When you happily decide to add an Aquatic Turtle to your household, a few obvious questions come up: what size aquarium will I need to house him? (or more commonly – them), what environment do I need to provide to keep them clean, happy, and healthy? What should I feed them? And of course: What kind of turtle varieties would be good to start off with?  Turtle-Tech looks at all these assorted questions in helpful articles designed to provide good sound advice on keeping Aquatic Turtles, all based on decades of experience working with Aquatic Turtle species.  This particular article deals with what kinds of Aquatic Turtle species are generally excepted as good “beginner” turtles.

There is no doubt, some species of Aquatic Turtles are definitely more challenging than others. Some are downright delicate, while others have a reputation for being tough as nails. Obviously, for beginners just coming into the fascinating word of turtle keeping, it makes good sense to start off with a species proven to be hardy and generally easy to keep and enjoy. From that beginning point of getting your feet wet with a little good experience, you can branch out into more challenging and diverse species.

Below we look at our top eight picks from three groups of turtles, all appropriate for the beginner Aquatic Turtle keeper. These choices are based on the general hardiness of the species, their basic requirements, their availability, and of course, their cost. Each has their own advantages to offer and really all are good choices for the beginning hobbyist.  So enjoy your tour through turtleland and we’ll catch up with you at the end!

Group #1 – Slider Turtles:  This group of turtles consists of many commonly seen species, they are normally flat shelled turtles that are famous for being fond of basking in the sun, when approached they simply “slide” off into the water. Hence the common term “sliders”. They are, as a rule, very hardy turtles with no real unique requirements. They tend to be active and generally friendly, easy to feed and care for, many are very colorful and their cost to purchase is lower compared to most species. Commonly seen at the $15-$30 range.  Their only real drawback can be their growth rate and final adult size, which over time can be substantial if provided with ample room to grow and a good quality TropicZone Diet.

The three species we would pick from this group would be the following:

The Red Eared Slider:  The old standby in popularity, the Red Eared is the “king of common”. But for good reason really, he is hardy if treated well, friendly and alert, will eat just about anything, and generally easy to care for. And despite its commonality, the Red Ear is an absolutely beautiful turtle.

                                   The Yellow Belly Slider:  Another old standby in popularity, like the Red Eared, he is hardy if treated well, friendly and alert, will eat just about anything, and generally easy to care for. Its availability varies and prices fluctuate, but the yellow belly is worth the little extra price. He too, is a really beautiful turtle.

The Cumberland Slider:  The Cumberland slider is not as commonly seen as the Red Eared or Yellow belly but is a wonderful species to work with, especially for the beginner. They are not as colorful as the varieties listed above but still show some an interesting pattern of greens and yellows.

 

Group #2 – Painted Turtles:  This is a wonderful group of turtles that have a wide distribution throughout the States. They are also generally hardy turtles with no real unique requirements. They tend to be active and usually friendly, easy to feed and care for, all are very colorful turtles. Commonly seen at the $30-$50 range, they are usually only available at specific times of the year. There are four varieties of painted turtles, the two we would pick from this group appropriate for the beginner turtle keeper would be the following:

The Western Painted Turtle:  The Western Painted is by far one of the most colorful native turtle here in the U.S. They can be shy at first but are friendly and alert when settled in. They will feed well on a high-quality diet, and generally are easy to care for. They can be slower growing compared to many species which makes them a good choice for smaller aquarium set ups.

The Eastern Painted Turtle:  This east coast version of the Painted is also a pretty little turtle. They too can be shy at first, but are friendly and alert when settled in. They, like the Western, can be slower growing compared to many species which makes them a good choice for smaller aquariums.

Group #3 – Cooter Turtles: This is another wonderful group of turtles that have a wide distribution throughout the States. They are also hardy turtles and fit in well as good beginner turtles.  They tend to be active and generally friendly, easy to feed and care for, most are very colorful turtles and can commonly be seen in the $30-$50 range. These turtles, like the sliders can grow quickly over time and have a substantial adult size, so previsions should be made to accommodate this. There are numerous types of Cooters, the three we would pick from this group appropriate for the beginner turtle keeper would be the following:

The Red Belly Cooter: Another great pick for the beginning turtle hobbyist, Red Belly Cooters, in both their Northern and Southern forms are beautiful turtles famous for their red overtones on their top shells and of course, the heavy red pattern on the belly. these too are hardy if treated well, friendly and alert.

                                                                                                       The Peninsula Cooter: A very pretty turtle from Florida, this species shows a lively pattern of greens and yellows, with similar coloration on the head. Like the others mentioned here, he is hardy if treated well, friendly and alert, and generally easy to care for. Availability is good in the spring and summer months.

The Southern River Cooter:  Our final pick for the beginner is this attractive turtle from the southeast. The shell pattern on the River Cooter shows heavy variation of greens and yellows and the golden eye ring is a characteristic of this particular species.  He, like the other cooters, is a hardy turtle and generally easy to care for.

                                                                            Thanks for spending some time with us, if you are a beginning turtle hobbyist we hope that this look into the world of Beginner Turtles has helped. We suggest that once you have decided on a particular species that you take the time to research them further, so that you can make the best decision on choosing your new turtle.

  Remember, whatever species you choose, it is important to feed only a diet that is specifically formulated for turtles at every stage of their development.  TropicZone Aquatic Turtle Diets provide the proper nutrition for all stages of your turtles growth: from hatchling to adulthood.

 

 

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