8 Types of Pet Turtles that Stay Small
Most people buy a cat or a dog when they buy a pet. However, there are more exotic options out there. One excellent example would be turtles, some of the most recognizable animals on the planet because of their characteristic shells. Interested individuals will be spoiled for choice because there are so many different pet turtles. Still, they should stick to the types of pet turtles that stay small unless they are confident in their ability to overcome the challenges of owning something bigger.
Why Should You Choose Types of Pet Turtles That Stays Small?
Some people claim turtles are low-maintenance. That is perhaps unsurprising. After all, low maintenance tends to be a selling point for would-be pet owners, so there are people out there with an incentive to say turtles are low-maintenance whether they are low-maintenance or not. Unfortunately, that statement isn’t true. Turtles aren’t low-maintenance. If anything, Everyday Health says they are more high-maintenance than what most people expect.
Turtles have the same set of needs as other animals. The issue is that people don’t necessarily have a clear understanding of how to meet those needs. We benefit from our shared status as land mammals when owning cats and dogs. Even then, it isn’t uncommon for people to make mistakes because they make assumptions they shouldn’t have. Meanwhile, turtles are much more alien. They aren’t just reptiles; they are an entire order of reptiles. Different dogs are still members of the same species. In contrast, different turtles are not. Under these circumstances, it is no wonder the Humane Society says many pet turtles die because of inadequate conditions.
Of course, people can overcome these issues so long as they are willing to put in the effort. Getting a small turtle is a more sensible option because overcoming these issues will be much easier with one of them than with one of their counterparts. To name an example, small creatures take up less room than large creatures. Due to that, arranging an appropriate living environment is much easier for the former than for the latter. For that matter, it means lower costs, which is often a good thing.
What Are Some Types of Pet Turtles That Stay Small?
According to ReptileKnowHow, and other sources, here are some common types of pet turtles that stay small:
1. Eastern Mud Turtle
Eastern Mud Turtles are sometimes called Common Mud Turtles. Both names are fitting. The first one makes sense because these turtles live in the Eastern United States and the Southern United States. Meanwhile, the second one makes sense because these turtles are common throughout much of their native range.
In any case, Eastern Mud Turtles are small turtles that average 3 to 4 inches in carapace length. Despite that, All Turtles says they need a bigger enclosure than most people expect because they are on the more active side of things. The website’s numbers are a 25-gallon tank for one turtle and a 40-gallon tank for more than one turtle.
Out in nature, these turtles live in wetlands with shallow, slow-moving water. That means a need for clear water. Furthermore, that means a preference for plenty of vegetation. Something that is wholly unsurprising considering these turtles are small enough to make a convenient snack for a wide range of predators. Diet-wise, Eastern Mud Turtles are omnivores. Most of the time, that means eating small fish and small mollusks. These turtles aren’t above munching on vegetation, but they eat meat matter rather than plant matter for the most part.
2. Striped Mud Turtle
Britannica points out the existence of an entire genus of mud turtles in the Americas. Since the Eastern Mud Turtle is on this list, it is perhaps unsurprising to learn that another mud turtle is on this list as well. After all, mud turtles share many of their characteristics, which often include those that make them well-suited to being pet turtles.
For instance, the Striped Mud Turtle is another small turtle similar to its cousin species. It can grow a bit bigger than the Eastern Mud Turtle, but there isn’t a huge difference because its carapace length averages 3 to 3 and 3/4 inches. These turtles do manage to live up to their name though, as shown by how they have stripes on their shells. A feature that isn’t true for the Eastern Mud Turtle. Distribution-wise, the Striped Mud Turtle is restricted to a smaller number of places in the southeastern United States. Fortunately, its populations are on the healthier side of things, so keeping one as a pet isn’t an issue.
Generally speaking, mud turtles are very aquatic turtles that are nonetheless not very good at swimming. Instead, they prefer to walk along the bottom of their habitats, though that does explain much about the reason for their shared name. The Striped Mud Turtle stands out in that it is the least aquatic of its genus, so much so that it even forages for food while it is on land. Even so, these turtles eat much the same things as their cousin species, which is to say, small fish and small mollusks more than plant matter. As such, interested individuals should have no issues with feeding them using commercial turtle food.
3. Common Musk Turtle
Since mud turtles often make good pets, it stands to reason that some of their relatives possess the same potential. Conveniently, mud turtles have close relatives in the form of musk turtles. The two groups look very similar, but it isn’t impossible to distinguish one from the other. Nauti-Lass Ponds & Critters says musk turtles tend to be a bit bigger. Furthermore, their upper shells have more of a high dome, while their lower shells tend to have either no hinge or a less noticeable hinge. Other than these things, musk turtles are also more aquatic. They do come onto land, but they do so for a much smaller number of reasons than their counterparts.
