Different Types of Turtles People Keep as Pets

There are dozens of different types of turtles that people have kept as pets throughout the years. Some require more advanced care while others are easier to deal with. Which turtle would best fit you and your life? Do you live in a place where setting up an outdoor turtle pen would work? Do you have enough room in your home for a large turtle tank? Keep reading to learn all about the different types of turtles and how they live.

Aquatic Turtles

Aquatic turtles spend most of their time in the water and come out to bask and roam around a bit. Aquatic turtles are most easily identified by the webbing on their feet to help them swim.

Aquatics feel much more secure and less vulnerable in water. They are also unable to produce saliva, so eating in the water not only makes them feel more safe, but helps to orally digest their food.

Aquatic turtles are enjoyable pets, but keeping their environment clean can be a challenge. Since they spend so much time in the water the filtration and water itself has to be monitored daily.

Putting aside the challenges of owning a water turtle they do make very good pets. Some are easier than others to care for as far as diet, health and maintaining their enclosure is concerned.

Different Types of Turtles that are Aquatics:

• Red eared slider
• Cooters
• Painted Turtles
• Soft shell Turtles
• Mud Turtles
• Musk Turtles

Tortoises

Tortoises are land dwelling terrestrial animals that only go in the water to moisten their skin and sometimes to eat. Tortoises still need access to moist areas in their surroundings and a place to wade around in shallow water, but they absolutely can not be put in the same kind of environment as an aquatic.

First of all, tortoises by nature cover large areas of land and love to roam. If you put a tortoise in a small enclosure it can actually go catatonic, or stir crazy.

Not only that, if for example a box turtle were placed in an aquatics habitat with a deep swimming area the tortoise could easily drown. Box turtles in particular are notoriously clumsy swimmers that can easily sink to the bottom of the water or flip upside down and be unable to get right side up again.

Different Types of Turtles that are Terrestrial (land dwelling)

• Box Turtle
• Russian Tortoise
• Desert Tortoise
• Red footed Tortoise

This is just a sample of the 300 varieties of turtle species in the wild, but this is an accurate representation of the different types of turtles that people keep as pets. Sure, there are people out there that own snapping turtles as pets, but that certainly does not make them the ideal pet. Besides the obvious reasons of their temperament, they are difficult to accommodate because they have advanced needs as far as health and diet go.

This should give you a good idea of the different types of turtles that people generally keep as pets. The average person knows 2 different turtle species or less so its good to get an idea of what is available as all turtles and tortoises are unique animals with their own care, diet and living requirements that have to be maintained by their loving and caring owner.

Find the Perfect Pet Turtle

How do you find the right pet turtle for you? By comparing the most common pet turtles side-by-side. Take a look at the 7 most common types of pet turtles with descriptions of housing, diet and care to make an informed decision. Visit www.my-linker.com/hop/typesofpetturtlesART right now and not only learn about turtle care, but check out a free sneak peek of the most complete turtle guide you will find here or anywhere else.