turtle

[Pontus]

are there any (that i can get ahold of relitivly easy in toronto)turtles that stay relitivly small that can say in a 48x18x24 aquarium filled with water(with rocks or what ever so it can get out of the water) for its life span or no?

[i have a cham04]

I reccomend a mississippi paint turtle. They are relatively easy to care of, I have 17 myself.... They only grow to fit the aquarium. Most likely the nearest pet shop will have them or breeding season is coming up in multiples they can be found in lakes. rivers, and ponds. There are many reptile sites that sell them for an okay price,But I highly reccommend just finding a baby because to raise one yourself means alot more to you in the future.....hope i was a help ~i have a cham04~

[Dani33]

There are quite a few that could live in a 90 gallon. Check out this site. They have reccomended tank sizes for most, if not all of the turtles written about. http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/caresheets.htm
Good luck choosing!

[Bighead]

[i]They only grow to fit the aquarium. [/B]

I am no chelonian expert.. but I know that many people believe that this is true with fish, when in fact, the fish die long before their natural life span due to the stress from being in an enclosure that is too small. Have any of you ever had a goldfish in a bowl?
Did you know that your common carnival or feeder goldfish is a Commet that can live more than 75 years and grow to over 2.5 feet in length? The avergae lifespan in captivity is less than one year. I won't get started on Koi- I'll just say that there is one living in Japan that is over 200 years old and 4 feet long.

Again, I don't mean for this to be an attack at all, it just concerns me when people talk about the smallest possible enclosures for anything.......

[sapphire_moon]

spotted turtle, but I believe they are illegal in canada???? maybe 1 res (the females can get up to 16" I belive?) mud/musk turtle might be ok. Just do a google on small water turtles.

[Turtle Matt]

Originally posted by i have a cham04
I.. They only grow to fit the aquarium.

That is untrue... No turtle will grow to the size of it's enclosure...If it's enclosure is too small, it will eventually die. I didn't check where you are from, but all turtles in Ontario are protected and illegal to keep.. You should be able to find some species of turtle to fit your tank though.. Likely, some of the slider or coter or map turtle secies (all readily available on the Canadian market) will be able to live in that tank for their lives, or at least most of their lives.
Matt

[i have a cham04]

it s true turtles grow to fit the aquarium i should know i have had turtles for years and years and years my life evolves around turtles

[Pontus]

thx alot guys i used to have a RES when i was younger but he died rellitivly young

[Bighead]

Originally posted by i have a cham04
it s true turtles grow to fit the aquarium i should know i have had turtles for years and years and years my life evolves around turtles

Not cool man.

[Drew S]

Turtles do not grow to fit their enclosures. That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard a so-called expert say.

Apparently turtles aren't your life, because this is one of the most basic care issues. If you keep a large turtle in a small enclosure they will become deformed, thus not reaching their proper adult size.

Think about it. If you put a person in a box and feed them every day, they won't be a midget. They will develop severe spine and medical problems, but they won't stay small.

I hate it when people give terrible advice. If you don't know about(or even better, own) a species, don't give advice that you heard from an unreliable source.

[latazyo]

inexperienced fish keepers tend to think fish will grow to their tank's size; the truth is related to concentrations of hormones in the water influencing their metabolism and growth

stunting a fish's or any other animal's growth (in this case a turtle) is terrible and cruel

as an inexperienced kid, I kept a male RES in a 30g tank 1/3 full of water for 10 YEARS and he grew adn grew and grew

why didn't he stop growing? obviously it is a proof that turtles don't grow to fit their enclosures

btw: the turtle mentioned above now kicks it casual in a pond I made for him after doing some research and learning how not to listen to pet store advice

to answer your question though:
I agree, several species of turtles are capable of living in that environment (note that I am not recommending keeping several together)

what I would recommend (if you are insistant on using the aquarium) to do is to fill the aquarium full of water and build a tall canopy (about 1 foot high)

inside the canopy feature his basking spot with heat and UV bulb as well as a ramp for him to climb up on

if this is confusing, let me know and I'll explain more

great choice on an aquatic turtle...a beautiful pet

[Pontus]

ok guys i did not want my thred turning into this everyone knows they dont grow to there tank so dont worry ok. anyone reading this will understand and they will not think otherwise

[claycoke11]

Turtles grow, and grow they will not stop even if there aqauriums to small theyll just die from stress, I just saved three reses that are all close, or over 10 '' big, and they were each living in 5 gallon pails, and their owner thought they only got to as big as their container, so now they live with me. Thats just dumb.

