new turtle keeper

[at2]

I have a baby Stinkpot musk turtle right now. They are a great beginner turtle if you can get a hold of one. And it's nice because they don't get much bigger then 4 inches.

what size of tank do you keep yours in?

 

[JEAE21]

I just didn't want somebody to mislead you If you can have the turtle roam a room during the day (for a diurnal species) and have him "sleep" in a smaller container, that's doable.

If you are not "set" on a terrestrial setup, I would encourage you to put a musk turtle in that 20. They are awesome, personable turtles.

i'm guessing that's me..sorry. since i always see those russians tortoises at PETCO in small areas. I was talking about the pretty big ones though, the 8' cages. since the kid might step on the tortoise since he's so little..unlike spur thighs

 

[Vicious_Fish]

what size of tank do you keep yours in?

Well at the moment he's only a little over 2 inches long and lives in a 30 gallon tub. But when he gets a little bigger, he's going into a 500+ gallon outdoor pond.

 

[at2]

cool. i dont know if i am going to do this or not still. but i will let you all know what happens. thanks form the help

 

[at2]

ok, would an african sideneck work in a 20L until spring? i found one at a lps, its about 4.5in right now. in the spring when i upgrade my 75gallon fish tank to a 125 or larger i am thinking of making the 75 into a turtle tank.

 

[loconorc]

Truth is, turtles are horrible pets for children. If you want a stinky animal with a ton of maintenance who hates handling that you have to include in your will, go ahead.

Just know there are a billion better choices for a small child.

 

[at2]

Truth is, turtles are horrible pets for children. If you want a stinky animal with a ton of maintenance who hates handling that you have to include in your will, go ahead.

Just know there are a billion better choices for a small child.

well i will take care of the turtle, my daughter will just call it "hers". i wouldnt mind givin it a shot myself since i have never kept them. as for the maintenance, i am used to allot of upkeep from keeping large cichlids so i guess that wont be all that big of an issue.

but i do agree that they are way more ideal pets for a little girl. but she only wants a turtle, i have tried to talk her into everything else.

 

[loconorc]

What is she looking for in a pet? Most people don't actually KNOW turtles, think theyre something theyre not, and dump them. Not insulting you or your daughter, but I have seen this dozens of times firsthand, and it causes problems for everyone involved.

If she wants something she can actually play with (what most kids want in a pet and are often bitterly dissapointed in), I can make suggestions, no matter your budget.

 

[loconorc]

I'm pretty young myself though. Young enough to remember my childhood pets, and old enough to responsibly suggest them to others.

Ask her what kind of pet she wants. Not species, a pet. Does the want something big or small? Pretty or dull? Handleable (dont say tame) or hands-off? Does she not care at all and just want a TURTLE no matter what? Ask YOURSELF if you can handle a high maintenance animal for its 100 year or more lifespan. You realize this is probably going in your will? Even a red-ear slider can live 50 years.

 

[TheBloodyIrish]

Dude, if he don't want it anymore in about a year or two, he could always donate it to Ruggero Deodato for his upcoming sequel.

Okay, okay, I am not as sadistic as the above sentence make me seem. Really, consider yourself, do you really want to give your daughter a pet? If you really like turtles, and she like turtles, then I don't see a problem with it.

Go for the species YOU want to keep, not the species your daughter want to keep and check on the life span as well. Just don't get a species that you can't house properly.