Advice needed: My dtr wants a turtle for her upcoming 10th birthday

[Shine]

I have NO idea what sort of turtle to get. She wants one that she can keep in her room, in some sort of aquarium/terranium thingie, but also one that she can pull out and have walk around sometimes.

We have two 2 yr old sister cats, as well, to consider. I don't know if they would be a threat to the prospective turtle. Hmmm...

I want to get something that's relatively easy for a 10 yr old girl to manage and maintain.

Do any of you have any suggestions? I'd be most grateful for your thoughts and advice...

:hi:

On an amusing side note, my daughter has already named said turtle "Lightening". She doesn't even have it yet, but she's thinking postitively enough about it to name it. :D LOL!

[ruiner4u]

1. check this site out..

http://www.turtlecare.net/

[Shine]

6. Thanks, ruiner4u!

very helpful! :hi:

Welcome to DU, btw! :toast:

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

2. Do. Not. Get. A. Water. Turtle.

Okay, now that I stated that...I think turtles are pretty cool pets. However, water turtles are filthy creatures requiring large tanks and expensive filters to properly care for them. Anyone who says otherwise is completely full of shit, even more so than a water turtle.

If you get her anything, you'll want to get her a small tortoise. They're cleaner and their upkeep is easier & less expensive, although even the smallest ones will still require a LARGE tank and they are pricy to buy. Depending on where you live, you may be able to house one outdoors, which is the best way to do it, weather permitting. I used to have a box turtle that lived in a pen outside and hibernated outdoors, but that doesn't apply to most non-native species and you need to properly arrange the hibernation space.

Check out this site.

http://www.tortoisetrust.org/care/care.html

Edited to add: Don't worry about that cats. The cats can't do too much damage and they can't get into a proper tank. I have plenty of reptiles and never had a problem. I just supervise them if a reptile is loose and make sure the cats can't get into the tanks.

[Ariana Celeste]

4. I second that...

I have a water turtle- and while I think he is just g-damned adorable, I have to clean his tank constantly and even when the water is still somewhat clean it can smell. Not to mention the possibility of said water turtle carrying salmonella...

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

7. Well, all reptiles can carry salmonella. Personally, I think it's an...

overblown concern. Salmonella is common with reptiles of any sort, but especially unhealthy reptiles. All the cases of reptiles passing along salmonella to humans involved cases where children put their hands in their eyes/nose/mouth after handing an infected reptile (and not washing their hands) or someone with a compromised immune system.

Regardless of the reptile, if you wash your hands and are overall healthy, you'll be fine.

[Ariana Celeste]

13. Yes hand washing is key..

before handling the turtle for the turtle's sake, and after handling it for your own sake.

[Shine]

11. Yeah, the salmonella thing is something to consider, but haruka is right

if people simply remember to wash their hands EVERY time they handle the reptile that keeps it from spreading.

But your story about the smelly water is good to hear. Said Potential Turtle would be kept in her bedroom and the thought of smelly water isn't too appealing.

I'm having second thoughts on all this...

[Shine]

9. Good advice, huruka. Thanks!

I tell ya, after perusing these websites, I'm beginning to have second doubts on this whole turtle thing.

They sound like a lot of work! :eyes:

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

15. If she wants a reptile, I suggest convincing her she wants a leopard gecko

instead.

They're super easy to care for, easy to handle, and pretty cute. Seriously, to properly take care of a turtle/tortoise (which is what it truly deserves) it's a pretty big outlay of time & money. You'll end up taking care of it. The gecko is pretty much within the realm of something a kid can handle properly.

http://www.reptilerooms.com/Sections+index-req-listarticles-secid-2.html

Here's mine checking out DU:

[Shine]

18. Those are cool-looking! Hmmm, interesting idea...

I'm less compelled by the turtle idea now that I've heard these ideas. I get that it's a big commitment of both time, money and energy....and you're totally right: I'LL end up taking care of it, not her. heheheh.

I'm more into the cuddly furry pet cat thing as opposed to a reptiles, so it's a bit of a stretch for me to consider all of this.

It would be so much easier if I could just get her something simple and NON-living. LOL! Do I sound like a terrible mother??

[reyd reid reed]

27. Sea monkeys?

They're really just brine shrimp, but...

:shrug:


You can get magic rocks, too. Those make a mess if they spill, though.

[seemunkee]

65. You rang?

Oh sorry, you meant the real ones.

[reyd reid reed]

73. LOLOLOL!!!

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

You're cuter'n they are, though. And prolly don't require a magnifying glass and good light to be seen.

:hug:

[reyd reid reed]

26. Good suggestion...

#3 son opted for the leopard gecko and he's still doing well three years later (the Creature, that is. Of course, so is #3 son). Not too hard to care for and he's relatively inexpensive. I buy him mealworms every week or two and occasionally dump a few crickets into the tank. He comes out of his hide box when I come home from work. No one else so much as slits an eyelid.

