Different Breeds of Turtles and How They Are As Pets
When you first look into getting a turtle as a pet you may feel overwhelmed at how many different breeds of turtles are available.
If you are unfamiliar with keeping turtles as pets you may not have even been aware that there were so many species of turtles.
Keep reading for an overview of the most common different breeds of turtles.
Sliders- Red and yellow eared sliders are given their name from the colored splotch that is where there ears would be.
Highly aquatic animals that require more attention to their water condition than different breeds of turtles.
The Painted Turtle- Beautiful pink and yellow markings make these turtles very easy on the eyes.
They have a friendly disposition as pets, but tend to be fussy eaters at times.
Try offering some crickets or earthworms for a snack that's too good to resist.
River Cooter- As far as pets go the river Cooter is known as one of the friendlier species of turtle.
They grow anywhere from 6-16" with females growing larger than males.
Box turtles- The only species that has hinges near the front and back of their shell to actually close themselves completely in their shell.
Their large high domed shell makes them awkward swimmers so beware any deep water areas with a box turtle.
Musk Turtles- Very hearty and resilient as pets.
The Musk turtle is also nicknamed the "stink pot" for its ability to secrete a bad smelling substance from the anal glands in times of danger.
People have owned musk turtles for their whole life without once having an emission, which speaks to the mild mannered nature of the musk turtle.
Mud Turtles- With out question one of the easiest breeds to own as pets.
A close relative to the Musk, Mud Turtles are very hearty and resilient animals.
You need to pay attention to a mud turtle just like any other, but they eat just about anything that any other turtle would eat and do not grow to be enormous.
If there is such a thing as a "beginner" turtle the Mud turtle would be it.
Snapping turtles- These include the alligator snapper which is particularly aggressive and has an insane bite pressure.
Snapping turtles are not ideal for a pet due to their temperament, but there are people who keep them anyway and say that if cared for properly they make excellent pets.
Safety first with these types of turtles.
There are over 300 identified species of turtles in existence and dozens of them are different breeds of turtles that people keep as pets.
Snapping turtles would have to be the most challenging.
You have to worry about basic turtle care on top of their unique temperament.
Don't ever get too close to the jaws of a snapping Turtle or you will surely be sorry that you did! The Cooter, sliders and musk turtles are probably the 3 most common species that are kept as pets.
They all need to get used to you and their new environment in the beginning, but if you allow them time to view you as a friend and an ally they are all excellent choices for a pet.
You don't need to know all the different breeds of turtles to make an informed decision.
First figure out if you want an aquatic turtle or a land dwelling tortoise and then go form there.
At that point your search has been narrowed down by at least 50%.
If you are unfamiliar with keeping turtles as pets you may not have even been aware that there were so many species of turtles.
Keep reading for an overview of the most common different breeds of turtles.
Sliders- Red and yellow eared sliders are given their name from the colored splotch that is where there ears would be.
Highly aquatic animals that require more attention to their water condition than different breeds of turtles.
The Painted Turtle- Beautiful pink and yellow markings make these turtles very easy on the eyes.
They have a friendly disposition as pets, but tend to be fussy eaters at times.
Try offering some crickets or earthworms for a snack that's too good to resist.
River Cooter- As far as pets go the river Cooter is known as one of the friendlier species of turtle.
They grow anywhere from 6-16" with females growing larger than males.
Box turtles- The only species that has hinges near the front and back of their shell to actually close themselves completely in their shell.
Their large high domed shell makes them awkward swimmers so beware any deep water areas with a box turtle.
Musk Turtles- Very hearty and resilient as pets.
The Musk turtle is also nicknamed the "stink pot" for its ability to secrete a bad smelling substance from the anal glands in times of danger.
People have owned musk turtles for their whole life without once having an emission, which speaks to the mild mannered nature of the musk turtle.
Mud Turtles- With out question one of the easiest breeds to own as pets.
A close relative to the Musk, Mud Turtles are very hearty and resilient animals.
You need to pay attention to a mud turtle just like any other, but they eat just about anything that any other turtle would eat and do not grow to be enormous.
If there is such a thing as a "beginner" turtle the Mud turtle would be it.
Snapping turtles- These include the alligator snapper which is particularly aggressive and has an insane bite pressure.
Snapping turtles are not ideal for a pet due to their temperament, but there are people who keep them anyway and say that if cared for properly they make excellent pets.
Safety first with these types of turtles.
There are over 300 identified species of turtles in existence and dozens of them are different breeds of turtles that people keep as pets.
Snapping turtles would have to be the most challenging.
You have to worry about basic turtle care on top of their unique temperament.
Don't ever get too close to the jaws of a snapping Turtle or you will surely be sorry that you did! The Cooter, sliders and musk turtles are probably the 3 most common species that are kept as pets.
They all need to get used to you and their new environment in the beginning, but if you allow them time to view you as a friend and an ally they are all excellent choices for a pet.
You don't need to know all the different breeds of turtles to make an informed decision.
First figure out if you want an aquatic turtle or a land dwelling tortoise and then go form there.
At that point your search has been narrowed down by at least 50%.
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