Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi folks, my gf has fallen in love with the little turtles at our local pet store, unfortunatley the one she fell in love with is some sort of monster tortoise that gets huge. What i would like to know is, what types of turles stay relatively small in size, relatively small in that they are under a foot in length. And if you could let me know what type of habitats said turtles would need. Thanks in advance for any and all info. oh and they need to be really friendly.

Jeremy

Common Musk Turtle (Snernotherus odoratus) 5 inches.

Musk turtles do well in an aquatic set-up with a haul out spot such as a rock or turtle platform. They feed on fish, earthworms, and turtle pellets.

Any of the Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta ssp.) are great captives. Another aquatic turtle that needs a basking place. They average about a 7 inch carapace.

Please do some research before deciding on a turtle, and good luck.

Certain mud and musk turtles would fit the bill for the small size, "simple" habitat requirements, and cost-effectiveness, but I wanted to address the last line in the first post - about the turtle needing to be really friendly.

Reptiles cannot understand nor convey affection in the sense that more familiar animals with social capabilities can. There is no equivalent of a kitten, puppy, parrot or rabbit in the turtle order. Many captive turtles do have marked personalities insofar as the "lesser" vertebrates go, but they aren't built to be played with.

Do a fair amount of reading before jumping into a purchase (good on you for going so far as to ask questions BEFORE buying!) and you will have a good idea of what is in store for a turtle keeper. These animals tend to be for looks only - most just don't handle well since they cannot percieve that it means affection, or ANYthing besides harm or an inconvenience. To cut to the chase, make sure your girlfriend knows that she is not getting a pet of the traditional sort, and that both of you know that the "short-lived" types of turtles will only be with you for three or four decades (grin).