WATER TURTLES

Water Turtles are one of those rare prehistoric creatures which have survived countless odds to still exist in today’s world. You will find it difficult to believe but turtles as a species are 200 millions years old – perhaps one of the oldest surviving species on earth. Even the fossils that have been unearthed are almost exact replicas of the water turtles that exist today.

Water turtles both of the popular and unusual kinds, are aquatic to semi aquatic creatures. They have been named so as their natural habitat is water and they love to paddle about in rivers and streams and lakes and oceans. To aid in swimming and paddling nature has gifted them with webbed feet. Semi aquatic turtles are the ones that are found in swamps and marshes.

Like their other cousins, water turtles are slow pokes, patient, placid, unflappable creatures that can withdraw into their shell when faced with danger and live for long years. There have been turtles who are 2 or 3 or 4 centuries old!

Types of water turtles

The most popular water turtles which fly off the rack in pet stores and are a hit with pet owners are:

Red Eared Slider

These ones make wonderful pets as they are quite tame by nature, especially in captivity, calm, quiet, slow pokes, very hardy in their natural habitat and their requirements are modest. They are distinguished by their bright scarlet ears and hence the name. They abound in fresh waters in thousands and are a prolific species. Other pretty color morphs are leucistic, pastel and albino.

Painted Turtle

You can find them by the thousands in Mexico, Canada and USA and these are one of the most visually arresting and beautiful turtle species in the whole wide world. The sub species of painted turtles are Eastern Painted Turtle, Western Painted Turtle, Midland Painted Turtle and Southern Painted Turtle. The juveniles are carnivorous while the adults are herbivores. You can keep it in a large tub or water tank.

African Side Necked Turtle

Its pug nose and a naturally upturned smile contribute to its cute appeal and it is generally considered as good looking. They are also known as African Mud Turtles. It boasts of 15 sub species among which some are large in size while the rest are comparatively smaller. One species is known as African Helmeted Turtle. These species of turtles are prolific breeders, aggressive, curious, hardy, initially shy and adaptive.

Spiny Soft Shell Turtle

Spotted Turtle

Chicken Turtle

Among the more unusual breeds of water turtles that are fairly exotic are the following:

Argentine Snake Necked Turtle

Snapping Turtle

Mata Mata Turtle

Pig Nosed Turtle or Fly River Turtle