Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am wanting to get into turtles in a bad way.... I can't decide whether I want a common snapper or a softshell. So since they are only about $15 each I may just get both Can I keep them in the same tank as long as they are about the same size? Can somebody give me general care and tank setup? I was thinking of a 10 gallon for starters. How long would that last? With 2 in there...? Thanks for all of your help!
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0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1.0 Redtail "Kilo"
1.0 Ball Python "Wilson" (Castaway)
1. Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Chunk" (Goonies)
.1 Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Peaches"
0.0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Onyx"

Personally, I wouldn't keep a snapper and a softshell together, even if they're hatchlings. A 10 gallon would hold a snapper or softshell for 6 months or maybe a little longer. If you get both, I would put them in a 20 gallon long for starting out. For a snapper, I would have the water level around 3-4 inches and for a softshell, I'd make it the same or a little higher. Both would need a place to get out of the water and some places that they can get explore underwater(caves made outta rocks or hollowed out logs). Make sure that you have a good filter, too.

with small turtles it is a good idea to have them separate, at least in the beginning. this allows you to better monitor each turtles food intake and ensure they are eating. if they dont eat pellets you need to provide live, which if there are 2 turtles in there and only one is not eating, the other will eat all the live. another turtle hastily swimming around at feeding time can cause stress to the other which may lead to refusal to eat. i have a snapper with 2 other hardshelled turtles, but i wouldnt recommend that to other people, and i definitely would not recommend a softy and a snapper together. i have had turtles hit 4" their first year, so a 10 gallon with a good, healthy, fast-growing turtle in it will only last about 3 months, after that its on to the 30 breeders and maybe 55s. have you had turtles before? what kind? neither of these are the best for a beginner turtle, but if you do your homework and a lot of research you can do them. dont cut corners for the sake of your wallet, because the turtles will be the ones who pay for it. this is a good start, so thank you for actually asking experienced people before you tried to mix them. whats the biggest tank you can provide? this may limit your options of species.

What size tank can I get....? What size do they need? I wil get them whatever they need. I am not one to cut corners, especially when one of my pets health depends on it. Which would you recomend for a first turtle of the two? Common snapper or sofshell? Also can someone give me a list of supplies I would need for a good tank setup? I am sure I will need a water heater. I only ask this because I have several lying around but...Can I use an UTH since I have several lying around? Make sure it never gets wet of course... Thanks for all of your help!
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0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1.0 Redtail "Kilo"
1.0 Ball Python "Wilson" (Castaway)
1. Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Chunk" (Goonies)
.1 Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Peaches"
0.0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Onyx"

i would go with a smaller species of softy. snappers can be very large and very dangerous. softies can inflict serious wounds with their mouth and claws too, but not as bad as a snapper. you should get the biggest tank you can handle (space wise and financially). you will need it eventually anyways, and you might as well get one big setup than one small, one medium, and one big. a smooth softshell or spiny softshell should work. florida softshells get huge and should be avoided by a beginner. for setup you need a really good filter, i like whispers. proper lighting, that means heat over the basking area and UV over the whole tank. you will need a basking area. thats about it. i can expand on this if you need it. i only feed pellets. live food can introduce parasites and disease.

If this is going to be your first turtle I would stay away from a softshell. They are much more difficult to care for compared to a snapper, Red Earred Slider, Painted, etc. The can easily damage their shells because they are so soft and they absorb water through their skin so the tank water has to be kept very clean.

Also, I would not house a snapper or a softshell with eachother or any others turtles for that matter. Both species can be very aggressive and prefer to be kept in an isolated tank.

I would suggest going with a painted, RES, or mud/musk as a starter turtle. But if you have your heart set on either a snapper or softshell I would go witha snapper. They are much more hardy. Just be prepared to purchase a large enclosure some time down the road. I have a common snapper and he is over a year old. I have kept him in a 20gal long tank for his entire life. He still has plenty of room.

The essential equipment you will need is a filter, basking light, and some rocks, plants other material to create some hiding places for it. Good luck. Make sure to read up on any turtle before you buy it.
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Mike
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2 Painted
1 Musk
1 Common Snapper
1 Cooter
1 Map
1 RES
1 Corn Snake
1.1 Water Dragons
2 African Frogs
1 Toad
1.0 Degu
1.2 Chihuahuas
0.1 Cat

Female spiney softshells rival Florida softshells in terms of size. I would not recommend them to anyone unless you can eventually come up with at least a 120 gallon aquarium.

phiber, i agree that one of the more common, and smaller species of pet turtle will most likely suit you better. they are also a little more enjoyable. they come swimming at you everytime you enter the room, wanting you to give them some food. they are easier, hardier, smaller, just an all around better pet. i wouldnt want you to get into a snapper or softy and a year from now be bored with them or not end up being able to give them their needed tank size. it wouldnt be fair to you or the turtles. please take this into consideration. and if it the colorations you dont find attractive, you can get a morph of a species, like pastel RES or something like that. they will cost a little more, but you may like them much better.

I would go with a common snapper. They are a very hardy turtle and if you handle them enough(not every few minutes) and respect them, they can be very good pets. I have had mine for over a year and hes in a 125 gallon tank. Right now, he has a 7.5" carapace length. They can grow at different rates, and most stay around 4" the first year. Both a snapper and a softshell can get large, but snappers are more interesting IMO. Mine will swim up to the glass whenever someone walks into the room. If snappers aren't for you, I'd go with a mud/musk species. They are also hardy and don't require as much tank space. Heres a link to my photobucket site with different pics of my snapper and other turtles: http://photobucket.com/albums/y224/turlteman85.

Forgot to add that RES and other sliders can get big too.

that link to your photo bucket pics didnt work for me. i would like to see them though. was your snapper a hatchling when you got it? if so that is some great growth. what is your care/feeding/filtration/lighting/basking area/all that stuff? i would like to know so i can do it right for mine when it gets bigger.

Sorry, mispelled "turtle" hehe. Here ya go: http://photobucket.com/albums/y224/turtleman85. Yes, my snapper was a hatchling when I got it(around a month old). I handle him at least 3-4 times a week. When he was smaller, I'd hand feed him worms, pellets, insects, cooked meat, etc. I have a whisper 20i and an unknown 40 gallon filter in his tank right now(theres around 80 gallons in it). I have gravel on the bottom about 1 1/2" thick. Also, I have an internal heater that keeps the water around 78-80 degrees. I have 2 3' uvb light strips, and even though the uvb can't get through the glass too good, the reptomin provides him with the proper vitamins and nutrients. When he was smaller, I used a 50 watt basking bulb and clamp lamp. He would bask up until about 4 or 5 months ago. I stacked rocks to make a flat basking area(be sure to stack them so the turt can't climb out). Mine stayed in a 20 gallon long for about 5 months and then I put him in a 44 gallon corner tank for about 3 months. Hes been in the 125 gallon for about 6 months and he grew a considerable amount but his growth has slowed down again. One more thing, they'll shed almost constantly for the about the first year, so don't be alarmed if you see white, flaky stuff hangin off him/her in the water. Hoped this info helps. If you want any further info, you can email me at biggun79@hotmail.com.