Turtle for a Pet?

Question

I want to buy my son a turtle for Christmas..This question is for people who have or have had turtles only...Others need not post, please. I want something small, that wont get very big...That is easy to maintain..I understand I will be caring for the turtle primarily, as my son is only 5. (and im not worried about salmonella, my son wont put a turtle in his mouth, and we will wash hands before and after handling the turtle..)
What did you find worked best? Where did you shop?

Crystal B..how did you help me at all in your post?? I wasnt asking why NOT to get a turtle, i wanted advice from people who had turtles what kind worked best for them..Do you have a turtle or are you just giving me your opinion on why NOT to get them? I was pretty specific in saying I wasnt looking for people to respond if they didnt have one...

Answer 1

There are lots of different varieties of turtles. If you get a water turtle, it will be similar to caring for a fish. Land turtles are more particular. There is special care for their shells. There are fairly low maintenance though. A simple box turtle is nice. They can walk around outside on a nice day (with you watching, of course) or even around the house. They eat fruit and vegetables. They live for a long time.

Answer 2

i found that this worked better for my nephew we got him a turtle last year for his birth day.

Box Turtle
North American box turtles are mainly terrestrial turtles, although they do spend some time in shallow water (Asian box turtles tend to be a bit more aquatic). Compared to aquatic turtles such as red eared sliders, they are more challenging and complex pets, and are not the best choice for beginning turtle owners. With a potential life span of up to 100 years, these turtles obviously require a long term commitment (however, the average life span of captive box turtles is probably closer to only 40-50 years).

here is a site that has more info.

http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/reptilesturtles/a/boxturtles.htm

we got our turtle from local pet store.

Answer 3

Do not get red eared slider turtles. They are aquatic turtles that can grow to 12" long. They will need a very large tank eventually. I see them for sale in China town and they are so tiny, I can see why people bring them home not realizing how big they get. We inherited some from another family not knowing how big they would get and had to find another home for them when they outgrew their tank.

Hope this info helps.

Answer 4

I have a Turtle for a Pet...
He's a very small one...
My father bought him from a man off of the streets of New York... He was going to die in a week but my mom took good care of him and he's still alive today...
I highly recomend Turtles his size!
There so cute...
His name is Mr.Turtle!

Answer 5

PLEASE Read Parenting magazine this month it has an article in there about turtles as pets for children it is very discouraged.
Here is a clip from just one article they have done about this.
To avoid catching anything from a pet:



Schedule yearly checkups with your veterinarian; be sure pets are vaccinated and kept on a flea, tick, and worm control program (especially where Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever are prevalent).

Clean litter boxes and cages often, and keep them out of toddlers' reach.

Never keep a caged pet in the kitchen.

Never let children play with a pet while eating.

Instruct children never to let an animal lick wounds or skin abrasions.

Forbid sharing of toys between pets and babies.
A special note on reptiles: Like chickens, snakes, lizards, turtles, and tortoises often carry salmonella, so they're not appropriate pets for small children and shouldn't be kept in daycare centers or preschools. With older children, enforce thorough hand washing after every handling.

Answer 6

Get a box turtle!! They make great pets!!!