# turtles



## karazy (Nov 2, 2007)

hey guys. i want to set up a tank for turtles, cuz i think they are awsome, but i dont have a whole lot of space. im just wondering, whats a good turtle that doesnt get too big and doesnt need too big of a tank? if this cannot be answered please just atleast tell me what the smallest turtle species for sale is


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## flamingo (Nov 5, 2005)

Well, not many turtles stay "small"...
It would be better to specify whether your looking at a terrestrial type, or aquatic. Aquatics are generally the easiest to find, but they also need the most tank space and added work of filtration and water changes.
Terrestrial are a little less common, much less active... and usually, compared to others, cost more. Though, they tend to have less care...


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## Guest (Jan 23, 2008)

The minumum tank size for even the smallest of aquatuc turtles most commonly available would be a 55 gallon. However these do grow, and most grow very large, so a 75 is much better. Aquatic turtles are very active animals, and need a very large enclosure.

Land turtles are a whole nuther story however. They could be kept in a 20 long, but you would have to take them out once a day and let them walk around your house. In the summer, or even in the winter if it's warm enough, you can take them out side and let them walk around out there, with supervision of course. They will enjoy the fresh air, eating all sorts of bugs, grass, and other plants.

IMO, aquatic turtles are easier to feed...just drop a few pellets in and some feeders/frozen foods, and bam...your done, whereas land turtles need much more fruits and veggies that aquatic turtles...so you have to take the time to research what kinds of feggies are good for them, and then go buy them, cut them up, etc.

out of all my turtles(both aquatic and land) I like my 3-toed box turtles the best...I highly reccomend them.


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## karazy (Nov 2, 2007)

fishbguy said:


> i like three toed box turtles the best...I highly reccomend them.


i like them too. but if i got one i wud probably get one in a 30breeder, or 2 in a 40breeder. they look very interesting and i like the idea of letting them walk around a bit. how many do u have and in how big of a tank?


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## Guest (Jan 23, 2008)

I have a lone female...I'm looking for a male.

In the summer, she lives in a 3 x 3 foot enclosure outside. in the winter, she hibernates in a 15 gallon tub in my garage. The only reason I keep her in such a small space in the winter is because she's hibernating...she doesn't move at all.


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## karazy (Nov 2, 2007)

hmmm. well i live in canada and theres alot of stray cats and dogs in my neighborhood so i dont think that an outddor enclosure wud be the best. plus my backyard probably wudnt be able to fit it. but i wud let him/her rome around my house as much as i can(with supervision) and in the seummer i cud let him/her roam outside with supervision, cuz i dont want him/her to get attacked by a cat/dog. but i like the sound of these three toes. r they hard to kepp? and whats the hardest part about kepping them?


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## Guest (Jan 24, 2008)

Where I live, is literally right next to a nature park...kinda. anyways...I have tons of wild animals...cats, dogs, racoons, opossums, deer, foxes, squirrels :lol:. Anyways...The walls on my enclosure are about 12 inches high, but I built a wooden frame that attatches to the back of the enclosure, with chicken wire on top, so that it acts as a lid. It also locks to the main frame, so it can't be removed by ***** or the like. Only people or wild monkeys, or any other animal with opposable thumbs and the combanation can unlock the cages...lol

There really isn't a hard part about keeping them. Obtaining them can be hard, and expensive, but the hardest part in it's self would be the size enclosure they need. but you've got it all figured out with the 30 or 40breeder.

Make sure you research all the differnt types of american box turtles. They are all the same species, but are all different subspecies, and all have different habits. ie.

Florida Box Turtle-Very hard to find, likes marshy habitats, found naturally in the everglades. smallest subspecies.

Eastern Box Turtle-illegal to own in it's native habitat without special liscenses or such. Lives in mountain forests. Eats mainly berries.

