Are you thinking of adopting a turtle? There are different and beautiful freshwater turtles in the world. They can be found in lakes, swamps and even riverbeds, however, they are very popular with children for their simple maintenance.
Read this expertAnimal article to learn more about freshwater turtle species and find out which is most convenient for you and your family.
- For starters.
- Let’s talk about the red-eared turtle.
- Although its scientific name is Trachemys scripta elegans.
- Its natural habitat is in Mexico and the United States.
- With Mississippi as its primary residence.
They are very popular as pets and are the most common in points of sale, as they are distributed all over the world. They can reach 30 centimeters in length, with females being larger than males.
Its body is dark green and with some yellow pigments. However, its most noteworthy feature and by which it is named is because it has two red spots on the sides of the head.
The shell of this type of turtle is slightly inclined, at the bottom, towards the inside of its body since it is a semi-aquatic turtle, that is, it can live in the water and on the ground.
It’s a semi-aquatic tortoise. They are easy to see in the rivers of the southern United States, to be more precise in the Mississippi River.
Now it is the turn of the orejiamarilla tortoise, also called Trachemys scripta scripta. They are also turtles from areas between Mexico and the United States and are not hard to find for sale.
It is named after the yellow stripes that characterize it on the neck and head, as well as in the ventral part of the carapace. The rest of your body has a dark brown color. They can grow up to 30 centimeters long and enjoy long periods of time enjoying the sun.
This species adapts quite easily to domestic life, but if abandoned, it can become an invasive species. For this reason, we must be very careful if we can no longer keep it, making sure that someone can accept it in their home, we must never leave a pet.
Finally, let’s talk about the Cumberland tortoise or Trachemys scripta troosti. It comes from the United States, specifically tennessee and Kentucky.
Some scientists consider this to be the evolution of hybrids between the two previous turtles. This species has a green shell with light, yellow and black spots. It can reach 21 cm in length.
The temperature of your terrarium should be between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius and should be in direct contact with sunlight, as you will spend a lot of time enjoying it. It is an omnivorous tortoise because it feeds on algae, fish, tadpoles or crayfish.
The pork-nosed turtle or insculpta Carettochelys comes from northern Australia and New Guinea. It has a soft shell and an unusual head.
These are animals that can measure an incredible length of 60 centimeters and weigh up to 25 kilos. By their appearance, they are very popular in the world of exotic animals.
They are practically aquatic because they leave their surroundings just to lay eggs. They are omnivorous turtles that feed on both plants and animal materials, although they love the fruits and leaves of Ficus.
The spotted turtle is also known as Clemmys guttata and is a semi-aquatic specimen measuring between 8 and 12 centimeters.
It is very beautiful, has a black or bluish shell with small yellow spots that also spread across your skin. Like the previous ones, it is an omnivorous turtle that lives in freshwater areas. It comes from the eastern United States and Canada.
It is threatened in the wild because it suffers the destruction of its habitat and its capture by illegal animal trafficking. For this reason, if you decide to adopt a spotted turtle, make sure it comes from breeders who meet the necessary permits and requirements. Do not feed the traffic once, among all, we can extinguish this wonderful species, the last of the Clemmys family.
Sternotherus carinatus is also native to the United States and many aspects of its behavior or needs are unknown.
They are not particularly large, they are only 15 centimeters long and are dark brown with black markings. In the shell we find a small round bulge, characteristic of this species.
They live practically in the water and like to mingle in areas that offer a lot of vegetation where they feel safe and protected. Like pig-nosed turtles, they only land to lay their eggs. You need a large and practically full of water where you will feel comfortable.
A curious fact is that when this turtle feels threatened, it gives off an unpleasant smell that keeps away its potential predators.
If you have recently adopted a turtle and have not yet found the perfect name, check out our list of turtle names.
If you want to know more about water turtles, you can learn more about the care of water turtles or subscribe to our newsletter to receive all the news of Animal Expert exclusively.
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