are turtles good to be kept as pets?

Question

My friend wants to buy me a turtle. what are the requirements to handle/care for them?

Answer 1

Turtles are great pets, but be prepared to spend time and money on them. I had 4 turtles (freshwater) in a 55-gallon tank. I had to completely change the water at least once a week, even though I had 2 filters on the tank.

Most states have laws on turtles...some species are illegal, or they have to be a certain size. Mine were adult turtles (red-earred slider, false map turtle, and painted), and needed more than pellets that the pet stores tell you is sufficient. They ate anything from smelt to worms. They also need the proper UVB lights (as do all reptiles).

They are interesting critters, but don't expect them to do tricks or fetch your newspaper. If you don't want to spend the time and money for a proper environment, don't get them. Personally, I think they should be left in the wild. I gave mine to a wildlife center where they could have more room than a 55-gallon tank. It seemed like all they wanted to do was try to escape out of the tank. They were not happy like I thought they would be.

So, as I reflect back, I change my mind about recommending them as great pets I cast my vote as NO. They are not happy in captivity.

If you still want to pursue turtle, think about getting a tortoise...a legal one. I think they would be easier to care for.

Answer 2

I love turtles. Some kinds can get very messy and stinky, as they need to be fed live fish under water. They also need a dry, warm place to sun themselves. They can develop skin problems from being wet too much of the time. Remember that small turtles can carry dangerous levels of salmonella that can be very hazardous to the health of babies, young children, and the infirm. Everyone should wash their hands after handling the turtles.

On the other hand, turtles are a lot of fun and they are fascinating creatures. You can make some nice vivarium displays with turtles. It's also fun to take them out and play with them every once in a while. Races are fun, too.

If you have a male and a female you can incubate and hatch their eggs. There is quite a bit to it, learning about proper temperature and humidity and caring for the eggs during the incubation period, but it is very satisfying when the first little turtles appear.

Whatever you choose to do, understand that it will be a lot of work to clean the tanks, feed the turtles, and care for them properly. Good luck if you should decide that this is something you'd like to commit to.

Answer 3

well yes i think they are great pets.. depending on the turtle. like i have a red slider.. i've had him for ten years now. they eat turtle floating sticks and a goldfish for a treat... but i never gave my turtle one and hes fine. the water level in the tank should be about half way and they need rocks to sun bask on under the amphibian light. only problem is.. the tank gets dirty fast... and when you handle a turtle never touch anything else... wash your hands right away. mine is pretty quick so when you have it out (if you get one of those).. keep an eye on it. also for health reasons i have a storage container that is pretty big.. i put him in it and let him run around.. i poked holes in the top of the lid so the cat cant get to him.. but its get exercise.. but dont leave them in there to long. its just safer for everyone if they arent on the floor. happy turtle hunting

Answer 4

No ! Many turtles and tortoises that are sold in pet shops are captured from wild populations. Do not contribute to the decline of these animals. They do not really make very good pets anyway. My friend had a pet Snapping Turtle and one cold winter night he decided to snuggle up with his pet in the bed. He now sings soprano !

Answer 5

Turtles aren't good to be kept as pets. They carry salmonella and various other diseases that can be harmful if not properly taken care of. Young children are especially susceptible to this as they may not properly wash their hands after handling the animal to remove the bacteria.

Answer 6

It really depends on the type of turtle s\he wants to buy you. I have both aquatic turtles and land turtles. The water turtles water tanks have to be cleaned often since it will pretty much reek after a while plus it being a pond for bacteria as many people say -.- If there are little kids around to try not to manhandle them too much. For the rest, it's pretty much feeding them their food and keeping their water clean. We have turtles upstairs that we keep in 20 gallons tanks filled with just enough water for them to wade around in it. For the bigger turtles outside, we have them in a little baby pool filled with water with a filter to clean it consireably.

As for the land turtle, we have him in a habitat we made for him outside consisting mainly of rocks. The thing that you have to be careful, when dealing with land turtles is the fact that sometimes they are taken away from their homes and them just placed in a tank for selling, which is what happened with ours. They had given him to us as a present but such happened that inside the house, in his tank he wouldn't eat and wouldn't even drink water, in other words he was plainly not wanting to be there so he was practically dying. We then switched him to living outside and he got a lot better, he started eating and walking around and has been with us for a couple of years.

Keep your fingers off his head and mouth and I think everything will be fine =)

Answer 7

it depends on if you are willing to commit a few decades nurturing the turtle.

remember, they are reptiles and need special attention ESPECIALLY if you are getting a water turtle. you need to basically keep a consistant warm temparature for the water and provide some plants it usually has in its original environment. if the turtle gets large, youre gonna need a VERY large tank! you need to clean the tank every couple of days, or algee will build up and may eventually get the turtle sick. they need special food too.

good luck!

Answer 8

It really depends on the type of turtle she is looking to get you.
This website contains links to caresheets for the most 'popular' species of turtles and tortoises, that are kept as pets.

Answer 9

That is totally up to you. Do you think that you woulb be able to be involved with a turtle such as taking care of it playing with it and making sure its happy and healthy

Answer 10

no not really , you have to change their water almost every other day , it will start to smell like sewage