Now that you have made the decision to buy a pet turtle, it may be helpful for you to know the most common types of turtles that are easily kept as pets. A few types of turtles are easier than others to make household pets and knowing which ones they are can make your home turtle experience more successful.
Starter Turtles
The Peninsula Cooter is one of the easier types of turtles to raise and keep for the novice owner. They are a species that are quite hardy. These turtles are herbivores for the most part, though the juveniles of the species will eat insects and fish. They are an excellent citizen of the community tank. One of their favorite pastimes is to bask in the sun and in the summer, you can put them outdoors as they will enjoy the use of a pond if you should have one.
Sliders are another one of the common types of turtles that are typically kept as pets. The Red Eared Slider is a great turtle choice for beginners. They thrive in tanks or land and water set ups. With their bright red ears, they will brighten up any pond on your property. These types of turtles are omnivorous, chowing down on greens, fish, insects and pellets. Any of the turtles in the slider family are good turtles for the novice owner.
Intermediate Turtles
A smart companion turtle for the intermediate owner or a novice that has done their research is the North American Wood Turtle. They are easily taught and learn quickly. They are happy to live on land or in the water as they can be found living happily in cool, clear mountain streams. Your NA Wood Turtle will be a great climber and can be likened to an ATV. They enjoy swimming, burrowing, basking and have been known to dive to the bottom of streams to search for food, to explore what may be below, and even to take a nap.
Asian Box Turtles are becoming rarer in their native land of South East Asia. They can be found featured in many of the local Chinese food markets. These types of turtles are the most aquatic of the box turtles but they will do fine in a habitat that offers them both land and water. Juveniles though hardy are more difficult to find than are adults.
Turtles make wonderful pets and with so many types of turtles in danger of extinction, teaching your children how important they are to the natural world will enlighten them to the plight of many other endangered animals. Many types of turtles such as wood turtles are extremely intelligent and have personalities just like your pet dog or cat.
Giving them a habitat in which they can thrive, as well as a diet that is right for them will go a long way to keeping them happy and healthy. Turtles typically have a long life span and giving them the proper care will ensure they are part of the family for many years into the future.
Pet Turtle Care Tip #1
Turtles are members of the Reptile family and they are some of the oldest living creatures on the planet. They have been around for more than two hundred million years. This makes them as old as the dinosaurs. There are hundreds of different kinds of turtles all over the planet.
Pet Turtle Care Tip #2
Sea turtles are the most popular of all of the turtles. These are also some of the largest creatures—some sea turtles can grow to more than six feet in length and weigh hundreds of pounds. Scientists think that sea turtles are actually land creatures that went back into the water and never came out. Over time their limbs evolved to make them stronger swimmers and to keep them in the water: their front appendages are actually flippers.
Pet Turtle Care Tip #3
All turtles, even sea turtles, are air breathing creatures. While some turtles can stay under the water for hours at a time, they all must surface at least once a day to stay alive. There is one turtle, the giant turtle that only has to surface once a day to take in air. There are some studies being done to see if some species of turtle might be able to draw oxygen from their cells much like some fish use their gills to breathe.
