Posts Tagged ‘different types of turtles’

Which Turtle Are You?

Taking on a pet requires a certain level of commitment. For the most part, you will be responsible for the safety and well-being of another creature. Taking care of a turtle is no easy task. Which turtle is best for you?

Choosing from among the types of pet turtles will entail careful thought. You will want to select a pet whose lifestyle can easily fit in with your own way of living. Here are three common types of pet turtles that you can consider rearing.

Box Turtles
The box turtle is one of the more popular types of pet turtles that are found practically all over the world. Wherever there are damp, mossy areas, one is sure to find a box turtle inhabiting the land. These types of pet turtles are pretty territorial and are required to stay near their place of birth for their entire lifetime. As a matter of fact, if you try to remove a box turtle to another area half a mile from where it was born, it acquires the tendency to systematically search for its former habitat. It may not be able to find its way back to its old home but it will spend most of its life looking for it. This is one of those types of pet turtles that you will want to be cautious about because you need to create a living environment that is very similar to its old habitat. A box turtle is omnivorous so it can live off of insects, berries and various types of food products. They are ideal pets for people who live in the country because it is easier to recreate their natural habitat.

Slider Turtles
Among the many types of pet turtles, sliders are probably the most controversial due to the salmonella scare in the 1970′s. Apparently, young children have contracted the disease due to improper handling of slider turtles. However, through the years, these types of pet turtles have managed to redeem their popularity as they have always been known to make excellent pets. A slider can grow up to eleven inches long so you will probably need to replace your tank if you started with a ten-gallon aquarium for a baby turtle.

Slider turtles naturally live in swampy areas that have lots of mud such as shallow ponds and lakesides. These types of pet turtles love to bask in the sun for hours and are typically omnivorous. However they tend to minimize on their intake of meat as they grow older. You can try feeding your pet live goldfish, worm cubes and food sticks. It’s also a good idea to feed it lots of lettuce and other types of vegetables.

Painted Turtles
Painted turtles are probably the most beautiful types of pet turtles because of their colorful markings on their shells. The turtle usually has a dark olive to black skin color combined with red and yellow stripes on its legs and neck. It usually comes with a smooth carapace and can grow up to ten inches in length.

These types of pet turtles are generally aquatic. Compared to other species, they are a bit more complicated to take care of because they have specific habits that you need to take note of.

Copyright (c) 2008 Steven Magill

By: Steven Magill

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com. For great turtle care advice, turtle food recommendation or turtle health issues visit us at ….. www.petturtlecare.net/

Learn more about the different species of turtles…

Check out these posts for more information on turtles…

Box Turtle Species – An Introduction
Box turtles are wonderful turtles, but they do not make the easiest of pets. They have fairly specific requirements which are hard to meet unless you can build them a nice pen outdoors.

Red Eared Slider Care
Red Eared Sliders  are not as hugely popular as they once were, but they are still one of the most commonly kept pet turtles. While their care is not all that complicated, owners need to be prepared.

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Different Turtles

The world is full of turtles. But how many different kinds of turtles are there? Many turtles are on the brink of extinction and others are on the endangered list.

Let’s take a look at the different kinds of turtles that can be found around the world.

pictures of different types of turtles1.Sea Turtles – These kinds of turtles are truly marine creatures. They wander the waters of tropical oceans and only the females come ashore to lay their eggs in nests. They range in size from nearly 2 feet to about 7 feet in carapace length. The shells of these kinds of turtles are heart shaped or oval in appearance. Their limbs are flippers instead of legs and are not able to support the turtle when on land. Sea turtles can no longer pull their heads back into their shells like other kinds of turtles. The sea turtles are one of the most endangered of the turtle families as urban development has infringed on their nesting sites.

2.Snapping Turtles – There are just three species in this family of turtles. They can be found throughout North America, in the southeastern regions of Asia and in South America, to the north. These kinds of turtles all have big heads and a strong jaw with the upper jaw being hooked. They cannot fully retract their limbs or head into their shell and have fairly long tails. These kinds of turtles have been roaming the earth for 65 million years. They have quite a diverse habitat as well as mating habits and diet.

3.Pond Turtles – This is the largest group of turtles and can be found all over the world. Some species of pond turtles are carnivores while others are herbivores. They have many predators such as alligators and raccoons. These species are typically the kinds of turtles that are used in the pet trade.

4.Mud or Musk Turtles – These kinds of turtles emit an unpleasant odor when they are disturbed. They vary in size but all are strictly carnivorous. They feed on aquatic insects, small fish and amphibians as well as any crustacean they can find. The adults are rarely preyed upon by other animals; rather their eggs are coveted by a variety of animals.

5.Tortoises – These kinds of turtles can boast the distinction of being the largest turtles that live on land. Tortoises feed on flowers, grasses and fruits though they have been known to feast on carrion. Typically, tortoises have heavy scales and feet that are not webbed. Their closest relatives are the pond turtles.

6.Softshell Turtles – These kinds of turtles can live in many types of waters with a soft bottom being required. Their shells are not hard, but instead are covered with a leather-like skin. They spend most of their time buried in mud. They can be omnivorous but most species are carnivores feeding on mollusks, insects, amphibians and fish.

7.The Leatherback Turtle – These ancients are the largest turtles in the world. Though they are sea turtles, they are a class unto themselves. They can be found swimming the waters of the world no matter if the waters are warm or cold. Their jaws lack strength so feed mostly on jellyfish. The adults have no known predators, instead it is the eggs and the hatchlings that are most vulnerable to predators. The leatherback is a truly endangered species because of erosion and development of the beaches where the females land ashore to make their nests and lay their eggs.

Copyright (c) 2008 Steven Magill

By: Steven Magill

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
For great turtle care advice, turtle food recommendation or turtle health issues visit us at ….. www.petturtlecare.net/

A video showing different types of turtle

What others have to say on the different types of turtle and baby turtles around the world.

Exotic Types of Turtles
If you are going to get a turtle as your pet then you will probably visit a local pet store. The types of turtles that you will find in common pet stores around,

Types of Turtles | Turtle Care Guide
There are several types of turtles that thrive in different parts of the world.

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