If your child has been clamoring for a pet, you may think that a turtle is an easy choice. You may think it's more exotic than a goldfish and less upkeep than a cat or dog. In reality, pet turtles require a good amount of responsibility and maintenance and their long lifespan makes them less like a pet and more like a long-term investment. So, before you adopt your own little Myrtle, here is an overview of everything you need to know to keep pet turtles healthy and happy.
Choosing Your Breed of Pet Turtle
There are many different species of turtle, but the types that are most commonly brought home as pets (and the easiest to care for) are box turtles and red-eared slider turtles. Box turtles have dark skin with yellowish markings and tall, dome-shaped shells, which is where they get their name. Adults typically grow to about 6 inches in length. Red-eared slider turtles (also known as sliders) are the most common species of pet turtle. These are the kind that you find swimming around in tanks at your local pet store. While the baby turtles are often 4 inches in size or smaller, adults can grow up to 11 inches long, which means you might have to upgrade the size of your tank in the near future.
Creating Your Turtle's Home
Turtles can be divided into two categories based on their habitat: terrestrial and aquatic turtles. Box turtles are land-dwelling, or terrestrial, turtles. They are found in damp areas, such as the mossy parts of forests, all over the world. If you live in a temperate area (with an average temperature between 75-85 degrees), an ideal habitat for a box turtle is an outdoor pen with high walls and a top to ward off predators.
If you live in a colder or warmer climate, set up an indoor area for your box turtle.
