New To Turtles? Start Here!
What Do I Need For My Pet Turtle’s Home?
Although this is mainly based on the type of pet turtle you have, there are common sense things you will need in order to provide a safe and healthy environment for your pet.
For aquatic turtles such as red eared sliders you’ll need some basics in order to keep them happy and healthy.
For land turtles (or tortoises) such as eastern box turtles you’ll
What Temperature Does My Pet Turtle Like Its Home?
It is preferable to keep the temperature at an average temperature of about 85 degrees Fahrenheit. A range between 80 to 88 is ideal.
Keep in mind that all turtles are cold blooded so if the temperature gets too low, they’ll hibernate. If it is too hot though you could kill them. 
My Turtle Wants A Friend. Can I Have More Than One Turtle In The Same Tank?
Absolutely!…mostly.
If you go to most pet stores you’ll notice that many of them have multiple turtles contained in the same tank.
Younger turtles especially are fine together and tend to get along well.
But as they age there is the possibly of problems like fights or them bugging each other. If you do keep multiple turtles in the same tank, be sure to give each turtle it’s own area for hiding to help avoid this.
If problems present themselves, try feeding the turtles separately.
Also, if you had another turtle later on, be sure to keep it separate for at least a week or so to check and see if they have any diseases or parasites. You don’t want them infecting your other turtle(s)
Another thing to keep in mind is that if you have a boy and girl turtle in the same tank, there is the possibility of breeding.
Is My Pet Turtle A Boy Or Girl?
Below you’ll find some tips to help you figure out if your pet turtle is a boy or girl. This is especially important to know if you are planning to have multiple turtles in the same home.
Keep in mind, it is very hard to tell the sex when the turtle is young. But as they get older it becomes easier to figure out.
Male
- Tend to have LARGER tails
- LONGER claws on the front legs
- Have a CONCAVE plastron
- Have an opening (cloaca) about ⅔ from the shell towards the tip of their tail.
Females
- Tend to have SHORTER tails
- SHORTER claws
- Have a CONVEX plastron.
- Have an opening (cloaca) closer to the shell
How Long Will My Pet Turtle Live?
Healthy, well cared for turtles can live anywhere from 40-100 years old. You could easily have a friend for life with your pet turtle.
As long as you provide a safe and healthy environment for your pet turtle there is no reason it won’t live a very long life. Especially in relation to other types of pets like dogs, cats, and fish.
How Large Do Turtles Get?
This is largely dependent on the type of turtle you have, red eared sliders for example can grow to between 5 and 12 inches in length. Other turtles can grow to as much as 4 feet!
Fun Fact: Females tend to grow larger than males.
