It is impossible to come up with a definitive list for the best pet turtles as everyone will have different opinions, tastes and ranking factors.
For our list, we have taken into account things like care requirements, availability, affordability and the behaviour of the particular turtle when coming up with our list.
So, keep in mind that just because a species isn’t on our list of best pet turtles, this doesn’t mean that they are difficult to keep. We have simply chosen a select few from a long list of turtle species.
Do Turtles Make Good Pets
Turtles can make great pets if you have the space to house them and care for them correctly. However, this is not a suitable pet for every one as they require a lot of care.
Many people don’t realise the level of commitment required to look after a pet turtle and end up no longer wanting their pet after a number of years.
So before purchasing a pet turtle, it is very important to understand the level of commitment you will need to offer them in order to care for them properly.
Some of the most basic factors you need to consider include lifespan, size, enclosure and care requirements.
Turtles can live a long life and this needs to be considered before bringing one of these animal’s home. You need to be prepared to look after the animal for its entire lifespan before you decide to purchase one.
Too many people bring these animals home only to grow tired of looking after them or run out of space to house a growing animal. This often results in neglected pets or animals that are released into the wild.
Many species of turtles that are kept as pets can grow quite large with some of them exceeding 1 foot in length.
These animals need large enclosures with plenty of water to swim around. It can be easy to overlook this when you see a tiny baby turtle swimming around a tank in the pet shop.
If you are committed to looking after a turtle for their entire life, you should research as many species as possible. Choose one that best suits the care requirements you can provide.
What are the Best Pet Turtles?
As mentioned previously, there is no definitive list for what the best pet turtles are as there are simply too many ranking factors.
Many different elements can be used to determine if a particular species is one of the best pet turtles such as care requirements, availability, affordability, lifespan and size.
We have factored in many of these elements to come up with our list below. However, keep in mind that it would be just as easy to come up with another list of entirely different species given the variety of turtles out there.
Red Eared Slider
The Red Eared Slider is a sub-species of pond slider that is sometimes referred to as the Red Eared Terrapin. This turtle is extremely popular in captivity and is the most kept turtle in the United States.
The Red Eared Slider is native to the Southern and Central parts of the United States. They can also be found in parts of Northern Mexico.
This turtle is considered an invasive species and has established itself in many habitats outside of its geographical range. Much of this is contributed to unwanted pets that have been released into the wild.
If you are considering getting a pet Red Eared Slider, these turtles are often being rehomed on classified sites. You should consider rehoming an unwanted pet before purchasing from a breeder.
These turtles grow very large and can grow to around 1 foot in length. They are a semi-aquatic species, meaning they will spend time on land and in water.
Yellow Bellied Slider
The Yellow-Bellied Slider is another very popular species of turtle and could be considered one of the best pet turtles.
This turtle is also a sub-species of Pond Slider. It is native to the South-Eastern United States and can be found in places such as Florida, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia.
It is the most common species of turtle in most of its geographical range where it can be found around flood plains, swamps, marshes, ponds and slow-moving rivers.
They typically grow to around 20cm in length and have a brown and black carapace. As its name suggests, the plastron or bottom shell is mostly yellow.
The turtle itself is olive green in color patches of yellow down the neck and legs.
Best Pet Turtles – Eastern Box Turtle
As its name suggests, the Eastern Box Turtle is a sub-species of Box Turtle that is native to the Eastern parts of the United States. It is sometimes referred to as the Land Turtle.
These turtles are often confused with tortoises as they are a terrestrial species, meaning they live on land. They also move very slowly which is characteristic of a tortoise.
These turtles also have a high, dome shaped carapace (top part of shell) which is also characteristic of many tortoise species.
They have a hinged plastron (bottom part of shell). This allows the shell to completely close when the turtle retreats inside. This provides them with much needed security as they are too slow to escape from a potential predator.
The carapace is typically brown or black in color and has a contrasting yellow or orange pattern on it.
The color of the turtle can vary but they typically have a brown or black background color with patterns of orange, yellow or white.
The Eastern Box Turtle can vary in size but they typically grow to a length of around 10-20cm.
Best Pet Turtles – Painted Turtle
The Painted Turtle is one of the best pet turtles and can be found throughout much of the United States. They can also be found in parts of Southern Canada and Northern Mexico.
This is the most widespread species of Turtle in North America and can be found in every State from Washington to Maine in the Northern part of the United States.
Their range extends down the Atlantic coast and into South Carolina and Georgia. In the Central United States, they can be found in places such as Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska.
In Canada, they can be found right across the Southern range of the country with their distribution extending from British Columbia across to Nova Scotia.
In Mexico, the Painted turtle can be found in a small part of the State of Chihuahua.
There are 4 recognised sub-species of Painted Turtle which all have their own geographical distribution. The 4 sub-species are: the Eastern, Midland, Southern and Western Painted Turtle.
Razor-Backed Musk Turtle
The Razor-Backed Musk Turtle is another popular species of turtle and is one of the best pet turtles for a number of reasons, including their manageable size.
These turtles are native to parts of the United States and can live for around 20 years in captivity if provided with the correct level of care.
The Razor-Backed Musk Turtle has a range that extends from Texas through Louisiana and Mississippi and into parts of Western Alabama. Their range extends Northwards into states such as Oklahoma and Arkansas.
The Razor-Backed Musk Turtle grows to around 15cm in length. It has a brown-colored carapace with thin black lines running through it.
The carapace has a very distinct shape, with a sharp keel running along the centre of its length. This is where the turtle gets its common name ‘Razor-Backed’.