[i have a cham04]

i didnt mean to oh my you mis-understood me it is down right cruel to keep a small enclosure on a big turtle i mean whatever size of tabk hopefully 29 gallon ormore that you have a baby turtle in it will only get so big it wont grow that much....it grows to fit his home. i didnt mean to stick a turtle in just any size cage god be reasoable about it....sorry you misunderstood me

[Bartman]

Dude i dont know much about this growing to the size of the tank but if 99.9 percent (ur the 0.1) of the site is saying its total BS then stop saying its true..your going to give people who read these threads a bad interpretation and they'll end up doing what you say...just give the turtle the home it deserves, you clearly never buy something that you cant give a perfect home and husbandry needs to so dont keep 17 tutrles if you cant keep each one in a large enough home..sorry

[Pet with a tail]

Hey everyone i am new to this site but I have a cham04 seems to be right on this one, i have had 1 red ear slider, and 1 mississippi in a 29 gallon and they are no bigger than wehn i put them there a year ago, both of them are now ony two inches big, so if he has 17 turtles in a big tank then ill have to agree when i say i know TURTLES from babies only grow to fit the enclosure, it is a known fact, ive raised a few turtles myself...sorry to disappoint you everyone...and I have a cham04 if your turtles are happy, then you are doing something right, goodluck man....

[Matt_K]

Pet With a Tail: If this is a 'known fact' perhaps you could post us some hard evidence..

If you really believe that an animal will only grow big enough to fit it's enclosure, then i have a bridge i wanna sell you!.

[Turtle Matt]

Turtles most definately do NOT grow to the size of their enclosures!!! Quit posting that, it is untrue and your turtles will obviously be #$%^ed up as you are providing inadequate housing for your animals. People like you should not be allowed to keep animals period. Do your research, anyone that has any idea about animals will tell you that they DO NOT grow to the size of their enclosure!!! It may be true that if you keep them in too small of a cage, it will stunt their growth, but that to me is definately a form of animal cruelty which is punishable by law. Your animals will also not live anywhere close to their expected lifespans.
Matt

[Linds]

Originally posted by Turtle Matt
Turtles most definately do NOT grow to the size of their enclosures!!! Quit posting that....
.... Do your research, anyone that has any idea about animals will tell you that they DO NOT grow to the size of their enclosure!!!

I definitely agree that is dangerous to be posting such incorrect material. Turtles are abondoned or treated improperly due to this myth, and newbies reading it may be inclined to believe this as the truth. No animals grow to the size of their enclosures. Not turtles, not frogs, not dogs, not horses, not spiders, not snakes. This is the most basic knowledge in keeping these animals! If this has been overlooked it makes me wonder what else has... :confused:

Originally posted by i have a cham04
it s true turtles grow to fit the aquarium i should know i have had turtles for years and years and years my life evolves around turtles

If your animals are only growing to the size of their enclosure, there is something seriously wrong... :eek:

[Turtle Matt]

Thank you for the backup.
Matt

[elfomatic]

yeah, i agree. turtles don't grow to the size of their tank. as far as i have experienced, that is total bunk. my turtles grow and force me to replace their enclosures with bigger ones.

and to answer the original poster, sliders, cooters and maps are all good choices. mud and musk turtles are the smallest variety if you are really concerned about size.

[elfomatic]

if your turtles aren't growing, you probably are starving them.

[latazyo]

ANYONE WHO STILL THINKS THAT TURTLES GROW BASED ON TANK SIZE REREAD MY FIRST POST IN THIS THREAD

[red bootz]

This is a joke right? People actuallly beleive this crap? Turtles growing only as large as their enclosure....this isn't even funny.

[Drew S]

I can't believe that somebody actually agreed with the statement that they only grow to their enclosures. I have a cam, and Pet with a Tail, I feel sorry for your pets. Both of you are obviously not providing them with the proper care they require. Hopefully after this thread you'll realize you're wrong, and will change the way you take care of your turtles.

