Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm looking for a small turtles/Terrapins to keep. Are ther some species available around 3" adult size.

Thanks

Not really. Some of the musk turtles max out around 4" as adults, and are likely the cheapest "small" turtle you can buy. Egyptian tortoises stay pretty small, but they are very expensive, as they are a rare species. Spotted turtles also max out around 4", but please do not purchase an adult, as most adults for sale are wild-caught, and they are endangered or threatened in most states in thier range.

Katrina

This question comes up at least once a week - people obssessed with minimal size. In fact, there are many species in the 4-6" range that don't present a housing problem as adults and could even be kept in a 10-gallon aquarium, if necessary. Also, the rate of growth varies widely, even in turtles kept under identical conditions and diet. Rarely will a juvenile explode to unmanageable size in just a few years. I have found that hardiness and "personality" far outweigh simple size considerations if you want a great pet. For example, musk turtles generally remain small but are far less rewarding pets that mid-sized Emydid aquatics. Personally, I have an alligator snapper, the largest of U.S. turtles, that has been in my care for nearly 15 years with regular balanced feeding and it has remained at about 4 - 5" in all this time. African mud turtles, which I heartily recommend as "pets", rather than "displays" have grown to adult size in a reasonable time but are no problem for maintainence. Please look at all aspects of a species before you decide.