Daughter wants a turtle!!!

[MischievousChins]

My boyfriends daughter has decided she would like a turtle for her birthday insead of the Nice Fluffy rabbit i've wanted to get her.
Our house is full of nice furry creatures....And I have no clue about what to do with a turtle!!! But she is determined to have one!!! lol

I was wondering what advice you have about a kind of turtle to get her and any basic info....I think we're on our way to the mall tonight so I may pick up some books but I always like to get real people's thoughts and experiences too....since the books arent always fully comprehensive or right!!

Anyway this whole turtle thing came because her friends grandma has two turtles and she was over there and they brought the turtles out and let them swim in the small decorative pond at her house.
My aunt used to have a turtle that didn't swim (is that really a turtle or a tortois??--sorry I'm completely ignorant about these).
All I remember about it is it hibernated in the winter and peeed whenever you picked it up!

My BF's Daughter is only 4 so the responsibility of the turtle will fall on me...so any info would be great!!!

Thanks everyone!!!!

[CTChin]

I'm sure Rav will come on and post some great info and correct me if I'm wrong. In the meantime...I have to say I wouldn't recommend water turtles for a 4 year old. It can be very difficult keeping the water clean in any type of small enclosure and there is the risk of transmitting salmonella to your child.

[Mygala]

I'd second the motion to talk her out of it until she's a little older.

Turtles can be great pets, but they are not the easiest animal to take care of ..correctly. Water quality is a big deal, as is food, and UV.

She will no doubt want to handle the turtles, and CTChin is right on the money with the salmonella reminder.

They would be a great animal for you, if YOU wanted it. ...but if you are doing it for a 4yr old, it could get old really quick. Especially if you have problems with shell rot or fungal infections or any one of a number of things that might require a vet visit. Exotic vets tend to be pretty expensive.

If you do decide to go that way, I'm sure everyone here will be glad to help out in anyway we can ...myself included!

I just think that turtles aren't necessarily the best pet for younger kids..

Bob

[Millimi]

I have to agree with you Bob. (As usual... )
I was planning on getting a turtle until I realized that I couldn't get one here in NJ...They are not cuddly pets and they do not like to be picked up. They need their space, lots of it, and they need to be at specific humidity and temperature in order to thrive. Turtles really aren't good pets for young kids.

[ninja_smurtles]

They are very hard to keep and expensive.
I have 6.
They have been to the vets a couple of times
They need a lot of equipment and the water has to be cleaned all the time.
Maybe a tortoise would be a better option

[elfomatic]

I agree. Turtles are not appropriate for children.

1. Children have short attention spans. She may want one now but what about when she moves on to her next fixation?

2. Turtles require a lot of care. Especially aquatic turtles. Your boyfriend can count on doing all the work.

3. Turtles bite.

4. Turtles are not like domestic pets. They aren't lovable and they just generally don't make good pets for someone who wants to handle them often. They are better off just being looked at.

5. Even if she does decide to stick with the turtle and she takes care of it and so forth it will still be around when she is ready to move on to college. Turtles are extremely long-lived when they are cared for properly. What would happen to it when she moves on in her life?

6. Most aquatic species get big. When they are full grown they require housing outdoors. You have to be prepared to build and maintain a pond for the duration of the turtle's life.

I recommend a hamster or something equally cute yet relatively short-lived. Their maintenance is comparatively low and they are great pets for teaching responsibility.

[Mygala]

Quote: Originally Posted by ninja_smurtles Maybe a tortoise would be a better option

I would never recommend a tortoise as a pet for any casual pet owner. Tortoises are more difficult to maintain properly over the course of their lives than water turtles.

Diet, living space, UV requirements and lifespan (up to 200yrs for some species) make tortoises unsuitable as pets for all but a few really experienced keepers, who are either rich or live in very warm areas, like Florida.

JMO

Bob

[MischievousChins]

Thanks everyone....I really dont think the house could use another very high maintance animal...the chins take up most of my time anyway....I was just reading about turtles and salmonella, and I do belive that It would not be the greatest thing for a 4 year old how really like to put her hands in her mouth ALL the time!!!

Thanks for all your great info....I shared it with my BF and now he agrees with me that maybe it wouldnt be the greatest!!

Thanks!!!