Considering getting a turtle but need some advice

[bencordy]

Hi there, as you can probably see this is my first post. I've been considering getting a turtle for quite a long time but I've recently decided to look at it more seriously. I have always loved turtles but i'm also very aware of the huge commitment getting one is so I want to be completely sure before going ahead.

I don't have a huge amount of space so I've been looking at small breeds of turtles although there are so many I'm not really sure what to look for. So far most things I've read seem to suggest musk turtles as being the smallest breed. I'm unsure wether totally aquatic turtles would suit as I really like the idea of letting my turtle roam around the house a little to exercise and I've often been intrigued buy turtles which bask. What breed would people suggest?

I would need to start from scratch equipment wise, tank, filter, lamps and all other items. If I were to get something small the size of a musk what size tank would be best? Would it need to be much bigger if I got a couple? I assume filtering, and heating would be required. What should I be looking out for?

Finally I wondered what sort of veterinary care they tend to need? Are they prone to needing lots of treatment or are they okay? Would I need to do anything if I got a female (I assume if I got a male and female they would end up reproducing, something I'd like to avoid!)?

Thanks for any replies, I'd really like to make this decision well informed in the hope that in time I can go into getting one feeling like I have the knowledge to care for it well!

[jacquisunderland]

Hiya Bencordy.. welcome to turtle rescue forum.. its nice to hear from you and its fabluous that you are taking so much time and doing your research before you commit to being an owner of these entriguing creatures who at times are so misunderstood by so many. When you say you do not have a lot of space, what is the biggest tank you could accomadate and have you thought where you can put it, within reasonable distance of a water source for cleaning etc? x

[wayne020668]

hi Ben firstly welcome to the forum, ;D we try hard here to help as many people as we can here with their turtles and terrapins and although we have been rescuing turtles & terrapins for 21 yrs when people see fit to simply dump them and on occasions using the media to raise awareness of their plight only, we can tell you we do try our best on experience here only... and if I'm honest after all these yrs I'm still learning even on their behaviour... as for your questions well here go's.... if you don't have a huge amount of space then the musk turtle will offer a good option as these are readily available in the u.k if you look, as for roaming around the house, then i would "quote from a previous posting" why take a turtle out of the safe environment and watch it panic looking for the safety of water" having said this we have and recommend them to have a Little walk about to help build up the muscle mass rather little or no weight in the water giving them a very good source of exercise which they would do in the wild looking for other water and richer food sources, please note we don't recommend all day but a little bit of what you like does not hurt if in moderation, while musk turtles don't bask as much as other readily available turtles & terrapins in the u.k they can and will offer you as a keeper a lot of enjoyment if kept well, as for the size of tank then we always say the bigger the better here but these are born very tiny so if you do go in for this then we recommend enough room to simply live to the full... all the right set up is essential and we praise you for doing your homework first, all our members will and can help you with this... some more than others but its about the turtle & terrapin here... they won't need a bigger tank if you got two if you get the right set up from the start... as for a vet the best advice here we can give is to seek a reptile vet if all our members cant help with their experiences as most vets will see the household cats & dogs so please inquire first this well help you if things go wrong and offer the turtles & terrapins a very much needed life line...

anyones thought to help a fellow member please...

regards wayne..

[turtlegirl]

Jacqui has rightly identified a major consideration in deciding what species to get. The larger the tank you can get, the better the choice of species. maybe you can even keep 2 different species.

If you have room for a large 4 -5ft tank then I would definitely recommend slider species or hybrids. In my experience they are really friendly and love to interact with humans. They enjoy being out in the garden, love to bask in the sun and don't mind being handled. Some of mine will even allow strangers to stroke their heads. They are also among the hardiest and great for beginners as they are relatively easy to care for BUT they do grow big - at least 6in for males with females reaching 8in+ depending on species.

If space is a problem you will have to settle for smaller species, essentially musks. These will only grow to 4-5in (males are even smaller) but they are essentially pets to watch rather than handle. They don't bask much and mine at least dislike being handled. They don;t enjoy being touched and certainly won't be happy out of water. Basking outside must be restricted to short periods with shade available as they are prone to sunburn. However they are really cute and funny to watch PLUS being so small you can keep a few together in a reasonably sized tank and watch them interact