turtle pets - water turtles

These water turtles are most unique. There are no freshwater turtles that look and act quite like them. They have a sleek, flattened body like a softshelled turtle but have legs that have evolved into flippers very similar to those of sea turtles. The nose looks like that of a pig, from which the aquatic turtles get their popular name.

pet turtle - Young adult Razorback musk turtle / en.wikipedia.org

Razorback Musk Turtle (Sternotherus carinatus)

These water turtles are very beautiful in shape & color. They have a brown colored shell, with black markings at the edges of each scute. Their shell has a distinct, sharp keel down the center of its length, giving the species its common name. Its relatively small size (it grows to approximately 6 inches (15 cm) in length), and ease of care make the aquatic turtles a more attractive choice as turtle pets for many keepers.

pet turtle - Mata mata turtle / en.wikipedia.org

Mata mata (Chelus fimbriatus)

A medium to large water turtles (up to 18 in [45 cm] in carapace length), the matamata is probably the most distinctive of all aquatic turtles. The appearance of the mata mata's shell resembles a piece of bark, and its head resembles fallen leaves. These turtle pets are strictly aquatic species and poor swimmers. It prefers standing in shallow water where its snout can reach the surface to breathe.

pet turtle - Red-Eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)

Red-ear slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans)

It is a native of the southern United States, but has become common in various areas of the world due to the pet trade. They are very popular turtle pets in the United States, the Netherlands, Canada, and England. Red Ear Slider turtle gets its name from the distinctive red mark around its ear. The Slider part of its name comes from its ability to slide off rocks and logs and into the water very quickly.

Cooter Turtles (Pseudemys)

Pseudemys is a genus of pond turtles also known as Cooter Turtles, especially in the state of Florida. (The word "cooter" may be used to refer to snapping turtles of the Chelydridae family elsewhere in the southeastern United States). Cooter stems from kuta, the word for turtle in the Bambara and Malinké languages, brought to America by African slaves. They are quite popular as turtle pets.

pet turtle - A common snake-neck turtle covered in camouflaging algae; when resting this individual would look like an algae-covered rock / en.wikipedia.org

Common snake-neck turtle (Chelodina longicollis)

These water turtles are exotic turtle pets. It also known as the Eastern long-neck turtle, Eastern snake-neck turtle, or Common long-neck turtle has as its most distinctive feature its extremely long neck. In some cases, this turtle's neck can be as long as its carapace. It is a type of side-necked turtle, meaning that it bends its head sideways into its shell rather than pulling it directly back.

pet turtle - Spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata) / animal-world.com

Spotted Turtles (Clemmys guttata)

These turtle pets are nice, small size and easily managed by most turtle keepers. Spotted Turtles have beautiful carapaces that are overall black with a few, to many scattered yellow spots. Their faces are adorned with splotches of orange and yellow. Adults, especially males, have beautiful orange coloration on the legs. Adults will reach an overall length of approximately 5” (12 cm).

pet turtle - juvenile Podocnemis unifilis / en.wikipedia.org

Yellow-spotted river turtle (Podocnemis unifilis)

One of the largest South American river turtles, it can grow up to 45 cm long and weighing up to 8 kg. These water turtles can be recognized by its black or brown oval carapace (shell) with distinctive low keels on the second and third scutes. Yellow spots on the side of its head give this species its common name. These spots are most prominent in juveniles. Females can be up to twice the size of males. They are quite popular as turtle pets.

Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii)

It is one of the largest water turtles in the world. It is a larger and slightly less aggressive relative of the Common Snapping Turtle. Alligator snapping turtles are often captive-bred and are readily available as turtle pets.

pet turtle - Diamondback turtle, adult female / en.wikipedia.org

Diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin)

These water turtles are named for the diamond pattern on top of their shell, but the overall pattern and coloration varies greatly by species. Their shell coloring can vary from browns to greys, and their body color can be grey, brown, yellow, or white. All have a unique pattern of wiggly, black markings or spots on their body and head.

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