Well...until Creature does. Then the cats pay attention. He goes up to the glass and licks his eye, though -- and watches the ensuing hilarity.

And he doesn't stink.

[mockmonkey]

34. I agree

I have two aquatic turtles and they are the most time consuming pets that I have for upkeep.

[bigwillq]

3. Your doctor?

:shrug:

:P

:)

:hi:

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. A box turtle, maybe.

They are actually tortoises, and are therefore easier to care for than turtles, who need to live in aquariums with water -- and those get scummy and require frequent cleaning. Also, since box turtles can close up their shells they are pretty impervious to hassling by cats.

[ghostsofgiants]

8. Yeah, but they tend to lead to homosexuality, don't they?

[Shine]

14. You bad boy!

:spank:

:hi:

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

16. Oh, yeah; there's that...

"It does not affect your daily life very much if your neighbor marries a box turtle. But that does not mean it is right. . . . Now you must raise your children up in a world where that union of man and box turtle is on the same legal footing as man and wife."

-- Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.), advocating a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage in a speech Thursday to the Heritage Foundation.

:rofl:

[Shine]

19. Seriously? Is that a joke? Guess I missed that speech.

Bummer. :eyes:

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

21. It's real. You CAN'T make this stuff up.

[Shine]

23. Jeezus.

:scared: amazing these guys are "running the country".

[Shine]

12. Hmmm...box turtles.

interesting. I'll look into that. Thanks! :hi:

[RiffRandell]

10. Don't get one.

Leave turtles to the ponds/lakes etc. Humans have already invaded their environment enough---we don't need to drop them in a glass cage and call them a pet.

[Shine]

17. A worthy perspective. Thanks CrabbyPatty!

:hi:

[Zavulon]

48. I've got to go with this advice myself.

Not because of any moral objections (although I'm not without them), but for the simple reason that the whole idea HAS to be more hassle than it's worth.

[Shine]

50. I concur and that's my bottom line, too.

more hassle than it's worth. We're bailin' on the turtle idea and the kid is going for girly-girl shit instead. :D What more can I say??

:hi:

on edit: BTW, welcome to DU!! Good to have ya aboard! :toast:

[Zavulon]

53. Thank you, friend. You made the right decision, BTW.

My brother's kid found a turtle and kept it as a pet. My brother told me that the multiple recall of his car was far more pleasant.

[Shine]

66. LOL!! That's funny!

:D

[reyd reid reed]

20. #1 son got a turtle when he was eleven...

His was a water turtle...a red-eared slider that he named Clyde.

Water turtles are a lot of work, filthy, and the tanks stink. They also like the occasional goldfish but they don't eat it all at once, rather nibble at it.

Over a period of days.

Crank up the 'stink-o-meter' about three notches. Minimum.

The good news is, red-eared sliders live for a while. He's 22 (#1 son, not the turtle) now and I've still got the turtle. Notice I said I've still got the turtle. I guess I should be grateful that he took his girlfriend with him.

The other bit of good news is, red-eared sliders have claws. My cats have never bothered him. They've watched him, but they don't mess with him.

My ten-year-old wants a hamster.

My cats are gonna love that.

:scared:

[Shine]

22. LOL!! Great story, thanks for sharing!

I am definitely NOT into the stinky-ness factor. I am very sensitive on that level, so that could be a deal-breaker for me.

I'm gonna start workin' on her over dinner tonite to change her mind to something NON-living and easy to order online. LOL.

As it is, we've got two cats. That's good enough for me!

:hi:

[ruiner4u]

25. Get her a plant...

Say if she can keep it alive for six months you will re-think the pet idea..

I did this with my sister last year. There is a fifteen year gap between us and I got tierd of her harassing my mom about getting a rabbit. She forgot about the whole deal and my mom ended up only having to take care of a plant.. :)

[Shine]

28. Good call. Of course, she did manage to already kill the one plant she had

NOT a good sign.... :D

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

32. Eh, I kill plants. I'm excellent with animals though.

:shrug:

Seriously though, leopard geckos are really cool, friendly and pretty cheap.

[Shine]

33. and they don't smell??

:shrug:

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

35. They don't smell at all.

In the bottom of the smaller gecko tank (10 gallons), I just use paper towels. I switch out the papers towels about once a week. In the bottom of the big gecko tank (33 gallons), I use slate tiles. I take out the tile in their bathroom corner once a week, rinse it off and wipe it down. Leopard geckos are smart. They only defecate in one corner of their cage, so cleanup is pretty easy. I thoroughly wipe down their tanks and clean the decorations about once a month.

