20 Types Of Turtles That Make The Best Pets

Yucatan Box Turtle

Do Turtles Make Good Pets? In a word, yes. Turtles make interesting and enjoyable pets, especially for the person who is very interested in animal behavior and conservation. Having a turtle isn’t like having a dog or a cat. They will not interact with you, a human, all that much. The challenge is to create an environment in which your turtle will thrive and be happy with its little turtle life. You can find some excellent advice here.

Do’s And Don’t’s Of Turtle Keeping

Your turtle may live many years in captivity, so you should be aware that you are taking on a long-term commitment. It’s also important that you get your turtle from an approved source. It is illegal to capture most turtles in the wild and keep them in captivity.

If a wild turtle makes his or her home in your outdoor pond, then that doesn’t count as keeping the creature as a pet. It’s free to come and go as it likes. You can of course get to know your wild visitor, observe his lifestyle, or even leave out some favorite food. So to that extent, you might regard your visitor as a pet.

There are many turtles available through pet stores and specialist dealers. Here, we help you do your research to decide which one is the very best turtle for you to take into your home and your life. You should always ask for proof that the turtle you are buying was not captured from the wild. Wild turtles are under threat in most places. You are not doing the natural world any favors by encouraging the illegal trade in wild animals.

What You Will Need To Create A Turtle Home That He Will Love

You are making an investment in a turtle’s life and happiness. Turtles need access to both water and try land, so it is up to you to create the right environment for your new friend. A 55-gallon tank is a good place to start. If you can create a bigger, more exciting environment in which your turtle can make his home, then you are going to have even more fun with your pet.

They also need lighting and at some times of the year for some species, heating. Water will need to be filtered regularly in most turtle setups to prevent disease and smells. Tanks will need cleaning and maintenance over the years. Read our list of the top twenty turtles that you can keep as pets to find out more about each turtle’s special needs and likes.

Choosing The Perfect Turtle For You

  • Before you begin to read our list, you should maybe ask yourself a few questions.
  • Do I want a big turtle or a small one? (Remember that a turtle that starts out small may grow big!)
  • Do I want a turtle that is very attractive to look at?
  • Do I want to eventually breed my turtle?
  • How much money do I have to spend on buying a turtle?
  • How much money do I have to spend on creating the right environment for my pet turtle?
  • Do I have a backup person to look after my turtle if I am away from home for any reason?
  • Which turtles are most easily available near me?
  • Do I have the time and patience to maintain my turtle in the best possible way?
  • The Top Twenty Turtles To Keep As Pets (In No Particular Order)

Spotted Turtle

1. The Spotted Turtle

This is a small and very attractive turtle that is popular with turtle fanciers. They need a setup that is half land and half shallow water, as they like to spend lots of time loafing around in the water with their head sticking out. Temperatures of 90 degrees F for sunbathing, and water temperature of around 70 degrees F are a must. They like plenty of places to hide, so you’ll need to provide plants for them.

These little guys grow to around five inches, and they can live for fifty years. You can expect to pay as much as $350 for a well-marked specimen, so they aren’t cheap.

Reeve's Turtle

2. The Reeve’s Turtle

Originating from Asia, these charming little guys are not the fanciest looking, but they are active and somewhat social. Growing up to 9 inches in length, they live for twenty years or more. They are not happy in deep water, so their swim space shouldn’t be much deeper than the length of their shell. Water temperatures should be between 70 and 80 degrees F, and they like heat – basking temperatures of 95 degrees F are desirable. You can expect to pay around $60 to $80 for a Reeve’s Turtle.

Bog Turtle

3. The Bog Turtle

This is a rare turtle, so you might expect to pay as much as $1200 for a good specimen. Because of their rarity, it’s especially important that you make sure they don’t come from a wild source. Just 3 – 4″ long, they are identified by their dark brown coloring and two bright orange spots on the side of their neck. Bog turtles mainly live on land, so you will need to provide them with equal amounts of land and water in their home. They need water temperatures of around 70 degrees F and a basking area in the dry section with temperatures up to 90 degrees F. Bog Turtles can live up to thirty years in captivity.

Mexican (or Ornate) Slider

4. The Mexican (or Ornate) Slider

There are three species of slider, the Mexican, the Red Eared, and the Yellow Bellied. Each of these turtles needs similar conditions, the most important being a large space for them to live, and deep water for them to swim in. Think in terms of a 75-gallon tank, because sliders are great swimmers, and must be able to dive and swim around if they are going to thrive and be happy.

These guys are pretty easy to please when it comes to food, but they like a nice high temperature for their water – 8o degrees F, and 100 degrees F for their basking spot. They grow to around 12″. And you will have your pet for over 50 years. You should be able to find a nice Mexican Slider turtle for around $40 – $100.

