How to Buy a Turtle

Turtles are considered wild animals, but with proper care they can live long lives as domestic pets.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Turtle Food
• Turtle Terrarium Or Aquarium
• Turtle

1. Decide whether you want a pet that can be time-consuming and expensive to take care of. If the turtle is for a child, consider whether he's old enough to take safety precautions when handling this wild animal.

2. Go to a reputable pet store to buy your turtle. Tanks in the store should be clean, and turtles shouldn't be living in overcrowded conditions.

3. Talk to the pet salesperson about the different kinds of turtles. Do you want a land turtle and terrarium or a water turtle and aquarium? Red-eared sliders, cooters and mud turtles are good varieties for a responsible older child.

4. Look for a turtle with bright, clear eyes. These are indications that she's healthy. Avoid animals with dry, cracked skin or soft shells.

5. Choose a turtle that resists when you pick her up. She should move her legs and head when touched.

Tips & Warnings

• Before you bring home your turtle, make sure you have the proper terrarium and equipment needed to care for this pet.
• Turtles, especially red-eared sliders and cooters, can grow to be quite big.
• You can distinguish water turtles from other varieties by checking for the webbing between their toes.
• Expect to spend about $15 for a cooter or slider turtle.
• Turtles can carry the salmonella bacteria. If the turtle's owner will be a child, be sure he's old enough and responsible enough to wash his hands thoroughly and consistently every time he handles his pet. For the same reason, turtles aren't good pets for people with compromised immune systems.

[nightbiker]

on 7/5/2009 I've kept sliders for years in an artificial pond, they really enjoy "feeder fish" (usually small goldfish or whatever is least expensive, on sale) though I've kept mollies in the pond as well (as they seem to be born pregnant -or nearly so- I regulate the population by adjusting the amounts I feed the turtle -less feed, and the turtle responds by eating more fish, etc. ). Sliders also LOVE pond grass, small bits of fruits, etc -just don't overfeed because they tend to be rather messy.

[theherpclinic]

on 4/5/2009 www.theherpclinic.webs.com for all your reptiles, amphibians

on 11/22/2005 use dog crates and put in a wooden floor

on 11/22/2005 Our Malaysian box turtle lives in a 20-gal long tank with rocks at one end to climb out on. There's a heater and filter. We use a UVA reptile light on a different enclosure for 30" to an hour several times a week. In warm weather she goes out to sunbathe.

on 11/22/2005 Most pet shops refuse to sell turtles during late fall through early spring because they hibernate. If a turtle is taken out of hibernation, it will get sick and most likely die. In spring is when they are the cheapest because that's breeding season.