What is the difference between a terrapin and a turtle? And pet turtles...?

Question

Do pet turtles get bored in their tanks? My mother is worried that our new baby turtle has nothing to play with, even though to us he seems perfectly content! Do they get bored and what keeps them happy? Can we keep 2 turtles in the same tank? We've heard they are territorial but do they get used to each other?

Answer 1

The basic differance between turtles, terrapins and tortoise' are-where the naturalist who named the species was raised or educated. For example, there are no aquatic tortiose, however, terrapins and turtles refer to both aquatic and land turtles. Is that any clearer????
Yes, turtles, and other reptiles do become bored. Any zoologist will tell you that a mentally and physically stimulated animal will lead a longer, healthier life. With my aquatic turtles, I buy feeder fish proportionate to their size. They have alot of fun chasing the fish, they even catch a few.

Answer 2

Turtle, tortoise, terrapin- lets do the easy ones first.

Turtle is the generic name for all shelled reptiles, and is pretty universally used to describe aquatic species. The ocean-living species, for example, are called 'sea turtles'.

Tortoises are the land-dwellers (except in Australia, which for some reason calls many aquatic turtles 'tortoises', but we will skip that for now.) The 'true' tortoises have elephant-like front legs, but the term is often applied to the land-dwellign American Box Turtles as well.

Terrapins... in the US, these are the Diamondback Terrapins, a brackish water species, or a slang name in the South for a turtle used in soup or stew.

In Europe, terrapin is the term for semi-aquatic turtles- basking turtles, etc. In the US we often call these the 'pond turtles'.


Boredom and territoriality are often functions o small spaces. Turtles are 'semi-social' animals that tolerate others, but only mildly seek out the company of others. They do not seem unhappy by themselves, but if there are others, there better be enough room for all of them. Remember- turtles love BIG spaces and want to CHOOSE to associate or not.

For more, try http://www.austinsturtlepage.com

Answer 3

A type of small North American turtle which lives in warm rivers and lakes is called Terrapin

Answer 4

They are a different spieces.
Yea, I used to keep 2 turtles in the same tank and they got along fine, they never fought and that way, they keep each other company!! (this resolves the bordom problem! ^^)

Answer 5

put a goldfish in the tank it will chase the goldfish for entertainment. Also try geting another baby turtle.

Answer 6

terapin has pointed snout while turtle not...your new baby tutle is bored? it can be solved by giving it more attention as turtle need more attention as they had no parent...though...