Aquatic and semi-aquatic turtles are popular as pets. The most well known is probably the red eared slider, although there are several other species which are kept as pets such as the Russian Tortoises and Spur-thighed Tortoises.
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Turtles for Sale
Turtles for Sale, Buy a Turtle
The turtle family is called Testudinae and is part of the reptiles group. All of them have a beak called a tomia instead of teeth.
They all have a shell. The top part of the shell is called a carapace. The underneath part of the shell covers the belly and is called a plastron. The shell is part of the animal's body and does not come off. Some turtles have a soft leathery shell, but most have hard shells.
There are 3 groups of turtles:
- Turtles generally spend most of their time in the water. Sea turtles have flipper-like legs.
- Tortoises spend most of their time on the land. Their legs and feet are very club-like, with claws.
- There are also terrapins, which spend equal amount of time on land and in the water.
Aquatic Turtles for Beginners
For beginners, the hardier turtles are recommended, such as red eared sliders, cooters, and mud and musk turtles, keeping in mind that sliders and cooters will reach a mature length of greater than 12 inches, while mud and musk turtles are about half that size. Map and painted turtles, as well as some of the less common species are a bit less hardy. Softshell and snapping turtles have a reputation for being large, aggressive, and generally more difficult to care for so are not good for beginners.
Buying a Turtle
Make sure the turtle is active, with bright eyes. It should pull back its head if touched. There should be no mucus coming from the nose or mouth and there should be no white or soft spots on the shell or skin.
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Captive Care Guide
