James Larkin is a veteran international journalist who now lives in Australia. More turtle info through his website www.pet-training-care.com and blog http://pet-patter.blogspot.com
Turtles date back 215 million years and are among the oldest reptile groups on the planet.
They are also one of the more fascinating pets and popular around the world.
There's a wide variety to choose from with some 300 different species, some of them really weird looking because of their shell formations. Turtles come in various colours and dimensions - from cute pocket size to giant size.
They are cold blooded, breath air, lay their eggs on land and most live in or near water. They live for many years and often outlive their owners. Parents sometimes leave their pet turtles to their children and heirs.
Experts recommend keeping the smaller types of turtles as pets because they are easier to handle.
Professional turtle types stress that learning how to care for a turtle is very important. Proper diet is essential and most turtle illnesses and fatalities are caused by pet owners not knowing this.
Another vital factor is the environment where the turtle is kept and water quality.
Turtles require high quality water at the correct temperatures. Smaller turtles can be kept in aquariums equipped with filter, heater and something on which the turtle can have time out of water.
They also need lots of ultra-violet light to ensure vitamin D3 for shell and bone growth.
Turtles are not ideal pets for children because they don't like being handled and can get stressed. For beginners the hardier types of turtles are recommended.
One thing's for sure. Before you take to turtles you need to do a bit of studying and that's why I recommend a turtle guide..
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