Do turtles make good pets?

Do turtles make good pets?
Turtles have captivated people around the world for many years and have been kept in captivity for centuries. While the exact timeline is debated, some cultures have interacted with and even kept them as pets (some even for religious purposes!) for a very, VERY long time. But do turtles make good pets?
The first thing we need to look at is what species of turtle do you want to keep? There are between 250-300 species of aquatic turtle in the world today. There are dozens of species kept in captivity today, and, for the purpose of this article we will focus on two of the most commonly kept turtles.

Does it smell in here…..?
Musk turtles – Sternotherus odoratus (which literally translates to “sternum animal with an odour”) are one of the most popular species of turtle to keep in the world, owing to their smaller adult size and comparative low maintenance requirements. These turtles are often recommended as “beginner turtles” (how I despise that term!!) but the truth is a little more involved. As usual, it’s the natural history of the animal that will give us a window into the correct care of the turtle.
From Quebec and southern Ontario in Canada and from Maine to Florida and west to Texas and Wisconsin in the US, musk turtles inhabit slow moving or still bodies of shallow water (although they have been known to reside in deeper water) and walk along the bottom as opposed to swimming through the water column itself, using their long necks to reach the surface to breath or snatch unsuspecting prey. Found in creeks, ponds, lakes and slow moving (or very large) rivers amongst vegetation and detritus. As we have now established, they tend to prefer slow moving or still water, and though they are a highly aquatic species, rarely coming out to bask in captivity, in their natural habitat they will seeming defy gravity by climbing up near 90-degree angled branches. Musk turtles are omnivorous, with juveniles being more carnivorous, and will feed on aquatic snails, carrion, fish eggs, fish, worms, leeches, aquatic insects, larva, algae and aquatic vegetation. They have a sharp beak, strong jaws and with almost binocular vision, they can snatch live prey out of the water.
Not all Muskies will bite, but if annoyed or threatened, they are capable extending their long neck and, in a flash, can whip it back across their carapace and clamp down on an unsuspecting finger.
In captivity we want to provide these turtles with an environment that will most closely resemble the conditions of their wild habitat and keep stress to a minimum. Because of their small size, fish tanks make excellent homes for these animals, they can be set up quite attractively in an aquarium. Individual personalities differ from animal to animal. Some muskies are quite curious and responsive, others are very shy and secretive, but in either case, giving them plant cover in the tank will reduce stress and make them feel more secure. We like to use silver sand as a substrate in our set-ups, and soft fern-like plastic plants that trail over sections of the water, which is kept at a depth that allows them to easily reach their head up to the surface while standing on the bottom. As a chiefly nocturnal and almost exclusively aquatic species, a basking spot is not required. UV lighting should be given (with areas for the turtle to retreat from it) within Ferguson zone 2. We recommend Reptile Systems Zone 2 T5 unit. Heat is provided from one submersible aquarium heater (enclosed in protective housing) set between 26-28°C. An area should be provided for the muskie to emerge from the water and dry out (though they will not do this often).
A healthy muskie will have a voracious appetite and will take any meaty food offered. Live prey, such as river shrimp, are hunted down and devoured with gusto. Provide a variety of food items, shrimp, fish, frozen/defrosted rodents, poultry, even including vegetation. They will likely nibble at aquatic plants such as duckweed, water lettuce and water hyacinth, if offered. Prepared foods (King British, Reptomin and Biorept) are excellent additions to the diet but should not be used as a sole source of nutrition.
Once you understand the care required for musk turtles, they can make very rewarding, if not overly handleable pets. Musk turtles (as the name suggest) can release a foul-smelling musk as part of their natural defence behaviour, once they have become more accustomed to human interaction, this behaviour does slow and, in many cases, stops entirely, but they also can bite, scratch and generally fuss when they are out of water. We would not recommend a musk turtle for younger children, but for older children (and of course adults!) musk turtles can make very manageable and enriching pets.

