How to Care for a Pet Turtle?

Question

My husband bought a pet turtle at a garage sale. I'm not necessarily very happy with him. He is expecting me to take care of it...like everything else. I have no clue about turtle care though. I don't even know what species it is. It is about 8" long and it snapped at me! Its shell is tan and its body is yellow. Its tail is as long as its shell! It has all these little blunt bumpy things on its neck too. The turtle is VERY heavy for its size. I feels like it weighs 45 pounds! The people who sold my husband the turtle told him they bought it in Florida. What on earth is this thing? How do I find a vet that treats turtles? He is in an aquarium, but it is so small he can't even move around. There is water and that is it. What else do I need to care for the turtle? It is a big turtle! I'm afraid he might carry diseases too. I appreciate any advice.

Answer 1

It is not illegal to own turtles or tortoises as pets regardless of the size. Different states have different laws concerning that issue. Seeing as that wasn't your question at all I just wanted to put your mind at ease on that point at least. I have a feeling that what you have is a snapping turtle of some kind. Below is a picture of the common snapper and the two bottom links are care sheets for the common snapper and the alligator snapper. Be careful, they have VERY powerful jaws and quick reflexes. Good luck!

http://pelotes.jea.com/AnimalFact/Reptil...

http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/cs...

http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/cs...

Answer 2

christine doesn't know what she is talking about. We need to figure out what kind of turtle it is. Land or water turtle? High domed shell or flater wider shell? Webbed feet or blunt club shaped feet? Then we need to determine what species it is or at least what group it is like; desert, tropical, temperate land turtle or pond/basking or bottom turtle for water turtles.  E-Mail me They don't have to be hard to care for when you know what you have. EDIT it is not a mud turtle they don't get to 8 inches. Baby turtles are not more likely to carry disease, in 1972 a federal bureaucrat decided that toddlers might suck on small turtles so he made a regulation that you could only sell turtles under 4" for educational or scientific purposes. If it is a snapper it will have a very long tail with little fins on the top and points like a saw on the back edge of it's shell.

Answer 3

try and look up pictures of turtles and find a match to know what you have. then you can better take care of it. I don't believe it is illegal perhaps by state??? As, it is illegal to sell baby turtles in several states but not all. Since they tend to carry diseases more than adult ones. But it could be possible that it is a mud turtle and several are on the endangered species list. If you have a good zoo maybe you could check with them as to what you have and if it is endangered maybe a larger turtle can help repopulate. Are you ready to be a grandma?? (lol) If, you don't have luck finding a image that matches your turtle perhaps if there is a local pet store that sells turtles maybe they could help identify.  If it is not part of a major chain you may have a better chance. But no matter what kind it is it needs a larger home. Either inside or a outside pond and pen. GOOD LUCK!!!