Pet Turtles

Five things to consider before getting a pet turtle

1. Can you provide a suitable home for your turtle?

A turtle requires a larger area to live than you think. A basic turtle house will need to be large enough for your pet to roam freely, dig when it wants to hide, and you will also need to have a source of heat and light as turtles are ectothermic (cold-blooded) If your pet turtle is 12 years old inches long, for example, you will need a 9ft x 9ft enclosure. This is a considerable amount of space and will need careful consideration.

2. What kind of turtle to buy?

There are many different types of turtles for you to choose from as a pet. However, you will need to consider the specific habitat required for this. This means you have to do your homework! There are many species of tortoises that would make perfect pets for your home, such as a pancake tortoise or an Egyptian tortoise, but you will have to do a little research and see which type is best for you. When choosing a turtle as a pet, it is important to understand what you want out of the experience and how well you can care for one.

3. What to feed your turtle?

Your pet’s diet will be determined by the specific species you decide to keep. Most tortoises are herbivorous and require green leafy vegetables and also some soft fruits to maintain their health. You can also buy commercially available turtle granules, but you may want to supplement them with some vitamins. You can get them from your pet store or vet.

4. Children and other pets

A pet tortoise may not be fluffy like a dog or cat and obviously won’t require a daily walk, but it still needs a lot of input from the owner. Children love to have turtles, but you will have to supervise the child when they handle it. This is not only for the turtle’s sake, but also for the health of your child. Some turtles carry salmonella, so it is important to have good hand hygiene and also teach your child how to care for your pet.

If you have other pets in your home, they may not appreciate bringing another pet. Although a tortoise generally has a hard shell to protect itself, an exuberant dog or curious cat can harm it. If you have an outdoor enclosure for your tortoise, you will need to ensure that it is secure so that the dog or cat cannot access it.

5. Pet turtle, one, two, three or more?

Keeping turtles as we’ve seen takes a lot of planning, but what if you want to have a few different species of turtles? Mixing species of turtles is not always a good idea, as they can fight. Smaller species can be intimidated by the larger turtle and not allow the smaller one to eat any of the food. There is also the risk of cross infection. If you have an established turtle enclosure and want to introduce a new one into it, you will need to quarantine the new turtle for several weeks to ensure that it is disease free or carrier of parasites.

In conclusion, having a turtle as a pet can be a very rewarding hobby, but you should keep in mind that you are caring for a living creature that requires a lot of care and sometimes an expense. They may not be fluffy and playful, but they all have their own personalities and can be your companion for many years. Turtles often live more than 100 years if they are cared for properly, so you may have to pass your tortoise on to your grandchildren.