Red Eared Sliders can grow to a decent size, and their tank will need to be large and have adequate areas for basking. A Western Painted Turtle could appeal if you want a turtle that is distinctive and attractive to look at. Countless pet turtles die from being kept in … Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0). Feed vitamin supplements to the turtle that will ensure that they are getting enough amount of the macronutrient for a healthy body. Turtles come in all shapes and sizes and this list of the best pet turtles contains just some of the species that make for great pets. How to create an ideal house for the Musk Turtles? A basking temperature of 28-32C (82-90F) should be provided with an air temperature of 24-28C (75-82F) . Also, unlike other turtles mentioned in this article, musk turtles are carnivorous. We would say that you house turtles with same-gender instead of keeping the opposite ones. The snapping turtle is a recognizable favorite breed, and some … They also need warm basking platforms and ornaments that provide them with the opportunity to get out to rest. We have listed ten turtle species that are popular pets, along with some details about their care requirements to help you kick start your research on whether a turtle will be right for you and your family. For best results, add 40% of meats (live or dried) with 20% of vegetables and 40% of pellets. These turtles aren't so easy to come by and can be illegal to keep in certain States. In the wild, they are often under risk of getting eaten by other animals and have to keep releasing the odor that stinks. So, do not rush with anything. Besides that, they are spunky creatures and often scratch or bite if they feel uncomfortable around you. Also turtles are look at pets like fish not cuddle pets so you shouldn't be handling it much anyway. This can make them an appealing option as a pet. Light is essential to break down the Vitamin D3. Illness – The refusal to eat food may not always be behavioral or thermal; sometimes, a health issue or disease can also dissuade them from eating at all. Turtles will not survive in a small dish with a plastic palm tree. They grow to about 3 to 4 inches in length and stay that size forever. They love to eat crickets and other insects, so if your common musk turtle is not eating anything, no matter what you give to him, it raises some red flags. Musk turtles are very sensitive, and they feel threatened very quickly. With this guide, we will introduce you to these fascinating little turtles and their general lifestyle. A musk turtle can lay around one to nine eggs at once, which takes 60 to 80 days to hatch. Especially the live food. Water turtles can be really interesting pets, but many get fairly large and require more space than most people want to offer. Dystocia implies that the female turtle is not able to lay eggs. They should also have plenty of areas to get out of the water easily to bask under UVB lighting. Let’s look at some of the things that make turtles bad pets. Out of all the species, the brown and black crickets are their favorite. If you have limited space and are looking for an aquatic turtle, the Spotted Turtle is one of the smallest species allowed to be kept in captivity. Be Ready for Special Tanks, Special Food, Special Care, How to Take Care of Turtles and Tortoises. Because they can often live up to 50 years of age and beyond, they're also a lifetime commitment. Because of their unique appearance and size, they're often a popular choice, but they have more complex care requirements than some other turtles. Common Musk Turtles are currently the top choice among aquatic turtle species. Thus, even a slightest of discrepancy in their diet, habitat, and surroundings can lead to problems. They do need a decent sized enclosure though, and this means they're often best suited to being kept in an outdoor environment. Hence, install a strong filter to keep the water clean and odor-free. They also need a diet that is high in protein, comprising of plenty of meat along with leafy greens. Turtles can make interesting pets, but they aren't a commitment that should be taken on lightly. As the average size length of musk turtles is not that big, creating a housing area for them is not a big hassle. Do musk turtles make good pets? This might have spooked them, and now they won’t eat anything. Musk turtles are relatively small turtles with a blackish-brown carapace with a high-domed shell. So, in order to decide whether a turtle would make a good pet for you or your family, you first need to learn what are turtles as pets like. Because they aren't aquatic, they could drown in water too deep, so it's important to keep their pond area at a suitably low level. Taking the average size of the tank as 40 gallons, it will be great if you can clean it up, end to end once a month. They have detailed shell markings. Yes, even though the common musk turtles are a bit choosy about what they eat, giving them a combination of different kinds of foods can work. They are easier to maintain and more cost effective than aquatic turtles. Ask your vet or the breeder for the exact wattage. Find out the best type of pelleted for the common musk turtles available in your region, and you are good to go. Plus, eating live food is also not a big thing for these small yet spunky reptiles. So, if you get this turtle as a companion during childhood years, it is most likely to reside with you for a long time. So, make sure that you install some structures inside the container and plants to enrich the water and give them space to explore. These turtles do have flexible, long necks that can allow them to bite you easily, so beware. You will need at least a 20-gallon tank, but larger is definitely better for this aquatic specimen. The setup looks pretty good to me, although I would recommend a larger basking and land area just to be safe. Remember that Stinkpots are aquatic animals that are good for observation. I am also doing other research but would love information from another owners point of view Thanks As with most reptiles musk turtles need a basking hot spot, 10 degree C hotter than the water, and a good quality UVB light. ... U.S. mud and musk turtles, and male red-eared sliders, she says. A good varied diet with plenty of meat, along with some leafy greens and fruit is important too. However, finding the best pet turtle for your situation is vital to your success as a reptile keeper. Common Musk Turtles are classed as nearly entirely aquatic, they will venture onto land to bask occasionally and therefore a small rock protruding from the water should be efficient. As cold-blooded species, turtles need external heat sources to keep them in good health condition. Musk turtles make great pets and are good for owners new to raising turtles. These unique little aquatic turtles have distinctive long necks that can't be retracted fully into their shell, and their anatomy differs from traditional water-based turtles. Box turtle stay pretty small but tortoises get very big. I've been working with the National Wildlife Federation for the past five years. Their housing needs are similar to that of the Red-Eared Slider. 10 Types of Turtles You Can Have as Pets Allen. Females between 8 and 13 inches long, Denise Chan / Flckr / Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0). The breeders take care of the eggs and the hatchlings from the day they are born. With the right care, though, they're generally a hardy and healthy species that frequently surpasses 50 years of age. They also need a fresh and varied diet to prevent Vitamin A and D3 deficiencies. Common Names: Reeve's Turtle, Chinese pond turtle, Chinese three-keeled pond turtle, Colin Osborn / USFWS / Flckr / Public Domain Mark 1.0. The are other good turtles, but these are the ones I narrow down to. Musk turtles. Musk turtles are small turtles. They're small, and their care requirements are a little less intensive than some. Hypovitaminosis A – Hypo implies “Less.” This is a condition associated with less than the required amount of vitamins in the turtle’s body. Musk turtles make great pets and are good for owners new to raising turtles. UVA and UVB lighting allow turtles to process vitamins and nutrients as well as calcium. Due to this, it gets relatively messier as compared to other turtles. Musks are mostly carnivorous they do well on a good quality pellet food, snails from a safe source, earthworms, and occasional prawns as a treat. Size: adult males from 5 to 9 inches long not a that. % water and give them duckweed and elodea frequently debris and food, common,,... 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