Keeping Terrapins as Pets

Getting a pet for the family is always a major and carefully thought out decision.

A whole lot of issues like health and hygiene, the type and extent of care the pet needs, acceptance by other pets, and the approach of your family and friends towards them have to be considered before making a choice.

Keeping all this in mind, families normally look for a “starter” pet, animals that are considered low-maintenance as well as low-cost. A terrapin is a highly recommended choice as a starter pet.

Terrapins are wonderful pets in many ways. As pets, they come with a huge advantage of a longer average life expectancy, and also, they do not require any training, unlike most other pets. In addition, they do not eat everyday, and may not be every week at times, a trait that is common with all reptiles.

The best way to feed the terrapin is to place the food directly on the turtle dock where you can see how much food is left. You can however place the food in separate container that keeps the main tank clean.

Box terrapins are the most common pets and are also called box turtles. They are small in size and grow to maximum length of six inches. This small size is a positive factor for their choice as a pet, as one can keep more than one of them (better if all females or all males, unless one wishes to breed) without the habitat getting crowded.

They are omnivorous, and so eat meat that includes fish, crayfish, earthworms, turkey, and chicken. Also, they eat a lot of vegetables and fruits. The disadvantage of keeping box terrapins as pets is that they require very careful handling and as such are not recommended as pets for little children.

Also, they need to live in and around areas of their breeding, which may not be possible always.

At home, one needs to set up a terrapinarium for the pet terrapins. They can be very messy, and so their living area needs regular cleaning. They do spend a lot of time outside in dry land than in water, as they like to bask in the sun.

So one should have a garden or a yard, and also, there should be provision to keep the water warm. Terrapins like to hibernate in winters, and as such the idea of having a cellar or a basement that is not heated is welcome. Needless to say, a trained veterinarian located close by is a necessity.

If you are ready to wholeheartedly commit to their care, terrapins make great pets. To get a complete guide on caring for turtles as pets please click here.