[nikkin]

Originally posted by Pet with a tail
Hey everyone i am new to this site but I have a cham04 seems to be right on this one, i have had 1 red ear slider, and 1 mississippi in a 29 gallon and they are no bigger than wehn i put them there a year ago, both of them are now ony two inches big, so if he has 17 turtles in a big tank then ill have to agree when i say i know TURTLES from babies only grow to fit the enclosure, it is a known fact, ive raised a few turtles myself...sorry to disappoint you everyone...and I have a cham04 if your turtles are happy, then you are doing something right, goodluck man....

Wow, you put them in 1 year ago. I was just wondering how old these turtles are?
It takes a long time for a turtle to be full grown. What kind of difference did you think you were going to notice in a year??
10 inches in a year? Not bloody likely.
Some species of turtle can take decades before they are full grown.
I can't believe there are people out there that actaully believe this bs. If you are ignorant enough to think that you will have a healthy turtle in such a small enclosure, you should not have pets.

[Pet with a tail]

my full grown and box turtles roam around in my house but the water turtles are in a cage....my turtles are being taken care of, as for i have a cham....what set-up do you have...??? you know what jus e-mail me and we will talk where people are not rude as heck

[marisa]

Rude because you claim something so ridiculous? LOL Yeah o.k.

If your RES is not growing then something is wrong.

If your theory is correct, then please explain why my rescued RES Mikey was 8 inches long in a ten gallon tank which he had lived in for 13 years? Have you ever even owned a turtle for 13 years? If healthy, THEY GROW. Period.

If water qaulity, food qaulity or parasites are a problem, they will not grow. Its called stunting and its unhealthy. Everyone else comments were Bang on. If you choose to ignore the advice of people who are more experienced and have done more FACTUAL research then you, then its your pets who will suffer sadly.

Marisa

[Bighead]

Whew! Go Marisa!

[Turtle Matt]

You, "Pet with a tail", should not be allowed to own animals... Box turtles come from very humid conditions in the wild, and a house DEFINATELY is not very humid...Or it is, and is rotting... How long have they been free-roaming for?? I doubt they, also, will live their full lives. Is it not also a little un-hygenic to have them $#!+ all over your house?? I hope you and I have a cham find your place to chat without us being "rude".... I think I know a place actually, in Never Never Land with Peter Pan...That must be where your turtles are from and decided long ago that they didn't want to grow up, correct me if I'm wrong.....Go ahead..
Matt

[latazyo]

turtle matt, since thurtles grow to the size of their enclosure, they're looking to make HUGE box turtules by giving them a huge roaming area

[Bighead]

Cool. I heard that too. I just got a mud turtle. I think I'll let him take over the swimming pool. He should be a couple hundred pounds in no time!

[elfomatic]

um, i don't know where you got your info. but turtles do NOT grow to the size of their enclosure.

[Turtle Matt]

Yeah latazyo, I guess that makes sense....Maybe I should take my turtles to the ocean so they'll grow enormous!!!
Matt

[marisa]

Hey screw making big turtles...I am going to put my RES into a betta bowl...hopefully I'll be breeding and have some 1 inch adult RES available soon. Who wants on the list? LMAO

Marisa

[latazyo]

turtle matt, they do, look at the leatherback

and obviously elfomatic didn't read the whole thread

haha, this thread has 390 views...I think this is the most action the turtle forum has gotten since it started...we should all thank the author of this thread for finally bringing attention to our amazing turtles and tortoises!

[susan]

Originally posted by i have a cham04
it s true turtles grow to fit the aquarium i should know i have had turtles for years and years and years my life evolves around turtles


ive had red ear sliders and they have always outgrown my tanks.

[Jeff Hathaway]

Wow, I should read the turtle forum more often!

Hey Marisa, the only flaw in your plan is that you won't be able to make a fortune selling into the US market due to the 4" law:-)

Hard to imagine people still think that animals just grow to the size of an enclosure and then magically stop...

As for the original question, there are various small-sized (even med. sized) turtles out there that would do fine in a 90 gallon tank. However, being in Toronto, you won't have access to many of them since they can't be imported into Canada for resale. Your most likely options are a male RES or a male Mississippi map. Both are available and should stay relatively small. I'd suggest you adopt one, as there are tons out there. That way, you'd know you're getting a male. If you buy a hatchling, you're just hoping...

Also, make a platform rather than piling up rocks. You can put it higher, no risk of collapse, and the turtle can still swim in the space under the platform.

Jeff Hathaway
Sciensational Sssnakes!!