Common Musk Turtles are exactly what they sound like. They have a couple of other names. One is the Eastern Musk Turtle because it is native to Southeastern Canada and much of the Eastern United States. The other is the Stinkpot because it can release a foul odor from its rear as deterrence of last resort. That is one of the two reasons why careful handling is a good idea. Interested individuals should also know that Common Musk Turtles have a head that can reach as far back as their hind legs. When angered, these turtles won’t hesitate to bite.
As mentioned earlier, Common Musk Turtles are one of the musk turtles that spend most of their time in the water rather than on land. Amusingly, they are also known to climb onto pieces of wood protruding from the water. After which, they sometimes drop into passing boats for quite a shock to those boats’ occupants. The diet of these turtles is very wide-ranging because they are so opportunistic. Primarily, they are bottom-feeders, but they won’t hesitate to look for food closer to the surface and even on land on rare occasions.
4. Razor-Backed Musk Turtle
The Razor-Backed Musk Turtle is a more southern species than the Common Musk Turtle. That is because it is native to states such as Alabama, Florida, and Texas. Its name makes it sound more formidable than its counterpart. In truth, there isn’t much to that. Interested individuals should know these turtles are named thus because they have a sharp keel running down the center of their carapace, which isn’t exactly the scariest feature ever found on an animal. Still, it is a good idea to maintain a reasonable amount of caution, if only because that is true for interacting with every animal.
Razor-Backed Musk Turtles fit many of the things said about musk turtles in general. They reach an average carapace length of 5.9 inches, thus making them a bit bigger than mud turtles. Furthermore, they are aquatic for the most part, making exceptions for basking and egg-laying. These turtles also eat much the same things as the other mud turtles and musk turtles on this list.
5. Painted Turtle
Painted Turtles are the most common turtles in North America. Like the previous turtles, they live in slow-moving waters. Unlike the previous turtles, they have a much wider native range. People can find these turtles from Southern Canada to Northern Mexico. Simultaneously, people can find these turtles from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
More importantly, Turtleholic argues that Painted Turtles are the best turtles for people who want a low-maintenance pet. Some of its considerations apply to the earlier-mentioned turtles as well. For instance, Painted Turtles are also small, primarily water-dwelling omnivores. Other than these things, they are also hardy creatures that can thrive in indoor environments with minimal fuss and hassle. These turtles are much better swimmers than mud turtles and musk turtles, so interested individuals don’t need to put as much care into the design of their indoor environments. Hardiness also makes it much easier for people to make changes if they ever find something lacking.
6. Red-Eared Slider
Red-Eared Sliders have many of the same strengths as Painted Turtles. For proof, look no further than the fact that The Sydney Morning Herald and other sources call it either the most invasive or one of the most invasive turtle species in the entire world. To an extent, that is because of these turtles’ popularity. More pets mean more people releasing them into the wild with zero consideration for whether they should be there or not. However, Red-Eared Sliders are also extremely hardy because they couldn’t do so well in countries ranging from Australia to India if they weren’t.
Still, Turtleholic says Red-Eared Sliders are a poorer choice than Painted Turtles because of their size. Essentially, these turtles reach an average carapace length of 7 to 9 inches compared to Painted Turtles’ average carapace length of 3.5 to 7 inches. That is problematic because pet turtles react to being cooped up in a small size as well as other pets, which is to say, not at all. The bigger the turtle, the bigger the living environment needed to ensure its continuing wellbeing. Under those circumstances, a difference of inches can mean a huge difference in the effort and other resources necessary.
7. Spotted Turtle
Spotted Turtles are yet another small, water-dwelling species that live in shallow, freshwater environments. Once upon a time, there were other species in their genus. Nowadays, Spotted Turtles are the only living species in their genus because DNA testing has seen the other species moved to other genera. Regardless, Spotted Turtles are relatively easy to recognize because they have many small yellow spots on their dark carapaces.
With that said, it is understandable if some people have qualms about owning Spotted Turtles. In short, they aren’t doing as well as the other turtles on this list. The others are either doing well or doing a bit too well. Meanwhile, Canada considers these turtles endangered, while the United States has similar concerns. The loss of habitat is one of the most pressing issues, but other contributors range from vehicle mortality to collection for the pet trade. Spotted Turtles get hit particularly hard because they reproduce at relatively slow rates.
8. Males of Most Pond Turtles
There are many turtles called pond turtles, which makes sense because so many species live in such environments. There is significant sexual dimorphism in many of these species. For those unfamiliar, sexual dimorphism is when different-sexed members of the same species have physical differences other than just their sex organs. Reputedly, the males of many pond turtle species are smaller than their female counterparts. Thanks to this, if people are looking for pond turtles, they should check out the average sizes for both males and females in case this is applicable. If so, they might be able to get a smaller turtle than what the entire species’ average size suggests.
