Turtles are not created equally. Just like any other organism, they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Some have different colors on them and others come in plain brown or green. This helps people classify which ones are suitable to keep as pets and which ones are better left in the wild. These days, many people are more apt to choose a turtle that stays small over larger species because they are easier to maintain and they do not have to take up a huge amount of space at home. If you’re on the look out for a turtle that stays small, here are a couple of options that you can consider.
Bog turtle
The bog turtle cannot grow beyond four inches on the average so it can be classified as a turtle that stays small even with old age. This turtle species is characterized by a bright yellow or orange blotch located on both sides of its head and neck. Its legs are colored an orange-red wash on the inside. This turtle that stays small also has a rectangular-shaped carapace and is known to inhabit moist lands and meadows. It loves to wander on mossy and grassy land that has high humidity.
A bog turtle can hibernate underwater in six to eighteen inches of mud. This turtle that stays small is a typical omnivore – that is, it feeds on both plant-based and animal-based food products.
Red-eared slider
The red-eared slider is another type of turtle that stays small even through old age. This reptile can grow up to an average of ten inches and is generally omnivorous. It is known to eat a wide array of food materials including fish, tadpoles, snails, aquatic insects and aquatic plants. The red-eared slider generally lives around the Mississippi river and other freshwater environments. As much as possible this turtle that stays small shouldn’t be taken away from its natural habitat but if it is, then a pet owner should be wise to create a living space that is quite similar to its natural environment.
This type of turtle that stays small can live up to an average of forty years and can be pretty difficult to take care of. It is not exactly a suitable pet for children as the turtle can carry salmonella which can make them ill. Just like most turtles, the red-eared slider requires a basking area and a large space for them to swim around in. UV lamps should also be installed and it’s important to create the most natural living environment for them as possible.
Heads up
It’s important to be wary of unscrupulous individuals who claim to sell a turtle that stays small even though that is not exactly the case. In some areas, the sale of turtles that are less than four inches big is illegal. If you have been offered or if you bought really small turtles, you will want to report this act to the nearest environment resources department or local animal shelter so that something can be done to this apparent illegal smuggling.
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.
