Types of Pet Turtles

If you were a fan of 'Mutant Ninja Turtles' like me, you already know what turtles look like. Though mutant turtles are not available as they are busy fighting the bad guys, you could choose from many other types of pet turtles.

Turtles are basically reptiles and one of the oldest creatures that evolved on earth over 215 million years ago! There are about 300 species of turtles on earth today and most of them are endangered. Turtles can be classified into land turtles (called tortoises), sea turtles (salt water species) and Terrapins (living in brackish water). They are cold blooded (Ectothermic) creatures, that is their body temperature is same as their surroundings, unlike mammals like us with a fixed body temperature. They lay eggs on land and not underwater.

There are many different types of turtles. Small Terrestrial turtles and freshwater turtles are the popular types of pet turtles. Among them, the most popular types of pet turtles are Red-eared Sliders (a.k.a. Red-eared Terrapin) and Russian tortoises. It is illegal in any state in the United States of America to sell any turtles smaller than 4 inches in length. This restriction was put due to the spread of Salmonella through contact with turtles. It is a good idea to get information about pet turtles and Salmonella before you go to buy a pet turtle.

Popular Types of Pet Turtles
These are the two popular types of pet turtles that you can find in your neighborhood pet shops. Once you buy a turtle, it can be a companion for many years to come as they have a long life span.

Russian Tortoise
Also known as Horsefield's Tortoise or Central Asian Tortoise, it is probably the only Russian thing , popular in USA other than Anna Kournikova! These turtles are small in size and grow to about 15-20 cm in length. Females are larger than males in size.

One way to distinguish a male Russian tortoise from a female, other than the size difference is observing their tail. Males have long tails, while females have shorter ones. Females have bony external plates called scutes on their shell while males do not. So in general, female Russian Turtles are more formidable than male ones!

Their body color is yellow and brown while their shell color patterns may range from ruddy brown to black patches, on a yellow background. They hibernate or rather bruminate, during winter and mostly sleep during summer when the heat is high. Their natural habitat is generally dry with sparse vegetation. They simply love burrowing and are herbivores.

Okay, one may ask here, what do turtles eat? They like eating tomatoes, zucchini, lettuce and dandelions are their favorite food. They also eat fruits. This species of Turtles has the rare honor of being the first turtle in space, thanks to a Soviet mission launched in 1968!

Red-Eared Slider Turtles

The red eared Slider known commonly as Red-Eared Terrapin in the UK is a popular choice of a pet turtle. It is a semi-aquatic species of turtle and is native to southern United States. It has become a popular pet in United States and all over the developed world due to pet trade. It can be identified by the distinct red mark situated around its ear and which they are named after. These pet turtles require an aquatic habitat and are excellent swimmers. They are shy creatures who lay their eggs on land and prefer to eat their food in water. They grow up to 25-30 cm in size. Their bodies are green in color with fine irregular yellow lines. The shell is dark green with patches on the top and yellow on the bottom. They are basically aquatic pet turtles. They are omnivores and eat fish and other small aquatic fauna. They also hibernate in winter.

These are two most popular types of pet turtles. Turtles as pets are excellent companions. You must care for pet turtles as they are very vulnerable creatures.