Good points, also...

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ The NJHS Forum ]

Posted by RichB on September 13, 2002 at 19:29:56:

In Reply to: Re: info on getting a pet turtle posted by seaducer9 on September 13, 2002 at 17:23:08:

I have two painted turtles (aquatic species) and I agree they require a bit of maintenance. My turtles can mess up water pretty quickly! I have to have a good sized tank for them AND a powerful filter, in addition to the proper lighting.
I also strongly agree with "seaducer" about going elsewhere besides petstores.
One rescue society I know of with an excellent reputation, and somewhat local (Merrick, Long Island, NY) is:
www.turtlehomes.org

They will ship a turtle, after approving an application. I can help with the application if you decided to pursue this route. Both my turtles are adopted from individual owners.

I have some expertise in aquatic turtles, none with land turtles, such as the box turtle.
Another great site for aquatic turtles, to read about setups, and care sheets for Red-eared Sliders, Painteds, etc. is:
http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/

A great site for box turtles is:
http://www.billsturtles.4t.com/
(He lives in NJ also!)

A website for that Hamburg, PA Reptile Show (Oct. 19) is:
http://www.pythons.com/hamburg/
Click on the link on that site for the Lancaster County reptile Show (Dec. 7) also.
I am not sure if there are many turtle vendors at these shows.

Another option is buying from a reputable breeder via mailorder/internet! They ship them overnight!
I only know of one breeder I would recommend, several friends have received turtles in excellent health from him and commented on his good customer service and care for his turtles; Turtletown at:
http://www.angelfire.com/il2/turtletown/

I also commend you on doing some research before getting a turtle, to help you decide and give you a good idea of what to expect.
I enjoy caring for my turtles and just watching them be turtles!
Feel free to e-mail me for any questions about my setup or to ask about my Painted turtles. Painted turtles (there are 4 varieties) stay smaller than many other aquatics.
Rich B.

::I'd really like a small turtle but don't know anything about them.

:Hi Sherrylynn,

:First off, I think it is great that you are looking for information prior to getting an animal, too many people don't and that only results in unhappy owners and neglected animals.

: Next, sine you live in PA you can buy turtles in pet shops, but I would strongly advise you not to. Your best be is to find a reptile show in your area. There is one in Hamburg I believe every year, maybe someone can expand on this?
: The type of turtle you get will dictate the feeding and housing and this can vary greatly between species. If you don't have allot of time and money for indoor ponds and cleaning I would stay away from water turtles. These are messy and time consuming.
: I can't really go into to much detail here, but I posted a link to a good web site, which has some more specific info, and will help you to pick out the right turtle for you.
: One more thought is that there are a few turtle rescue societys around, these might be your best source of info and also to adopt a turtle that somebody gave up. The site I listed below may have info on this, if not I will look and post another url later on, of course if anybody else knows of any that would be great, turtles aren't really my strong suit...
: Good luck,
: Drew
:seaducer9@comcast.net

Follow Ups:

Re: Good points, also... seaducer9 09/14/02 (1)
- OK.... RichB 09/14/02 (0)