Painted Turtles As Pets

If you are thinking of having a pet for your home, especially for the growing years of your child, why not invest in painted turtles as pets. These creatures can teach children responsibilities such as feeding and caring for them. Plus, turtles provide them companionship with which kids can express their love for. Rather than choosing other common animals, painted turtles as pets are definitely ideal pet finds.

In the scientific world, painted turtles are also known as Chrysemys picta. They are considered as reptiles of beauty. These painted turtles have four sub species or types. They are the Southern, Western, Eastern and Midland. The Southern painted turtle is the sole species that carries a stripe down its back. On the other hand the Western painted turtles as pets are the state reptile of Colorado. They can interbreed and create mixed which share the particular characteristics of every type.

These Western sub species carry yellow and red stripes on their heads, feet and tails, thus having the name, painted. When they do not serve as pets, you can see these turtles in shallow waters, ponds and marshes all over the United States. They can grow from four to ten inches. Painted turtles as pets are omnivores, meaning they can consume both meat and plant. Nonetheless, they mostly eat meat while young. Getting older means more diverse appetite ñ they can eat slugs, fish eggs, snails, small crayfishes, lily pads, algae and anything that they find in the pond that can fit their mouth.

Since reptiles are cold blooded, painted turtles need to regulate their body temperature through warming their bodies under the heat of the sun. They can be found in different areas across the United States where they both sun and hibernate when the temperature is chilly. Painted turtles as pets can sun themselves on old logs during the summer. These facts about painted turtles will help you set up an ideal environment should you decide to keep them as pets.

It is very common that younger painted turtles are kept inside a 20 to 40 gallon aquarium. Conversely, adult painted turtles require a more spacious room and thus need a minimum of 80 gallon tank. These aquariums are filled with water which is around six to eight inches deep. You might have to increase the water amount in the tank depending upon the size of the turtles. The goal is for the pet to have sufficient room to swim about.

Young painted turtles as pets loves a diet of bugs particularly a diet of crickets which can be purchased among pet shops. Older ones can eat vegetables aside from bugs. Though they may not be as cuddly as other pets, you and the kids can enjoy handling and caring for them.