Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i have an empty 20 gallon long and i want to get 1 or 2 turtles for it. there is going to be like 4-5 inches of water with some large rocks for land. what equipment and type of turtles should i get for the tank. also what do you recomend feeding them. i had a box turtle in the past and fed him bananas and other fruit. i know its not recomended to keep wild animals but what turtles are in northern VA that could be kept as pets?

I wouldn't recommend a 20 long as a permanent home for any turtle. A male eastern painted stays relatively small, but a 20 gallon would still be a tight fit. Mud and musk turtles are native to VA, and even those I'd try to find a larger tank for housing.

Katrina

you can't put any kind of land turtle in it because they have to walk around alot. but some small water turtles might be fine if you set it up right. dont use a rock for basking but buy or make somekind of raised up platforme so the turtle can swim in the whole thing. th3e water kind of turtles will swim around and around and dive of the platform and get exersise okay in that kind of place. some mud turtles dont get bigger then 5" and are fine if you dont stick a big rock in the middle, taking up alot of space. a freind of mine has a asian four-eye turtle in a 20gal long tank with a plastic thing raised up for basking. it does great in there and has lots of space to swim and dive. he keeps all kinds of water plants in there to and the turtle eats them and plays in them. that turtle is about 5". dont get a res or any of the bigger turts because a 20gal long isn't going to work.

i can probably get a 50/55 gallon tank from my friend. the only types of turtles available to me through pet stores are RES and map turtles. so if i get the tank then that really opens up my options. i like the map turtles and might get those but have to make sure they are both males.

this size tank is okay for one or maybe two hatchlings of some kinds for a year a most.
No turtle over two inches should be housed in one.