A Non-Expert Takes On Water Turtles

The final frontier for me as a turtle keeper was Aquatic Turtles. To me, the whole concept of aquatics was daunting: So much more equipment, so much more work than tortoises. But, as it turns out, they are so much more interactive and fun, too, so it balances out.

Reeves Turtles (Chynemys reevesii)

I obtained these turtles as tiny little hatchlings back in 2006. They are set up in a large tank in my office, where they are a hit with visitors. Both Jet (black plastron) and Scooter (white and black plastron) are approximately the same size as a small box turtle; they shouldn't get too much larger than that, making them a good species to keep indoors.

 

Western Painted Turtle Hatchlings (Chrysemys picta bellii)

An aquaintance of mine has a large private pond on his land, with several adult Western Painted Turtles in residence. These little ones were in a nest that he accidentally unearthed while trenching in February 2008. Since it was too cold to just leave them there, he called me. I am fostering these guys for a year or so; by then, they should be large enough to go back into the pond without becoming predator chow. Right now though, they lead a great life, with all the food, swimming, and basking they can squeeze into the day.

Above and below: What they looked like upon arrival at my office

Setting up a tank for aquatic turtles can be cheap if you do it wrong; doing it right isn't cheap but it makes things much easier (and your turtles a lot healthier) in the long run. I have an article describing my setup procedure HERE.