World's smallest turtle

[Bighead]

What is the world's smallest turtle or tortoise at adult size? Is it something one can keep in captivity? If so, where can I find a breeder/deeler and a good caresheet. If not, what is the smallest that can be kept? Just trying to get some ideas for my new reptile room. Thanks.

[Hamster of Borg]

Common musk turtles, or mississippi mud turtles are probably among the smallest turtles you'll find in captivity. There are other species of mud and musk too that rarely get past 4" or so. Painted turtles are usually in the range of 6 inches or so. Also making them more managable than sliders or cooters.

Most of the smallest tortoises are endangered, but the smallest easily attainable ones are probably greek, russian or hermann's tortoises. They average somewhere around six inches or so. Egyptian tortoises are smaller yet, but not as commonly seen for sale.

Technically, the 4 inch turtle law should apply to all these guys too... kind of a sticky situation.

Ham

[Turtle Matt]

I can't remember the name of the species, but I know it is an asian turtle if that helps...
Matt

[sapphire_moon]

I'm sorry to be so off topic but..........
Hamster of Borg: is that a snake? if so what kind is (common name please, I suck at the latain names)

[arachnomania]

I have a stink pot turtle, totally aquatic and he's 3-4" adult size. Real nice turtle. Real easy to care for, I started by keeping feeder platies in there so he could eat them plus his regular food but then he was eating less and less so I decided to start keeping bigger and bigger fish. They would eventually get eaten but as of now he is happily living with an irridescent shark and a clown loach and they're all in a 20 gallon tank.

[JD@reptiles]

its a asian vine snake. Ahaetulla prasnia.

[Wu-Gwei]

The smallest land tortoise is Egyptian Tortoise.
The smallest aquatic turtle are musks/mud turtles. Bog and spotted turtles are pretty small as well - but threatened and/or endangered.

I don't think you should dwell too much on size, cause small land turtles are rare and expensive. If you are interested in relatively small land turtle you can consider a box turtle, which are around 6".

If you are interested in a small aquatic turtle, a mud or musk species are pretty easy to get and don't get more than 4-5" depending on the subspecies.



Cheers,
JJ

[Hamster of Borg]

The smallest land tortoise is the speckled padloper, or southern speckled tortoise (Homopus signatus cafer), rarely getting much past three inches. Egyptians are close, but can hit four or five inches. Of course Homopus are highly endangered, I don't think I've ever seen one in captivity - even in a zoo.

Ham

[Bighead]

Where can I find a stink pot or a mud turtle? Any deelers in Canada or the states?

[icex19]

Originally posted by Hamster of Borg
The smallest land tortoise is the speckled padloper, or southern speckled tortoise (Homopus signatus cafer), rarely getting much past three inches. Egyptians are close, but can hit four or five inches. Of course Homopus are highly endangered, I don't think I've ever seen one in captivity - even in a zoo.

Ham

Yep Speckled padloper