A common musk turtle is a great choice for your first turtle! They don't need as much room as a slider or painted turtle, but they still need a fairly large tank. A 20 gallon long would probably be the minimum, and the bigger the tank the better. The height of the tank doesn't matter as much as the floor space.



Your turtle needs some water that's fairly deep (6" or so) as well as some shallow areas, and a basking spot where he can pull himself all the way out of the water. You can use rocks, wood, or plastic or resin facsimiles of either. Give him a light with a UV bulb above the basking spot.



All turtles produce a lot of waste, so you need a strong filter. You should also perform frequent water changes.



Musk turtles happily eat commercial turtle or koi pellets, earthworms, and morsels of meat or fish. Some individuals like vegetables or live fish, and some don't; you'll just have to see what your turtle likes.



As far as buying turtles goes, check the classified section here at kingsnake.com to start.

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