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- red ear turtle
- yellow ear turtle
- Cumberland Tortoise
- pig nose turtle
- Spotted turtle
- Sternotherus carinatus
are you thinking about adopt a turtle? There are different and beautiful freshwater turtles around the world. We can find them in lakes, swamps and even in river beds, however, they are very popular pets, especially among children for their simple care.
Continue reading this PeritoAnimal article to find out about freshwater turtle species to find out which is most convenient for you and your family.
red ear turtle
For starters, let's talk about the red-eared turtle, although its scientific name is Trachemys scripta elegans. Its natural habitat is found in Mexico and the United States, with Mississippi as its main home.
They are very popular as pets and the most common in retail outlets as it is spread all over the world. They can reach 30 centimeters in length, with females being larger than males.
Its body is dark green and with some yellow pigmentations. However, their most outstanding feature and by which they receive their name is for having two red spots on the sides of the head.
The carapace of this type of turtle is slightly sloping, at the bottom, towards the inside of its body as it is a semi-aquatic turtle, that is, it can live in water and on land.
This is a semi-aquatic turtle. They are easy to see on rivers in the southern United States, to be more specific on the Mississippi River.
yellow ear turtle
Now it's time for yellow ear turtle, also called Trachemys scripta scripta. These are also turtles from the areas between Mexico and the United States and are not difficult to find for sale.
It's called that by yellow stripes that characterize it on the neck and head, as well as on the ventral part of the carapace. The rest of your body is a dark brown color. They can reach 30 centimeters in length and like to spend long periods enjoying the sunlight.
This species adapts quite easily to domestic life, but if abandoned it can become an invasive species. For this reason, we must be very careful if we can no longer keep it, ensuring that someone can accept it into their home, we must never abandon a pet.
Cumberland Tortoise
Let's finally talk about cumberland turtle or Trachemys scripta troosti. It comes from the United States, more concrete from Tennessee and Kentucky.
Some scientists consider it to be the evolution of hybrids between the two previous turtles. This species has a green carapace with light spots, yellow and black. It can reach 21 cm in length.
The temperature of your terrarium must fluctuate between 25ºC and 30ºC and it must have direct contact with sunlight, as you will spend long moments enjoying it. It is an omnivorous turtle, as it feeds on algae, fish, tadpoles or crayfish.
pig nose turtle
THE pig nose turtle or Carettochelys insculpta comes from northern Australia and New Guinea. It has a soft carapace and an unusual head.
They are animals that can measure an incredible 60 centimeters in length and can weigh up to 25 kilos in weight. Due to their appearance they are very popular within the world of exotic pets.
They are practically aquatic as they only come out of their environment to lay eggs. These are omnivorous turtles that feed on both plants and animal matter, although they like fruits and Ficus leaves.
It's a turtle that can reach a considerable size, that's why we must have it in a big aquariumThey should also find themselves alone as they tend to bite if they feel stressed. We will avoid this problem by offering you quality food.
Spotted turtle
THE spotted turtle it is also known as Clemmys guttata and it is a semi-aquatic specimen that measures between 8 and 12 centimeters.
It's very pretty, it has a black or bluish carapace with small yellow spots that also extend over its skin. As in the case of the previous ones, it is an omnivorous turtle that lives in freshwater areas. It comes from the eastern United States as well as Canada.
is found threatened in the wild as it suffers from the destruction of its habitat and capture for illegal animal trafficking. For this reason, if you decide to adopt a spotted turtle, make sure it comes from breeders who meet the necessary permits and requirements. Don't feed the traffic once, among all of us, we can extinguish this wonderful species, the last of the family Clemmys.
Sternotherus carinatus
O Sternotherus carinatus he is also from the United States and many aspects of his behavior or needs are unknown.
They are not especially large, measuring only about six inches in length and are dark brown with black markings. On the carapace we find a small round protuberance, characteristic of this species.
They live practically in water and like to mingle in areas that offer a lot of vegetation where they feel safe and protected. Like pig-nosed turtles, they only go ashore to lay their eggs. You need a spacious terrarium that is practically full of water where you will feel comfortable.
A curious fact is that this turtle when feeling threatened, it releases an unpleasant odor that drives away its possible predators.
If you've recently adopted a turtle and still haven't found the perfect name for it, check out our list of turtle names.
If you want to know more about water turtles, you can find out more about the care of water turtles or subscribe to our newsletter to receive exclusively all PeritoAnimal news.