Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello! Sorry if this is the wrong section to post this question but I didn't know where else to go.

My wife wants a pet turtle, and would prefer to have one that only needs water for the occasional soak/playtime. Can anyone give me a list of land turtles, with the genus name and a brief description of its basic needs?

We have a 29 gallon aquarium tank, that'll be what we use to house it until my baby green iguana grows out of his 75 gallon tank.

Thank you!!!

No "land turtle" should be in an aquarium that small. Box turtles, while land turtles, need a place to soak their entire body when they want to - so you need a water pan in the enclosure 24/7. Tortoises should have a soaking pan as well - although there might not be standing water much of the year where they live, captive conditions make water in the enclosure necessary.

Box turtles and tortoises like to dig, so a deep substrate such as finely shredded hardwood bark mulch or a mix of top soil and sand is needed. Outdoor enclosures, built to be predator proof, are best for keeping them, although roomy indoor enclosures are OK, but aquariums should be avoided.

Try these websites to learn more about box turtles and tortoises.
http://www.boxturtlesite.org
http://www.billsboxturtles.com
http://www.russiantortoise.org

Also be aware that there might be laws in your state regarding the keeping of native box turtles, and that most box turtles and tortoises 4" or larger currently for sale are wild-caught.

Katrina
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1.2 Eastern Muds - Fred, Ethel, Edith
0.1 Iguana - Tiffel
0.1 Bearded Dragon - Foster
Foster turtles: More than I'd like the husband to know about.