For some turtles, it’s basking or the “Superman pose” that helps keep their bodies at the right temperature and much more. Basking helps the turtles dry out their shells, which can keep dangerous parasites from attaching. This means that they maintain a constant body temperature that is independent of their environment. As an ectotherm, a turtles’ body temperature changes alongside the environment around them. To help regulate their body temperature, turtles will bask on logs, fallen trees, rocks, and other surfaces in the sunlight with their limbs stretched out.