Mata Mata Turtle

5. The Mata Mata Turtle

This fascinating turtle is for the experienced owner only. The Mata Mata is the master of disguise, with a shell that looks rather like a piece of bark. Its head and legs have evolved into weird shapes that make them look like dead leaves.

The Mata Mata needs water at least a foot deep, and at a consistent 80 degrees F plus. It’s also sensitive to Ph levels, and it prefers to eat live food such as small fish. Growing up to 16″ in length, this turtle needs a decent-sized aquarium – at least four feet square. Growing up to 20″ long, and living for 75 years or more, you can expect to pay around $500 for one of these challenging animals that come from South America.

Diamondback Terrapin

6. The Diamondback Terrapin

These 5 to 9-inch long turtles are extremely attractive and very popular as pets. The diamondback is gray and brown in color with pretty patterns in cream, each one unique. Pale silvery skin completes the picture.

These turtles live in salt water in the wild, and although they can tolerate fresh water, they do better if just a little salt is added to their pond. They like warm water, in the 70s, and a basking spot of around 90 degrees F. You’ll pay between $150 and $500 for one of these guys, and they live to be around twenty-five years old or more.

Common Snapping Turtle

7. The Common Snapping Turtle

A bad-tempered dude, this turtle doesn’t have teeth, but it does have a sharp beak, that can give you a nasty gumming! They do best on their own and they need a living space that is at least 4 feet long and 2 feet deep to be comfortable.

They grow up to 18″ long, making them one of the larger turtles around, and they live up to be around 50 years old. You can buy a common snapping turtle for as little as $25, making them one of the more economical starter turtles.

African Side Necked Turtle

8. The African Side Necked Turtle

This large turtle gets its name from its ability to turn its neck to the side when hiding in its shell – most turtles pull their head straight back. Hey, it’s not exactly a superpower, but he’s doing his best!

This turtle grows to be quite large – up to 12″ – and spends most of its time hiding in the water. Possibly not the most exciting turtle on our list, but very easy to keep. They need water temperatures in the 70’s F, and a basking spot of 95 degrees F, being African in origin. They live for around 50 years, and you can find a nice specimen for around $50, so not one of the more expensive turtles.

Wood Turtle

9. The Wood Turtle

The wood turtle is the Speedy Gonzalez of the turtle world and loves to travel. This means that to be happy, you will have to provide your pet with a decent-sized outdoor space. It is very attractively colored with a dark shell with fine yellow lines, and contrasting bright red or orange legs and neck.

Woo turtles live to be over sixty years long and grow to 8″ in length. They are very active, and so are not suited for aquarium life. They prefer cooler temperatures around 70 degrees F, and definitely need access to clean, bright water. Expect to pay around $300 and up for a wood turtle.

Caspian Pond Turtle

10. The Caspian Pond Turtle

The Caspian pond turtle is rather a cutie and comes from the eastern Mediterranean area. Sometimes known as the stripe-necked turtle, they have dark shells with yellow coloration on the neck. They are one of the easiest turtles to take care of in captivity, and so they make ideal starter pets for the aspiring turtle keeper.

They like access to water, but the temperature range of 60 to 82 degrees F allows for the occasional lapse of concentration from a novice owner. A basking spot of up to 100 degrees F will be a welcome treat for your friend. They grow to be about 12″ long and can live for 40 years or more. You’ll pay from $600 to as much as $200 for one of these guys.

Peninsula Cooter

11. The Peninsula Cooter

Hailing from Florida, the Peninsula Cooter is notable for its large size and ability to pack on the pounds. It can grow to 20″ in length and weigh as much as 35lb. So it’s not a pet for a small aquarium – you must have a large outside enclosure for this turtle.

In the wild, they live in ponds and rivers, and they need water that is in the 70s, as well as basking spots in the 80s. This is a pet for people who live in warmer climates – or who have lots of money to spend on artificial heating. Peninsula Cooters are easy to keep, and inexpensive to buy, costing between $20 and $40. They can live for up to 30 years.

Three-Toed Box Turtle

12. The Three-Toed Box Turtle

This little guy is an expert climber, so you need to make sure he has an escape-proof home. When threatened or simply scared, box turtles have the ability to hinge up their shell, sealing themselves into a very tight and safe box. They are greenish-brown colored, with splashes of orange, red, and yellow coloring. As well as climbing, box turtles like to dig, so make sure you have a good 12″ depth of soft burrowing soil in his habitat.

They are sensitive to cold, and you need to be able to keep air temperatures in his home in the 80s. Three-toed box turtles are friendly little creatures, and can get to know their owner and will respond to his or her voice. They grow to around 6″ in length, and can cost as much as $400. They can live for as long as 50 years.

