Tortoise/Turtle for a beginner.

Hey guys, my name is Connor and I am new to this forum.

I am fifteen (nearly sixteen) and I having my room done up and my parents have said I can get a pet for my room and after a while deciding I have chosen a tortoise/turtle.

What I would like to know is, what species is best for a beginner; taking in account the price, easiness of care, availability etc.

Just a side note, my mother doesn't want any insects in the house so I cannot have a species which feeds on live insects.

Thanks in advance,
Connor.

russian tortoises are great....they dont get too big, but they need uvb light, so you will have to have a heat light with uvb....ad feeding them is pretty simple...i fed mine collard greens dusted with calciam powder...try running a search on them...as far as price, they are right around 100 bucks...

Cheers for the info, will give it a look.

i dont know about tortoises but you should look into how much space they need to be comfortable. for turtles i know they need a hefty space. i just got into the turtle hobby last week and i got the smallest species because i only have a 45 gallon tank. the turtle i got was a southern painted turtle. even though he has alo of space right now when they mature they will need 45 gallons of space as a minimum requirement. these need uvb and uva light as well. it is a beginner species and i love it already just a few things i ran into in the past week when setting up my tank

-Fish tank aquariums are pretty expensive. i bought mine used for cheap so maybe you can take that route if you parents care about $$.

-you can go without any gravel in the tank but if you do go with river rocks because turtles put everything in their mouth so they will try to ear rocks they can fit in their mouth

-lighting can be done with a fluorescent bulb and a halogen bulb. but i think the zoomed reptisun provide both UVA and UVB types of light. im not sure but UVB for sure. UVA can be easily gotten at home depot just get a clamp light holster and then buy a phillips halogen bulb

-turtles need to bask in teh UVA light so they can be healthy so you will need something for them to hang out on above water level (i use a turtle dock from petco) you can use some driftwood and pretty much anything around the house as long as there is a ramp from the water to the place to chill.

-turtles are really dirty so the filter you buy for the tank needs to be 2-5 times the gallons of the aquarium (2x being the absolute minimum) for example i see some people have a 55 gallon tank but they buy a filter for a 130 gallon. it just has to be wayy more powerful than the size of your tank

-artificial plants should be in there my little guy likes to rest on the top of the water while holding the plant to stay in place. thats where he sleeps most of the time

umm im not sure what else you need to know. im sure if you found the arachnoboards you already know how to look into more info for your turtle. if you dont feel like searching other forums i will try to check back if you have questions and look into them myself if i dont have the knowledge. happy turtling!

and tarantulas arent bad at all. i wish parents would get over it. never had an escape. never been bitten. i dont handle my tarantulas i respect their space.

i think you should go with a tortoise over a turtle...the turtles are pretty nasty...tortoises poop dries up fast, and they arent too messy..the russian tortoise doesnt need near as much room as a sulcata....i kept mine in a garden tub....but something 4 foot x 4 foot would be more than enough....the russians get about 10" max

Thanks for the info guys! When I move into my own place I'll definitely be getting some invertebrates into my collection.

I was wondering, are there any tortoise/turtle species which don't require massive spaces? I will have a large amount of space once I get my room refurbished but I am not really sure that I want to have such a lark tank/vivarium in my bedroom.

As for money, it's coming up to Christmas time and my birthday is in 10 days so I should be receiving a fair amount of money plus I have my part-time job at the weekends and I am applying for work throughout the week so money shouldn't be a problem as long as I look around for good deals instead of blowing my money on the first vivarium/tank I see.

My dad is taking me to a shop called East Coast Exotics in Aberdeen next Sunday, should I ask for the recommended tortoise species they have there?

Sternotherus odoratus, or the musk turtle, is an aquatic species that is easy to care for and doesn't require much space. Adults are approximately 5-6 inches. This is definitely one of my favorite turtle species.

Hi Conner,

Common Musk Turtles, or several related species, are perfect...small, no need for UVB or very high temperatures and do fine on dry diets; I;ve kept hundreds of species during my career as a herpetologist for the Bronx Zoo, and find them to be the best for most folks. (My own musk has just turned 42 years old!). Please check out my 2 Part Article on Musk Turtles, and feel free to post further questions there or here:

http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatr...kpot-my-choice-for-perfect-pet-turtle-part-1/

Best, Frank

I had checked out that species before on www.exotic-pets.co.uk and they say they need a basking area of 31-33 degrees and need teen inches of water as they are mainly aquatic, is this true?

I apologise if that information is in your article as I am replying quickly as I am busy on a school essay.

Hi,

They rarely bask; a small bulb to bring the spot to 25 c or so is ok, but most will not use it. A fish tank heater can be used to warm water to about 22C; this will be of more use than a basking spot. In summer, normal room temperatures are fine. They are largely aquatic; most prefer a resting spot just below the water's surface, but they should have access to a completely dry area as well. Water depth should be enough so that the turtle can completely submerge...for hatchlings, 4-6 inches or more is fine; adults - at least 8 inches but can be much deeper,

I don't seem to be getting email notices when posts are made on this thread, I'll check back when I can but pl post after the Musk article if you ned a faster response,
best, Frank

I shall respond here as fast responses aren't necessary. I'd like to thank you for all the information and the article was a great read (your Musk Turtle is beautiful).

From what I have collected from your article and information this species is alot easier to care for than other sites have mentioned.

Could you tell me the most suitable substrate for this species?

ArachnoConnor said:

Could you tell me the most suitable substrate for this species?

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Bare bottom. Easy to clean, doesn't trap any waste which allows you to keep the water cleaner and the animal healthier.

Bigboy said:

Bare bottom. Easy to clean, doesn't trap any waste which allows you to keep the water cleaner and the animal healthier.

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Thanks Bigboy but after a coming together with my family we have decided on getting a Bearded Dragon, I do however appreciate your input.

uhhh a beardie...i would prefer a snapping turtle.....

ArachnoConnor said:

Thanks Bigboy but after a coming together with my family we have decided on getting a Bearded Dragon, I do however appreciate your input.

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catfishrod69 said:

uhhh a beardie...i would prefer a snapping turtle.....

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Could you explain please? I have been told they are the perfect beginner pet. Unfortunately our minds are set now.

ArachnoConnor said:

Could you explain please? I have been told they are the perfect beginner pet. Unfortunately our minds are set now.

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They make great beginner pets for well prepared people. He was just stating a personal preference for something besides a bearded dragon.

yep just personal preference...i had a adult male and gave him away....they take way too much time...poop alot...eat tons and tons...dont bother trying to afford feeding them alot of crickets...a adult will eat 500 a day easy....they need high temps around 110-120F.....plus uvb lighting....and tons of room.....i like lizards alot....but beardies are just way too much work..for me....

I agree with catfishrod here. You stated that you did not want something that would need a lot of room...well a musk turtle is going to need less room than a full grown beardie. Furthermore, beardies grow fast. It's not like you can get a little baby and expect it to be in the same size tank for a considerable length of time. As long as you are diligent cleaning the water, Musk turtles will be a far better option if space is a concern. If you want something other than a turtle/tortoise with low space requirements, get a leopard gecko.

The way my room has been redesigned room is not an option as there is easily room for a three to four foot vivarium.

Well if you have room and the funds to take care of a beardie, go for it.