Turtles have captivated people around the world for centuries and have been kept in captivity for a very, VERY long time. Some cultures even kept them for religious purposes, while others simply looked at a shelled reptile paddling through water and thought, “Yes. That. I would like that in my house.” But do turtles actually make good pets?

The first thing we need to look at is what species of turtle you want to keep. There are between 250–300 species of aquatic turtle in the world today, ranging from tiny plant-munching puddle residents to animals that could comfortably remove a finger and then stare at you while doing it.

Dozens of species are now kept in captivity, but for the purpose of this article we will focus on two of the most commonly kept turtles.

Does it smell in here…?

Musk turtles

Musk turtles — Sternotherus odoratus — are one of the most popular species of turtle kept in captivity. Their scientific name literally translates to “sternum animal with an odour,” which is probably the least flattering scientific description any reptile has ever received. Somewhere out there a scientist looked at this turtle and thought, “Yes… but the smell is the important part.”

Musk turtles are often recommended as “beginner turtles” (a phrase I despise with the fiery passion of a snapping turtle denied a fish dinner). The reality, as always, is a little more involved.

As with all reptiles, understanding the animal’s natural history gives us the best insight into its care.

Found from Quebec and southern Ontario in Canada, down through Maine to Florida and west toward Texas and Wisconsin, musk turtles inhabit shallow, slow-moving or still bodies of water. Creeks, ponds, marshes, lakes, and sluggish rivers filled with vegetation and detritus are ideal habitat.

Unlike many aquatic turtles that actively swim through the water column, musk turtles are more like tiny aquatic submarines with legs. They prefer walking along the bottom, stretching their impressively long necks to the surface for air or to ambush unsuspecting prey.

Despite being highly aquatic and rarely basking in captivity, wild musk turtles have an astonishing ability to climb. They will scale near-vertical branches over the water with all the confidence of a reptilian mountaineer that has absolutely no business being there.

Musk turtles are omnivorous, although juveniles tend to be more carnivorous. Their diet includes:

• Aquatic snails
• Fish eggs
• Worms
• Leeches
• Aquatic insects and larvae
• Fish
• Carrion
• Algae
• Aquatic vegetation

With sharp beaks, strong jaws, and surprisingly good vision, musk turtles are efficient hunters capable of snatching prey directly from the water.

Not all musk turtles bite, but if annoyed or threatened they can extend their necks at alarming speed and whip back across the carapace to clamp onto an unsuspecting finger. It is a deeply humbling experience to lose an argument to something the size of a teacup.

Keeping musk turtles in captivity

In captivity we aim to recreate the turtle’s natural environment as closely as possible to minimise stress.

Because of their relatively small size, aquariums make excellent homes for musk turtles and can be set up beautifully. Individual personalities vary enormously. Some musk turtles are curious and interactive, while others behave like tiny aquatic cryptids that would prefer never to be perceived again.

Providing dense plant cover helps reduce stress and makes the turtles feel secure. We prefer silver sand as a substrate and use soft, trailing artificial plants that allow cover throughout sections of the tank. Water depth should allow the turtle to comfortably reach the surface while standing on the bottom.

As a chiefly nocturnal and highly aquatic species, elaborate basking platforms are not essential, though an area where the turtle can emerge and dry off should still be available.

UV lighting should be provided within Ferguson Zone 2, with shaded areas available. Heat is best supplied via a guarded submersible aquarium heater maintaining temperatures between 26–28°C.

A healthy muskie will possess a truly astonishing appetite and will greedily consume almost any suitable meaty food offered. River shrimp are hunted with enthusiasm bordering on personal vendetta.

A varied diet should include:

• Shrimp
• Fish
• Frozen/thawed rodents
• Poultry
• Aquatic vegetation
• Commercial turtle foods such as Reptomin, Biorept, or King British

Prepared diets are excellent additions but should never be the sole source of nutrition.

Once their care requirements are understood, musk turtles can make fascinating pets. However, they are not especially handleable. As their name suggests, musk turtles can release a foul-smelling defensive secretion when frightened. Thankfully, this behaviour often decreases with regular calm interaction.

That said, they can still bite, scratch, panic dramatically, and generally behave as though you are attempting to abduct them whenever removed from water.

So perhaps not ideal for very young children.

X marks the spot…

Mississippi map turtles

The Mississippi map turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica kohni) may be one of the greatest examples of false advertising in the reptile world.

It is not native exclusively to Mississippi.
It is one of the “false map turtles.”
And despite the name, it is not remotely useful for navigation.

Mississippi map turtles are named after the Mississippi River system, which stretches through ten US states from Minnesota to Louisiana.

As aquatic turtles go, map turtles are considered medium-sized. Females are substantially larger than males:

• Females: 6–10 inches
• Males: 3.5–5 inches

Both sexes can exceed 30 years in captivity, although 8–15 years is more typical in the wild.

Map turtles get their name from the intricate patterns on their shells, which resemble contour lines on a topographical map. Their carapace is olive or brown with yellow lines and markings, while the plastron often displays patterns resembling wood grain.

Mississippi maps can be identified by the bright yellow reverse crescent markings behind the eyes. They also tend to possess bright eyes with unbroken irises — although, as with all reptiles, there are exceptions designed purely to annoy keepers trying to identify them correctly.

Behaviour and care

Mississippi map turtles are highly aquatic and do almost everything in water — including eating. In fact, many refuse to feed unless submerged. Imagine insisting on eating every meal while standing in the bath. That is essentially the map turtle lifestyle.

These turtles are enthusiastic baskers. Basking serves several critical biological functions:

• Thermoregulation
• Digestion
• Metabolism
• Shell drying
• Parasite reduction
• UV exposure for vitamin D3 synthesis

In the wild they bask on logs, sandbars, and rocks, often in large social groups. At the slightest disturbance they launch themselves into the water with a series of panicked “plop, plop, plop” sounds that can only be described as nature’s version of bowling pins.

Map turtles are omnivorous but significantly more carnivorous than many other basking turtle species. Their enthusiasm for protein means overfeeding is dangerously easy.

Too much protein can result in:

• Obesity
• Excessively rapid growth
• Pyramiding of the shell

Map turtles will enthusiastically consume:

• Fish
• Insects
• Snails
• Mussels
• Clams
• Chicken
• Beef strips

Basically, if it smells vaguely edible and moves slower than they do, they will probably attempt to eat it.

Leafy greens should also be offered, alongside high-quality prepared turtle diets.

Unlike musk turtles, Mississippi maps are highly active, diurnal baskers that require substantially larger enclosures with powerful filtration, proper basking areas, UV lighting, and swimming space.

They are also extremely skittish. Most react to sudden movement the same way a vegan reacts to real food. They panic and run.

While beautiful and endlessly entertaining, they are not ideal beginner reptiles and require considerable long-term commitment.

What the shell?

So, do turtles make good pets?

For complete beginners, probably not. Turtles require more space, filtration, maintenance, lighting, heating, and long-term commitment than most people realise. They are not “easy reptiles,” no matter how small and adorable the hatchling looked in the pet shop.

However, for older children with responsible supervision, dedicated keepers, or experienced reptile enthusiasts, turtles can be incredibly rewarding animals to keep.

Active, intelligent, inquisitive, and biologically fascinating, turtles offer a captivating glimpse into one of the oldest surviving reptile lineages on Earth.

They are also fully capable of staring directly at you while rearranging their entire aquarium for absolutely no reason whatsoever.