X marks the spot…..
The Mississippi map turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica kohni) is a bit of a poster boy for false advertising. Not being native to the state of Mississippi, they get their name from the Mississippi River, which stretches through ten north American states, from Minnesota, south to Louisiana. Mississippi map turtles are one of two subspecies of false map turtles, furthering the false advertising.
As far as aquatic turtles go, the Mississippi map is considered a medium size at its full size. Females are more dominant than males and grow to be considerably larger. Adult females have a carapace length spanning between 6 and 10 inches. Males, on the other hand, grow to a carapace length between 3.5 inches and 5 inches. Both sexes have been known to exceed a 30-year lifespan with 8-15 being average in the wild.
Map turtles get their name because the patterns on their shells and skin resemble that of a map. Different species and subspecies of map turtles will exhibit different patterns.
The Mississippi map turtle has a prominent ridge running along the centre (vertebral) part of its carapace, or upper shell, which is serrated, like a saw, along the back edge. Shell colour is brown or olive and has narrow, yellow, connected lines or circles. The plastron, or lower shell, is a light green/yellow with light brown lines that resemble wood grain running along the seams of the scutes – the tile shaped sections of shell. The wood-like lines tend to fade and become less distinct as the turtle ages.
The main difference between the Mississippi map and other map species is that Mississippi maps have bright yellow reverse-crescents that sweep under and behind both of their eyes. This curved line can be seen on top of the turtle’s head as it runs down the centre and splits down each side.
Another, less reliable, way to tell if your turtle is a Mississippi map is the round pupil and solid, unbroken iris of the eye. There are exceptions of course, but Mississippi maps usually have bright coloured eyes with no bar across the pupils.
Female map turtles have smaller tails but grow larger in body than their male counterparts, while males have slightly longer nails on their forelegs and longer, more mobile tails.
Mississippi maps are aquatic turtles; they do just about everything while swimming, including eating. In fact, Mississippi maps will only feed when they’re in the water. Mississippi map turtles bask to thermoregulate, absorbing external heat to warm their cold-blooded bodies, which is essential for digestion, metabolism, and activity. Basking also helps them dry their shell, preventing fungal and bacterial infections and allowing them to remove parasites like leeches. Additionally, exposure to the sun provides the UV radiation necessary for synthesizing vitamin D3, which is crucial for proper shell and bone growth and development. You will often see Mississippi map turtles basking on sunken logs, exposed sand bars and rocky outcrops in rivers. They will reach their optimum temperatures and begin searching to food, quickly retreating to the water with a “plop, plop, plop” if startled.
They are an omnivorous species, but adults (and most the time, babies and juveniles too) tend to be more carnivorous than other slider or basking turtle species, to the point where it’s easy to “accidentally” feed them too much. When map turtles are fed too much protein, or just overfed, it can result in an unhealthy growth rate, obesity and pyramiding of the shell.
Any food is readily accepted, the meatier the better as far as the turtle is concerned! Fish, insects, snails, muscles, clams, strips of beef and chicken. All are happily taken and devoured with gusto. Dark leafy greens should be offered occasionally for the turtles to nibble at, and we also recommend a good quality dry food (King British, Reptomin and Biorept to name a few of our favourites). The complete foods offer trace vitamins, minerals and balanced nutrition, and they make an excellent addition to a varied diet.
Mississippi maps, and basking turtle species in general, are extremely skittish, though individual exceptions do exist. They are very active diurnal animals and love to swim and bask in the sun, preferably being close enough to the water to escape at a moment’s notice. Maps are friendly, community animals, though females will tend to be more dominant and should be limited in number when keeping multiples.
Because of their beautiful colouring and active, aquatic nature, map turtles are one of the most interesting turtle species to keep. That being said, Mississippi map turtles are not for beginners, and their larger size will demand a larger enclosure. All of this will need to be taken into consideration before purchasing any reptile species.

What the Shell?
So, do turtles make good pets? We wouldn’t say so for beginners, but for older children interested in turtles, or more experienced keepers with existing collections, turtles make fascinating pets. Diurnal and active, turtles are amazing creatures to keep! If you have any questions regarding turtles, Contact us and a member of our friendly reptile team will happily answer all of your questions.

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