Are Pet Turtles or Terrapins the Right Choice for You?

You may not be aware of this, but a turtle and a terrapin are not the same thing. There are a few varieties of this creature. Turtles live in oceans and in fresh water. Terrapins are turtles that live in brackish water. The difference between the two is mostly ignored, though.

So, if you are considering getting a pet turtle or terrapin for you and your family but are not entirely sure whether you should, here are some ideas to help you decide.

Turtles are an excellent choice as pets because they are fun to watch, do not require training and have a long life expectancy. However, you should know that because they live longer than other pets, it is a commitment to bring one home.

When caring for your pet you need to make sure that you provide both a dry and a wet habitat, and that the temperature of these is conducive for its well being. A turtle requires plenty of fresh food. Clean, fresh water that is kept in a shallow bowl to make it readily accessible is very important. You should be aware and be able to recognize the difference between male and female turtles because you have to care for them in different ways.

You should also know that turtles require more care than most people think. So making sure that somebody is taking care of your pet while you are out of town is one necessary step you must take. You should check your turtle on a regular basis to catch any early signs of an illness; quite often it can be detected from abnormalities in its shell.

If you do decide to keep a turtle or terrapin, know that they make for wonderful pets and that you need to commit to their care to have a happy, healthy pet.

Testimonials

Testimonial #38 - David, Canada

"The turtle guide book is a good book I will recommend any one I know that is looking in to getting a turtle. It is a good book that covers all the basic on owning a pet turtle. The turtle care book teach me how to breed my turtlesand how to tell is there are sick the turtle care book is one of the best care books I have ever read and the other one can not compare to the turtle guide book."

Testimonial #2 - Jane & Todd, Illionis, USA

"Our painted turtle was found in the road, and her tail was damaged. We brought her home and set up a place for her to be. The Turtle Guide Book certainly enlightened us as to the type of home she needs and all about care and feeding her. She was very aggressive when we fist brought her home, but now she is getting used to being handled. We have started hand feeding her to get her used to being around humans. She has laid 5 eggs, two of which are viable. Again, the Guide Book had the answers to all of our questions about eggs and the baby turtles.

Thank you so much for making this information available!!"