3-toed box turtle-a dessert species. eats more insect matter than other box turtles. grass hoppers, crickets, etc. but eats alot of veggies too.

western/ornate box-I'm not sure


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## karazy (Nov 2, 2007)

thnx for all the info. how expensive was ur box turtle aprox.?


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## Gourami Swami (Jul 4, 2006)

Turtles are expensive man... at least the ones Ive seen. 

I would suggest you look into tortoises. Sulcatas get very big but are interesting and rewarding to keep.

Box turtles usually hover around 100$... I think lllreptile has some.

And here are some of the commonly kept tortoises, may get a bit big for a 20l though. http://www.reptiledepot.com/torts.html

The red foots would do okay in a 4-5 foot enclosure i think.


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## Guest (Jan 25, 2008)

Mine was free...but the lrs has them for around 70 USD. 

If you don't want a turtle, russion tortoises stay around the same size as box turtles.


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## Gourami Swami (Jul 4, 2006)

they cost form 80-120 usually


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## Guest (Jan 26, 2008)

Sulcatas tortoise. Lmao, you could ride those things around. Little big for a fish tank, methinks. :razz:

I like russian tortoises. That would be my choice seeing as how they generally require less maintenance than aquatic turtles and they're just so darn cute. Plus, they only get around 5 inches.


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## Gourami Swami (Jul 4, 2006)

Yes... I said very big... and by very big, I mean freaking huge. Was that unclear?

Lol, maybe a russian would be a better choice.


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## karazy (Nov 2, 2007)

hmm. ill look into that. the only thing is ive heard that tortises stay alive for like 100 years or sumthing, but i definatley could be wrong


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## Torpedos (Jan 16, 2008)

I have to disagree.
Reeves Turtles.
Grow to around 15cm
Live in a 10gal for most of their lives due to being poor swimmers. You could keep mayby 3-4 adults in a 40gal tank. Aslong as there is plenty of basking area.


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## Guest (Jan 27, 2008)

I was just saying water turtles in general. Of course there are a few exceptions. Like alligator snappers...largest freshwater turtle in the world...up to 6 feet I think, but don't quote me on that. Or even Female softshells, they get HUGE, while males are about half the females size.


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## karazy (Nov 2, 2007)

hmmm. u see i also need something thats not to hard to find cuz i live in canada and stuff isnt the easiest to find. but i like the sound of the russian tortise. but ive read they can get up to 8 inches. is this true? and there is one thing i dont liek about the russian. it will be my pet until im like 57 which might not be the best


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## Guest (Jan 27, 2008)

Yes, they do live a long time, but so does any turtle. Basically, once you get a turtle, you have them forever, nomatter the species.

Yup, 8 inches, max. They stay pretty small, espacially for a tortoise.


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## karazy (Nov 2, 2007)

ya, they r a good size. and im pretty sure i could get one for a good price next calgary reptile show. and thats in september, so i shud be done with my sw by then hopefully. and aslo anyone whos anyone(or any breeder who breeds well) is at the reptile show so i shud be able to get a pretty legit tortise. now ive read they kinda dont understand glass, so i wud probably use black construction paper around the bottome half of the tank


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## karazy (Nov 2, 2007)

so could i keep a russian in a 30 breeder?????


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## Guest (Jan 30, 2008)

what are the dimensions? I'm sure it would be okay, as long as you take it out for "play" time


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## Kaikoura (Apr 1, 2007)

fishbguy said:


> IMO, aquatic turtles are easier to feed...just drop a few pellets in and some feeders/frozen foods, and bam...your done, whereas land turtles need much more fruits and veggies that aquatic turtles...


