They inhabit fast-moving freshwater streams and creeks. Musk turtles feed off of crustaceans like snails and small freshwater clams. Razorback and Eastern Musk turtles can emit a strong-smelling musk hence their name if threatened but rarely do so unless extremely stressed or provoked.
They appreciate a more carnivorous diet to best replicate their natural diet, including commercial pellets, dried shrimp or fish, fresh shrimp, crickets, roaches, bloodworms, and earthworms.
These Musk Turtles will also consume a small amount of plant matter occasionally. Musk Turtles come from fast-moving, freshwater systems and enjoy more water flow compared to a pond species like the Red-eared slider. Their water temperatures should be between degrees Fahrenheit. High water quality is necessary, so using adequate filtration is a must for keeping this species.
A full-grown Musk Turtle can be kept in a gallon aquarium, however, a gallon tank is recommended. Drowning hazard — Mud and Musk Turtles are bad swimmers.
Providing tank extra decorations to help them reach the surface will prevent drowning. Yes, Razorback and Common Musk Turtles make good pets. Their small size and ready availability in captivity, make them excellent pet turtles. They eat the majority of common turtle commercial foods and are one of the best pet turtles that stay small. The Eastern and Striped Mud Turtle Kinosternon subrubrum , Kinosternon baruii have similar care and habitat requirements so we are grouping the two of them together in this section.
Both species are native to the southeastern United States and inhabit ponds, creeks, lakes, and streams with a heavy amount of sediment to bury into.
Mud turtles utilize land areas as well to burrow into the mud, hence their name of Mud turtle. Mud turtles only reach about 5 inches when fully grown, making them an excellent candidate for a species of turtle that stays small and can be kept comfortably in a 40 gallon aquarium. Mud turtles are omnivorous and will consume prey items such as crickets, worms, small fish, shrimp, as well as commercial pellets, and occasional greens or aquatic plants.
Driftwood and other decor will make the turtle feel more secure and provide areas to climb to the surface for air.
They benefit greatly from an enclosure with a soft substrate at the bottom, including either sand or mud. Adding live aquatic plants will add life to your turtle tank, but also remove nutrients from the water and help make the Mud turtle feel safe, and add a naturalistic feel to the tank setup.
Yes, Mud turtles, given their small size, availability, and fun personalities make excellent pets for beginners. The Painted Turtle is aptly named for its bright markings, which vary in coloration from reds and greens to yellow stripes on their face and bright plastron.
Painted turtles inhabit freshwater ponds and lakes, similar to sliders, and are omnivorous as well. We only recommend Male painted turtles for pets. Females can reach up to a foot in length while Males only reach inches. It is important to distinguish a male painted turtle from a female, as males stay significantly smaller than their female counterparts.
Male painted turtles will only reach inches, compared to females who reach nearly a foot in length. Painted turtles eat a variety of foods, and will readily accept commercial pellets, dried shrimp, or fish, but also eat leafy greens and other plant material as they mature into adulthood.
Painted turtles require high water quality and heavily filtered water because they produce a large amount of waste. Painted turtles need an area to bask and fully sun themselves, as they do so heavily in their native environments.
Painted turtles bask a lot compared to Spotted turtles or even Mud and Musk turtles, so providing a solid area to dry off completely is important. Their water temperatures should be between degrees Fahrenheit, although they can tolerate freezing temperatures should you choose to fully brumate your turtle. A minimum tank size of 40 gallons is recommended, but larger aquariums will be utilized and appreciated by your Painted turtle!
Yes, Painted Turtles make good pets, but remember to get a male. They are brightly colored and interactive pets that make great additions to those looking for a pet turtle. They are widely available, vary in coloration by subspecies, and can handle mistakes a beginner might make.
Male Painted turtles will thrive in an aquarium habitat compared to females, who may require more space than a tank can adequately give them.
Map Turtles Graptemys are another species of turtle native to North America, inhabiting river deltas and streams, many of which branch off from the Mississippi River.
