Are turtles or frogs a low maintenance or easy pet?

Question

what comes along with this type of pet, pros and cons?

Answer 1

Turtle:
Rescues are overrun with these misunderstood animals. Too many people get these pets thinking they will be easy, and cheap. The turtle may cost you only 20 dollars, but the proper care is far more.

You will need 10 gal per inch of shell. Most turtles in stores(which are usually red eared sliders) I have seen are about 4-5 inches across already. The tank should be large enough to provide plenty of swimming room. The water should be twice as deep and the turtle is long. These turtles can reach up to 12 inches in length and will need a custom built cage. Most places recommend a 6 foot by 6 foot.

When young these turtles are carnivorous, eating fish, insects, ect. As they age they are more vegetarians. Also feed a high protein pellet food. Buying cheap low protein food will effect health.

As for enclosure you need a basking area, and a swimming area. Turtles need a basking area to digest food, and they eat/eliminate in the water. You need to buy special lighting, a basking lamp for heat and a UVA/UVB light for vitamin D creation. Without vitamin D you turtle will get shell rot, and without basking light he will not be able to digest food. Air temp should be around 80 degrees.

Turtles are very messy(waste producers) and you need a strong filter to clean the water.( I spent around 90 dollars for mine) You will also have to do a 25% water change bi-weekly. Remember they live in the water so you need it clean.

You need an under water heater and thermometer. The water needs to be kept at around 75 degrees.

The start up cost for a turtle is a few hundred dollars. Do you have a few hundred dollars to spend? If you are not going to take care of the animal properly and skimp on cage size, lighting, etc than don't bother getting it. Most people who decide to not provide proper care in the beginning never provide it.

Costs:
-Tank 40/50 gal: 200+ dollars(you want to get a large enough tank so you don't have to upgrade every time the turtle grows)
-Filter: 60-100 dollars(best to get a strong one made for larger tanks so you don't have to replace tank and filter as the turtle grows)
-Rocks/platforms/ect: 30 dollars for one quality basking platform.
-Food- 10-15 dollars for a small container of pellets, 10 dollars for each container of crickets, bloodworms etc.
-tank water conditioner 3.00-5.00 dollars per pack, multiplied by 4 water changes a month
-Lights- UVA/UVB light $24-35, basking light $10-15. Lamps $20-40 each(need two), depends on the brand
-Water Heaters - $25-$100
-Vet care in case of emergency, etc can cost hundreds of dollars over turltes life.

Be prepared to care for this animal for over 20 years. They are costly and not as rewarding a pet as other animals, and not for everyone. Remember they do not like to be picked up, and half the time mine doesn't even like to be looked at.
There are too many pet turtles out there that are bought, taken, etc, by unassuming people who do not realize the expense and care that goes into these amazing creatures. Please think this through full before you decide to purchase this pet.

Frog Care:
The start up cost for a frog is a few hundred dollars, like turtles they require special lighting, heaters, etc.

The size/breed of frog will determine the size of the tank needed.

Tropical frogs will need an enviroment similar to what they would experience in the wild, multiple fake plants, branches, rocks, etc are required.

Frogs need to be kept moist, you will need a large water bowl, under the tank heater, uva/b light(for vitamin D), heat lamp(for digestion). The lamps and heater will produce moisture when the water bowl evaporates.

Frogs cannot be touched, as they absorb through their skin, any substance/oils on your hands will be absorbed into the body. They are strictly look at pets.

Cage should be cleaned with hot water weekly(do not use soaps)

Most reptiles require expensive set ups. While the "care" is fairly easy it must be exact to keep them happy and thriving.

Answer 2

How about crested geckos? They are one of the easiest pets to care for. They need a tall terrarium or screen enclosure with lots of branches and fake or real plants to climb on. They don't need live food or UV lights. They eat a special nectar called crested gecko diet. They are friendly and easy to handle. They can live at room temperature as long as it is between 60 and 85 degrees. They are one of the only reptiles that do not require a heat source. Any hotter and they could die. They are nocturnal so you would be able to observe them at night.

Answer 3

well i dont know much about frogs, but i have 2 aquatic turtles, they are getting pretty big, i have spent a lot of $$ on them and now i am cleaning out their tank every other day. which by the way is very )discusting, slimy and time consuming! i had to take one of them to the vet, ($ 85) because he got worms, i believe he got them from the placo (sucker fish) that he ate, but who knows. the vet told me that i shoud get 3 different pumps to balance out the tank better. i already spent $75 on the pump i have for them now, the cheaper ones just couldnt keep up with thier poo :(
so, just concider everything before you get one. i love my trutles, but; they are way too much work! not low maintenance at all!!! good luck!

Answer 4

Turtle are fun to watch, but they are pretty boring. They sit and swim around all day- nutin else. Frogs are cool, but they are pretty boring as well. If I had 2 choose, I would say turtle, only cuz turtles will walk on your hand, or crawl around on you. Frogs arent big fans of ppl @ all. However, they are both very low matinance. So overall, they are both cool, and it is all up to you!

Answer 5

High maintenance for turtles, a bit less for frogs.

http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/caresheet-red_ear_slider.htm

Answer 6

It depends on the size of the animal and the size of the tank you put them in. Larger the animal... larger the tank... more cleaning to do. The Pro's are they are not very needy. You feed them, clean the cage and move on. Depending on the type of person you are, this could be a con, but they are not cuddly pets. They are very independent. The pros, they don't bark, meow, scratch the furniture, eat things they shouldn't... etc...

Answer 7

Turtles are low maintenance. You clean their tank about once every two weeks or it will smell. Additionally, add some water approximately once a week to keep odor down and evaporation to a minimum.

Answer 8

You have to clean their bowl or enviroment daily or the water gets cloudy and stinks.

Answer 9

yesh very
clean cage daily, feed daily, other than that they are happy and content