I really just wanted to point out that, even though Aquatic turtles can survive generally healthy on pellets and some feeders/frozen foods, they also enjoy "fruits and veggies." More or less, those should be the kind they like to eat. I have a Red Eared Slider, and half of his daily diet is made up of aquatic "veggies" (plants) and some fruits. 
But their tanks get messy very easily, too. Many frequent water changes and such. Not to mention any uneaten food, if it gets stuck behind a rock or ledge, especially of the basking platform, should you have one, may get moldy if you don't keep the currents moving.
Aquatic turtles rely on the water to eat, since they don't produce their own saliva. If you do plan on getting an aquatic turtle, or for just anyone in general, it's really easy to use a separate, even smaller tank to feed them, providing there is enough water in it. This can help to keep the tank cleaner, and smell a lot better, though you should probably have new water for the "feeder tank" each time.
Sorry to ramble. Just thought it'd be good to point out.


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## Guest (Jan 30, 2008)

That is good to point out, however, I've never had good luck getting my aquatic turtles to eat veggies or fruits, ever. I give them to them once or twice a week, but they've never touched them.


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## Gourami Swami (Jul 4, 2006)

any turtle is going to be your pet untill your at least 57. its a big commitment.


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## karazy (Nov 2, 2007)

a 30 breeder is 36x18x12


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## Guest (Jan 31, 2008)

yeah...that should be large enough, but sill take him out an let him explore...it's fun for both you, and the turtle...till it poops...then it's just fun for the turtle...lol


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## karazy (Nov 2, 2007)

haha. i might put out some newspaper when i do that cuz my whole house pretty much is carpeted. but ya, i wud be able to let him out like 1-3 times a week


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## ash9494boo (Jan 24, 2008)

avoid map turtles! eastern mud turtles only get 4.5"


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## Willow (Mar 20, 2005)

Yeah, if you get ANY kind of turtle or tortoise, count on having it for the rest of your life.........well, I think some of the aquatic turts only live for 30 years or so, but any tortoise will live at least 50 years. So you need to be absolutely SURE that's what you want.


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## karazy (Nov 2, 2007)

i think i like box turtles more than tortises cuz they take up less space and they r very cool looking


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## karazy (Nov 2, 2007)

what kind of box turtles would you guys and girls say i shud get?(i also like egyptian tortises. they stay uber small,but they r very endangered so nevermind then )


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## Guest (Feb 5, 2008)

I like male 3 toed box turtles and ornate/western box


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## karazy (Nov 2, 2007)

ok. well i live in the west and ive seen some around, so orantes shudnt be to hard to find if i decide to get one. and y male 3 toe instead of female?


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## Gourami Swami (Jul 4, 2006)

Males stay smaller.

Finding them shouldnt be too hard, but all tortoises/box turts are very pricey.


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## Buggy (Oct 17, 2006)

I have a western ornate female. She's been with us for 4 yrs and the best I can tell she is about 5 yrs old. She lives in a very large rubber storage container. She gets fresh dirt and grass clippings to burrow under, Large flat rock to climb on, Wide shallow dish of fresh water for drinking and bathing. She eats cantalope, tomatoes, tuna, kippered herring, water mellon, canned cat food but she refuses any other vegetables and commercial box turtle food. We take her out to run around and get exercise in the warm months. And like all of my pets she is spoiled rotten.
In some places it's illigal to take box turtles out of the wild and keep them as pets but she was a rescue (from the middle of the highway) and we don't have any laws in my state against keeping this species so my daughter kept her. Daughter grew up and moved out...guess who got the turtle?

Here is a link with some info on them. Mine looks exactly like the picture. http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/sgoldsmith/skg_ebe/tornata.htm


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## karazy (Nov 2, 2007)

lol. ya. i think the best thing about box turtles is how they eat bananas. it makes me laugh so hard and i dont know y


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## Gourami Swami (Jul 4, 2006)

I love my aquatic turtles. Ive got a pair of red ears and an eastern painted. They are certainly a lot more active than box turts and are very fun to watch.


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## Buggy (Oct 17, 2006)

Never tried her on bananas, I'll have to try that. lol


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## vettech909 (Jan 30, 2008)

mexican musk turtle or stinkpot turtle do very good and need little care.


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