They come in a variety of subspecies, including Mississippi Map Turtles, False Map Turtles, and Common Map Turtles however, the care amongst them all is extremely similar. Also, they are brightly colored and dislike much handling. They are eye-catching and small pets, measuring just 5 inches long. Spotted Turtles get their name from the yellow-cream colored spots covering their black or dark-brown heads and shells.
You may find some with red, orange, or yellow spots on their bellies as well. Turtles loathe being handles, but not the spotted species. These reptiles are even-tempered and enjoy being handled. The list would be incomplete without Mud turtles, which grow only up to inches long when adults. Mud turtles are native to Africa, Mexico, and some parts of North America. There are four Mud turtle species, with the famous Mud and Stripped Mud turtles being about 4. The other two, Yellow Mud and Sonoran Mud turtles, grow up to six inches at times.
And no, the name does not mean that their enclosures will be muddy. Musk turtles are usually small, with the females being smaller than the males.
You can mostly find them in eastern parts of North America. Unlike most turtles, the Musks do not like brackish water or water whose saline levels are between freshwater and seawater. These reptiles also burrow in the mud during winter. Musk turtles are ardent climbers, so look out for them if you keep them in an aquarium.
They can easily climb out of their tanks. This turtle is definitely the best option if you want a pet that stays small forever and can live up to 60 years! These turtle species are popular in the pet world, especially in China, Japan, and Taiwan.
Although these reptiles might not be as colorful they are primarily black or dark gray as others on the list, turtle fanciers adore them for their charming, docile demeanors. Plus, they stay small forever! You may want to keep an eye on their shells, though. This is because these turtles are prone to various diseases that show on the shells.
The longest Bog turtle only measures up to four inches long! Their small sizes have made them incredibly popular in the U. S, especially among beginners. You can find these reptiles near swamps and marshes in the Eastern U. You can also find some grazing in wet fields amongst cattle.
They require less space. Most of those species will only require a tank that will be 30 or 40 gallons. Since they are smaller they will also need longer to make the water dirty. But with a smaller turtle you will have to do it less often. Since they are smaller they will have to eat less food than other turtles.
Over time the lesser quantity of food that they eat will reflect in your budget. Even if turtle food is not very expensive, saving 10 or 20 dollars every month is always a good thing.
They are cheaper to maintain. And you will also save a lot of money on equipment. Most turtles that grow in size over time will need new tanks to live in and a new water pump that is able to keep up with the turtle. They are very cute.
Smaller animals are usually cute, and in my opinion some of the cutest animals in the world are small turtles. You might not be sharing my opinion here, but I think this is one big advantage small turtles have over regular sized ones. There is no practical reason why you might not want a small turtle, they do the same things a regular sized turtle does and they even have some advantages over them. One final piece of advice I want to give you is to check the law in your area before you start looking for a specific turtle species.
Some species are endangered, some are very close to extinction. And even if you find somebody who sells them, they might do so illegally. So please check the law before purchasing any turtle, regardless of the place you buy them. If you think I missed something important about one of the turtle, or you think another species should be included on the list please let me know in the comment section.
And if you have any questions about turtles you should also leave them in the comment section and I will answer them as soon as possible. Hello, I am Phyllis, and I have 20 years of experience in working with animals at the zoo, and I am also the owner of 4 tortoises and one little cute turtle.
And I want to share my experience with everybody that is in need. Thatk you for your post and resurch. I really appriciate as it help me decide and understand turtles I want to buy. Tha k you. The turtle in the picture is called a Red-Eared Slider, this turtle is not featured in the list of small turtles, even if a lot of people think they are small they can reach quite impressive sizes.
My suggestion is to check out the Care Guides section of the site and take a look at some of the basic things. And if you are interested in something specific use the search function of the website and search for the subject that you are interested in. And if you have any question just leave a comment on any article and I will answer it as soon as possible. Your email address will not be published.
Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. Like most animals tortoises need to sleep, but unlike most animals tortoises have a very interesting way of sleeping. Tortoises prefer to sleep in safe spots that will keep them safe from Skip to content. Lifespan: up to 50 years.
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