ‘Turtle’ mythology.” — Will Arnett

26. “You don’t ease off until your horses are saddled and on the track. Until then, I’m like a snapping turtle. I snap at almost everybody with impatience.” — Bob Baffert

27. “The moment you introduce the element of IT, which is an interdimensional evil entity, the presence of the turtle comes with it, as a counterbalance.” — Andy Muschietti

28. “I am now a turtle. Virtually everything I own is on my back and suffice it to say I am one ton lighter and, therefore, 2,000 pounds happier. All houses are gone.” — Bobby Darin

29. “’The Green Turtle’ was created in the 1940s by a cartoonist named Chu Hing, one of the first Asian Americans to work in the American comic book industry.” — Gene Luen Yang

30. “Aging gracefully is about no heavy makeup, and not too much powder because it gets into the wrinkles, and, you know, to not get turtle eyelids and to not try to look young.” — Iris Apfel

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle quotes about coming out of your shell

The TMNT have inspired generations of children to been themselves and try their best. These quotes honor the turtles who inspire humanity.

31. “I was obsessed with the Turtles, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. There’s Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael, and my dad used to call me Callemundo, saying you’re the fifth turtle.” — Callum Smith

32. “We talk about long-term patient investing and that idea that slow and steady does win the race, that time can be your best friend when it comes to investing. That’s why we have a turtle as a logo at Ariel.” — Mellody Hobson

33. “All morning, they watched for the plane which they thought would be looking for them. They cursed war in general and PTs in particular. At about ten o’clock, the hulk heaved a moist sigh and turned turtle.” — John Hersey

34. “I always loved watching films. I’ve always been active, pretending I was a Power Ranger or a Ninja Turtle. I remember watching ‘Toy Story.’ I think that was one of my first movies.” — Trevante Rhodes

35. “Kneeling on the sea bottom in a place known as Tiger Beach, I watched a 12-foot- long female tiger shark cruise over the turtle grass with three silver bar jacks swimming in front of her nose.” — Brian Skerry

36. “It’s OK to do cute little things like kissing a turtle, but you can’t kiss another person because he’s a different color? Give me a break. And you have to remember; I’m from Dallas, Texas.” — Aaron Spelling

37. “Being on a successful show is kind of like being a sea turtle. Every year, sea turtles lay hundreds and hundreds of eggs, but only a few manage to survive and mature. It’s the same with TV pilots. There are so many great ideas, but for whatever reason, only the lucky ones get picked up.” — Keiko Agena

38. “‘Changes in Latitudes’ began when I was looking at a photograph of a sea turtle swimming underwater. I had such a strong feeling for the beauty of this ancient creature at home in the sea. On the spot, I wanted to swim with that turtle. I began to imagine a character who would do just that.” — Will Hobbs

39. “I’ve been exploring different options for when I’m done skiing. I have the Turtle Ridge Foundation, which is helping a bunch of worthy causes around the Northeast. I’ve also started SkiSpace, which is an online social network that basically deals with all things based around any snow sport.” — Bode Miller

40. “On its 2015 list, the Fish and Wildlife Service included the ‘ea, or hawksbill turtle, as well as the green turtle, Ridley sea turtle, leatherback turtle, and loggerhead turtle. Four mammals are considered endangered: the Hawaiian hoary bat; the kohola, or humpback whale; the sperm whale; and the endemic Hawaiian monk seal.” — Susanna Moore

The best turtle quotes about moving forward

Turtles might move slowly, but they always move forward toward their destination.

41. “I actually think I’m more of a turtle than Verne is. Where Verne is up on two legs and moving at full speed and doesn’t pull his head into the shell very often, I, in reality, was five or ten minutes later to every recording session.” — Garry Shandling

42. “The idea of the state is, or should be, a very limited, prescribed idea. The state looks after the defense of the realm and other matters – raising revenue to pay for things which are for all of us and so on. That idea has turned turtle now. The state isn’t any longer perceived as an institution which exists to serve us.” — Tom Stoppard

43. “After ‘Divergent,’ I got a job rewriting a sci-fi script at Paramount. I think they really liked what I did, so I got a call saying, ‘We’re about to shoot ‘Ninja Turtles’ in three or four months; do you wanna come in and do a little work on the script?’ That was the beginning of a many-month ‘Ninja Turtle’ odyssey.” — Evan Daugherty

44. “Every Halloween for six years, I was a Ninja Turtle, and Mikey was my favorite. The turtles really made me who I am today. They got me into martial arts, meditation, surfing, skateboarding; big time influence on who I am today.” — Greg Cipes

45. “The rumor is Chu Hing really wanted the ‘Green Turtle’ to be Chinese American, but the publisher didn’t think that would sell. If you read those books, the hero almost always has his back facing the camera, so you can’t see his face. When he turns around, his face is obscured.” — Gene Luen Yang

46. “We’ve got eight dogs, a cat, a turtle, kids… yeah, we have a lot of dogs. It’s a lot of furs, it’s a lot of poop, and that’s not even counting Robbie. He’s the hairiest, most feral animal of all.” — Ayda Field

47. “I grew up and fell out of love with hunting, though I still appreciate the meats I grew up eating: braised rabbit, pheasant jambalaya, snapping turtle soup, and venison backstrap with eggs.” — Brad Leone

48. “I was a kid that loved reptiles and eventually started an organization dedicated to saving turtles and tortoises, called the Turtle Conservancy, where we protect land and basically do species conservation around the world.” — Eric Goode

49. “I wonder what the most intelligent thing ever said was that started with the word ‘dude.’ ‘Dude, these are isotopes.’ ‘Dude, we removed your kidney. You’re gonna be fine.’ ‘Dude, I am so stoked to win this Nobel Prize. I just wanna thank Kevin, and Turtle, and all my homies.’” — Demetri Martin

50. “When I come to Chicago, I gorge myself. I get off the plane and start with Gene and Jude’s for two hot dogs with everything, swing by The Fudge Pot for a taffy apple and a turtle, chocolate clusters at Sarah’s Pastries and Candies, and steak at Smith and Wollensky. I find time for Gino’s pizza within the next 12 hours.” — James Belushi