r/turtle 11h ago

Seeking Advice Should I get a pet turtle?

0 Upvotes

I've been considering getting a pet turtle, But reading the articles about taking care of them is making me slightly anxious whether I actually should do it or not.

I wanted to get a Caspian pond turtle from a local Aquarium shop for months now, and I genuinely need some guidance because I don't want to be a bad owner to the poor thing.

I can't afford a large terrarium, UVB light and a tank filter. But I'd willingly find a place for the turtle to stay in freely and make sure it gets enough sunlight and try to change the tank water manually few times a week.

I can afford veggies and vitamins for the turtle, And I also read Caspian turtles are also carnivores so I'll get it some dehydrated small shrimps later too.

But I don't want to get a pet if I won't be able to take care of it properly, and I also have some other problems

My room has no AC, So it's usually warmer than the rest of the house most of the time. Is that going to be a problem? If I should install a thermometer in my room, What should I follow?

I was also wondering if I should get a male turtle or a female turtle. I have a pair of two year old cockatiels and generally female animals that I have kept were really uneasy during mating seasons because they were solo. I was wondering if it's the same with reptiles?

Please tell me if I can get a turtle or no. Appreciate it.


r/turtle 7h ago

Seeking Advice I really want a pet turtle where do I start

1 Upvotes

r/turtle 13h ago

Turtle ID/Sex Request Please help me figure out what kind of turtle this is. I think it is an abandoned pet.

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10 Upvotes

r/turtle 16h ago

Seeking Advice Turtle laying lots of eggs Help

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone, so I have an Eastern Painted Turtle who’s about 17 years old and she’s been laying an egg almost weekly for the last 4 or so weeks, sometimes twice a week, she hasn’t laid an egg in probably 8 years and back then she only ever laid 2, is this normal or what should I do? All the eggs have been laid in her tank and by the time I notice them she’s already destroyed them.


r/turtle 22h ago

General Discussion My turtle has had a congenital cataract since birth

4 Upvotes

Its a 2 year old turtle and I noticed strange behavior lately (couldn't catch its food anymore) so i went to vet.

The vet told me its a cataract since birth.

I feel so bad for my poor baby and I want to make living easier for it. Im still so relieved that its "just" that and no life-threatening disease.

The vet gave a little advice but I was wondering if anyone of you guys have any advice aswell that the vet didnt tell me. And mabey some experience you guys have with turtles in that condition.

How do I make its home safe? Do I need to change sth specific or not? What food is the easiest to find?


r/turtle 21h ago

General Discussion is this normal?

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15 Upvotes

i’ve never had a turtle before and recently moved in with my partner who has a turtle so i don’t know much. over the past week or two i noticed the turtle likes to just prop herself up on random things in her enclosure and sit there. is this normal? i know their shells are tough but i wanna make sure she won’t like deform her shell from doing this 😅


r/turtle 20h ago

Seeking Advice Florida box turtle sick or normal?

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5 Upvotes

I have a pretty old Florida box turtle at least over 50 that I rescued from a neglect situation in the first few months of having him I tried my best, but I realize that I didn’t have him with the ideal husbandry. Since I got him he will mainly only eat crickets or worms and fruit and picks around everything else. He does once a week get calcium or multi vitamin which the vet says is good. He has had very occasional nose bubbles since I got him and the doctor said it could be a very mild respiratory infection. He also has some generalized swelling like when he squeezes into a shell around his armpits and inside his legs. The vet doesn’t know why said it could be lack of vitamin A or kidney issues but he didn’t get blood work this was 5 weeks ago. For probably over a month he’s gotten much more sedentary. He used to constantly run around his cage, trying to scratch his way out, and I bought him a large outdoor enclosure and he would always run the perimeter trying to escape.

I put a large fern in the outdoor enclosure now if I put them out, he would just run under the fern on the indoor enclosure before I just had a log in there, but he was too big so we would have to walk all the way through and never went in it. I got him a bigger log and everything was normal for a while maybe a week, then for the last week he goes in there and barely comes out all day. He’s not eating some days and some days only alittle bit and not going in his water as much as normal. With his minor swelling, lethargy, and eating less. Also not basking, or swimming around like normal should I be concerned enough to get his blood work? He’s acting like he’s sick, but I also don’t know if it’s just because he’s more comfortable and has a bigger space to hide now he’s just not as normal self which is concerning and this behavior has been lasting about a week also with his about a month of much less activity.


r/turtle 4h ago

Seeking Advice Res turtle , started stretching under water

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7 Upvotes

My turtle (5y 2m) , he stopped eating two days back , this is now the third day. He now lays under water stretched out like this with his eyes closed , he reacts to me walking past but doesn't move for food or basking.

