What is the smallest speciesof pet turtle for America?

Question

I'm thinking of getting one. When I was younger I had one that was like an inch or so, and I would LOVE to have one that size again. I don't have kids, so there is no problem with that. I found that one outside, so I didn't buy it. Any help here? And what are basics needs of the referenced turtles.

Answer 1

red ear slider or painted turtle

Answer 2

No wonder you think of sliders as small. They don't get big if you kill them.

The smallest turtles you can keep legally are the mud, musk, and male map turtles. They may be able to spend their entire lives in a 55 gallon tank comfortably. Incidentally, it is not illegal to keep turtles smaller than 4 inches; it is illegal to sell them, though, except for research or educational purposes.

Answer 3

Slider Turtles!

http://www.petturtle.com/slider_turtles....

Answer 4

those cute little turtles grow to be 12". Total Body length: 5-8" average, up to 12 inches max. Life span: 15-25+ years

Males have the longer front nails and are used in mating. And are considered mature at about 5 yrs old. You can’t start sexing till about  3” across.

The bigger the environment the bigger the healthier the turtle. Remember 10 gallons for every inch of turtle. I have used kiddy pools and plastic pond liners from most nurseries and worked great.

Did you know that they need to bask under a reptile light UVA/UVB for 8 to 10 hrs a day for the vitamin D that they need to grow. So that means getting a turtle dock also.

Leave the heater on 75 to 78 degrees always.

Their water needs to be clean otherwise they get sick easily from dirty water cause they p**p allot.

You need a good filter system! Gravel larger than they can swallow.

You need to feed them feeder guppies, goldfish or minnows for protein and calcium daily drop 20 or so in the tanks and watch them disappear in a few days!

This way when they swim for their dinner they get exercise also!

They sleep at the bottom of rivers, streams. lakes or ponds or your tank to avoid predators like coyotes,  foxes, owls, hawks, possums, raccoons and even some wide mouth bass.

TOSS in a bird cuttle bone in the water for calcium. it will dissolve real slow and if they eat it that’s fine!!

They can have garden worms, meal worms, crickets, flies, crayfish small frogs, dragon flies and  anything that moves only as a treat.

They need leafy greens Romaine, Butter lettuce. (Iceberg and cabbage are bad for them, any other leafy greens will do) for vitamin A that they need at least 3 to 4 times a week.

You probably already know that they get sick easily, shell rot, respiratory sickness, lopsided swimming, coughing, blowing bubbles from their nose.

**Swollen cloudy eyes means lacking in Vitamin A. Which we all need for good eyes. Google ‘vegetables with Vitamin A.

Contact the “www.anapsid.org/societies, for a turtle vet /  rescue in your city and state.

I wish you luck.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29035692@N0...

Answer 5

Hey. I think they are called Red eared Sliders (not sure though) but my younger brother has one and its about an inch, inch and half maybe, but its a baby and its super cute!!  And hes a beast when it comes to food lol. My brothers bought it at some odd reptile store.   Anyways I think its illegal to keep these guys if their under 4 inches (so don't tell anyone if your getting it lol) but if you do get one, make sure you wash your hands super well because you can get salmonella from baby turtles so that's why stores don't sell little turtles.  Hope this helps you.

Answer 6

red ear slider and painted turtles dont get too big