Chinese Softshell Turtle

13. The Chinese Softshell Turtle

This unique-looking turtle has an appearance that people either love or hate. Mainly gray in color, shading to brown and green, it has a sharply pointed snorkel of a nose. As the name suggests, they have a soft shell, and they generally spend most of their time in the water.

They are not really a pet for the beginner, as they can be quite sensitive to environmental changes, and they are aggressive when they are being handled. If you feel like a challenge, be prepared to provide a really good aquarium with water kept at around 80 degrees F, as well as a 90 degrees F basking spot. They grow to be 13″ long, and live to around 25 years old. A good specimen will set you back around $600.

Yellow Spotted River Turtle

14. The Yellow Spotted River Turtle

If you are looking for a nice big turtle, this may be the one for you. Growing to as much as 28″, they do need a large living space.

Attractively colored with, as you might expect, yellow spots on their head and neck, they can also get pretty heavy, so make good plans for the life of your pet, which may be as long as 25 years. You’ll pay around $200 for one of these big boys.

Pink Bellied side Necked Turtle

15. The Pink Bellied side Necked Turtle

These pretty turtles are great fun to watch as they swim and dive around their aquatic home. The top shell is beige, gray, or brownish in color, and the bottom shell in contrast is pink, red, or orange.

Good-natured and easy, they do however need water that is kept carefully filtered and temperature controlled between 66 and 80 degrees F. they also need that basking spot at around 90 degrees F to feel totally happy. This need for constant clean water makes them a good choice for the more experienced turtle enthusiast.

They grow to as much as 16″, so be prepared to offer them a decent-sized home that you might need to upgrade in size over the years. They live for up to 50 years and cost in the range of $200.

Mississippi Map Turtle

16. The Mississippi Map Turtle

This is one of the most popular pet turtles. They have a dark-colored shell and pretty yellow markings on their legs. They like both a water and a land environment, and it’s important that you provide both. They like water at around 75 degrees F, and the sunbathing spot should be as warm as 90 degrees F. Growing to 10″ long and living to be 30 years old or more, a Mississippi Mud Turtle is easily found in pet stores and will cost you between $25 and $80.

Red-Eared Slider

17. The Red-Eared Slider

This is a handsome-looking turtle with long red markings alongside its neck. The red-eared slider loves to swim, and generally spends all of its time at least partly in the water. They grow up to 10″ long, and live for 30 years or more. Like most turtles, they need a 75 degree F water temperature, and a 90 degree F basking spot. Because they need lots of swim space, their environment setup can be a bit expensive, but they are only between $30 and $80 to buy from your local pet store.

Musk Turtle

18. The Musk Turtle

Often known as the stinkpot, this should give you a warning that your pet may not always smell good. In fact, the musk turtle gives off a skunk-like odor if he is scared. They like to spend most of their time in the water, and as one of the smaller turtles – generally measuring from 2 to 5″ – and they love to climb. You need to make sure that they can’t escape, and that they have plenty of water to enjoy. They like those water temperatures in the 70s and appreciate a nice warm basking spot.

Cute to look at, their stinky habits are not necessarily a problem, because with gentle handling from their owner their fear reaction diminishes a lot. A musk turtle can be purchased for between $25 and $80.

Western Painted Turtle

19. The Western Painted Turtle

A handsome North American native, this turtle is fun to own as they are very active. They like to spend their days moving around and exploring their home. They need a varied environment with water, earth, and vegetation to rummage around in.

They can be a bit aggressive, and care should be taken when handling them – they don’t get very tame, and they can bite! They grow up to 8″ long, and live for up to 50 years. A nice specimen can be purchased for between $50 and $150.

Eastern Box Turtle

20. The Eastern Box Turtle

This is another turtle that doesn’t like to be handled very much. It’s extremely good-looking, with a dark brown shell and skin mottled with yellow, red, and orange markings.

Its native environment is swamp and forest, and they really do need a home that has plenty of space for them to move around and to burrow. Like most box turtles, they don’t spend a lot of time in the water, but of course, they must have access to water.

They are happy in temperatures in the mid 70s. They grow to 6″, live for up to 35 years old, and can be bought for between $280 and $420.

How To Go About Chosing The Perfect Turtle

These are not the only turtles that are available to the turtle enthusiast, but they are some of the most commonly available ones. You may have to hunt around for a reputable supplier, and it’s a good idea to talk to other turtle owners before you make your decision. You might want to start out with a small turtle, as generally, these pose fewer issues for the beginner. A good source of information on popular small turtles is here.

You should be aware of the likely costs that you will have when you get your new pet. It’s not just set-up costs that you should be thinking about, but the cost of feeding, cleaning, and even veterinary costs. If you want to find out more, this is a good place to visit.

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