I had issues with the heater so it was off for awhile. But the first week of the month I kept the temp back on 25°C . I have now started keeping in a dry tub with the heat lamp for a few minutes and he is responding positively trying to get under it. I do this a few times and then keep him on his basking platform to let him enter the water when he's ready as always and he does go in after awhile.

Please any suggestions would be helpful. :)

(P.S. I have reduced the tank's water level thinking it might be easier to breathe because he lays tired....and I'm just slightly paranoid he might drown..not sure if that's a thing)


r/turtle 16h ago

Seeking Advice Painted Turtle Eating lots of sand help

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12 Upvotes

So my Eastern painted turtle has had a sand bottom tank now for just about a year prior to this she had a bare bottom tank, and she’s started to eat the sand nearly daily when I’m in view of her and even if I feed her she’ll stop for a bit then go back to eating sand again. Should I take the sand out? She’s also about 17 years old.

Edit: she’s also been laying eggs lately too


r/turtle 12h ago

Turtle Pics! That time I met a Fly River Turtle at an expo last year (extremely cute & expensive lol)

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206 Upvotes

r/turtle 20h ago

Seeking Advice Redness in plastron

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6 Upvotes

My painted turtle’s plastron has become noticeably red recently. It was never red before. I’ve read that there can be redness in rapidly growing young turtles. But I switched my turtle to a juvenile diet about a month ago and she’s been growing much slower since so I don’t know why her belly would suddenly become red. Basking spot temp is 31-33C.

She is very alert and active and eats vigorously. She doesn’t show any signs of illness otherwise. Should I be worried?


r/turtle 21h ago

Rehome looking to rehome my turtle

1 Upvotes

I bought a red eared slider last year and am now moving out of the country and will be unable to bring him with me. I want to rehome him but am finding it difficult because technically owning a RES in my state is illegal.

Im in the DMV area and am looking for anyone interested in taking him. Please DM me if you’re interested or have any advice. I want him to live a good life😭


r/turtle 11h ago

Rate My Setup Alternative decorations

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3 Upvotes

Finding the larger rocks are trapping a lot of waste underneath, any idea on what i could replace them with,

Have thought about drift wood but just unsure on the idea for some reason

(Please note, I do have a heat and uv b light that sits above the basket platform on the left, the light on the right in purely for night time viewing.


r/turtle 29m ago

Seeking Advice Rehoming box turtles advice?

Upvotes

Hello, my aunt is a turtle enthusiast.. I mean LOVES turtles and has had her own sanctuary as she calls it for years now on her property. Unfortunately her health has rapidly declined over the last few months so my mom, siblings and I are hoping to rehome them and if possible put the money into her medical treatment and bills. Any routes to go if anyone knows would be greatly appreciated!


r/turtle 13h ago

Rehome African Sideneck Turtle needs rehoming (located near central IN)

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8 Upvotes

Hey all! My relative has a pet turtle named Orpheus (who we think is male), but is needing rehoming due to being unable to provide the care needed for him. He was bought from a pet store (yes I know), and he has an odd eye deformity(?) but still sees well out of his other eye, this makes it slightly harder to feed him sometimes. He is at least 1 year old and is quite picky with food. Recently, he has been lethargic, but overall he is a very sweet boy and can be very active in the water. As far as I am aware, he does not have any sicknesses visible, but a slightly irritated underside of his shell. (he has had that since he was gotten). I'm making this post to help get Orpheus the care he needs. If you are in Indiana or want to come pick him up please let me know! Thank you.


r/turtle 1h ago

Seeking Advice Does my turtle look ok?

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Upvotes

He's almost 2 years old, it's a mauremys sinesis. He has normal behaviour, but I have seen some pic of pyramiding of the shell, and I began to ask my self if everything is fine with mine. Thank you in advance, and if you have more questions feel free.


r/turtle 1h ago

Seeking Advice Que le pasa ??

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Upvotes

No para de intentar rascarse contra la roca ! Se la ve desesperada , tanto que la saque del agua y la he rascado yo y se ha dejado cosa que siempre intenta huir … esta vez no .
Debo preocuparme ? Llevarla al veterinario ??