[bicentennial_baby]

39. I can back Haruka up on this point

100%....Me loves the non-stinky and adorable Leopard Geckoes :D

[Shine]

49. Non-stinky is good.

and they ARE pretty cute. :D

:hi:

[China_cat]

72. My son had a hamster about that same age.

I was totally against it as we had multiple cats at the time and I didn't think it would be fair to the hamster. But, my dh (and in this case the d definitely stands for dumb) got him one anyway. A pretty little female he named Josephine.

A little more than two weeks after we got her, on Christmas morning (Josephine had been a Sinterklaas present), my husband got me up at about 5 saying "Blue's under the chair, he's got a paw sticking out of his mouth and he won't let me get near him". Josephine had gotten out of her cage and become breakfast.

Merry Christmas, the cat ate your hamster. What a fun day that was. (We weren't that blunt, btw)

[Cathyclysmic]

24. Aquatic turtles are NOT good pets for a 10-year old.

Mr. B and I just got a red-eared slider last week. He's the coolest little thing, but they are very high maintenance. There's the threat of salmonella, so she would have to wash her hands every time she even goes near the tank. They require a big tank, at least 40 gallons. They have a varied diet that's mostly meat-based as they are younger, but almost exclusively vegetarian as they get older. And they have a life span of 70 years or more. It's a big undertaking for a kid her age. I remember being overwhelmed with my goldfish at that age. :D

[Shine]

30. Yeah, I think we're gonna bail on the whole turtle idea.

from what I'm learning, it's waaay too big of a commitment, on a lot of different levels. Like you said, it's a big undertaking for a kid her age. I agree.

We'll think of something else to get her for her big Double Digit birthday. :D

:hi:

[XemaSab]

29. Shit, I coulda given you one

Last week we dewatered a large creek, and whattya know... when all the water was gone there was a turtle sitting in the mud at the bottom. :shrug:

[Shine]

31. It's cool, XemaSab. I think we're bailin' on the turtle idea.

too much work. Luckily, my daughter is seeing the wisdom of this idea.

Now she's thinking more along the lines of "cute clothes" and a "purse filled with make-up and glittery stuff". She's a total girly girl. :eyes:

She does NOT get it from me. I swear. :D

[ruiner4u]

36. Are you sure she is ready for that though?

cute clothes are alot harder to take care of then ugly clothes.. they require great care.. Are YOU ready to launder and fold them? Thats a lot of responsibility...

personally, I think cute clothes belong in the natural mall environment. Why put them through the horror of a dark closet when they are used to florescent light and daily fluffing and folding.

And dont get me started on the poor purse...

I suggest getting her a plant first, and if she can keep it alive, she can graduate from wearing burlap bags...

[Shine]

43. LOL!! Ah, a comedian!

:rofl:

[XemaSab]

37. I had a cousin like that

She was a cheerleader, her mom was the first female lineman for the phone company in her county. Worked in the cherry picker every day for YEARS.

But my cousin's cool... graduated Cum Laude from UC Santa Barbara. :shrug:

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

38. My mom's a total girly girl.

She got me.

:rofl:

Of course, my dad always treated me like a son.

[Shine]

44. Go figure...

the gene pool can get a bit funky sometimes. :D...and I mean that in a GOOD way.

[w8liftinglady]

40. we have a box turtle that my son caught

they are hardy,and fairly easy to keep
we also have several geckos,a bearded dragon and a toad.

[Shine]

45. Wow, sounds like you've got quite the menagerie.

:D

[w8liftinglady]

52. lol..don't forget all the crickets you have to have to feed the beast

[ruiner4u]

51. i LOVE bearded dragons..

but mine didn't love me.. he always hissed at me, tried to bite me when I fed him, and generally did not want to be bothered. I figured it was just a reptile thing until I went home for the holidays and left him with a friend for a week. I called my friend bout halfway through my trip he said the lizard was warming under a table light while he was reading and they nad no issues...


long story short,i gave him to my friend.. For some reason that lizard just did not like me but was great with my friend...

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

54. I have two beardies.

One is nice and the other one is a huge asshole to everyone and everything. On average, he manages to draw blood on me weekly.

[ruiner4u]

55. How old are they? And can you take a pic? :)

Ive always loved beardies.. They are so beautiful when they are mature.. Ill try again with one in a few years..

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

57. They're a year and a half.

Their pictures have been plastered across the DU lounge many times, but here are a few...

[ruiner4u]

58. Thank you!!!

awwww... I miss Spot even though he was satin incarnate... :(...


Beardies are the Cadillac of 'zards

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

59. This is my Spot.

And this is the trio all together...

[ruiner4u]

60. Too cute...

From the first two pictures it almost seems like it KNOWS its being photographed

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

61. They approach the glass whenever I go near their cage.

I get plenty of good shots that way.

[ruiner4u]

62. again...

too cute




STOP!!!


my tooth hurts

[GoddessOfGuinness]

41. Adopt a sea turtle...

http://action.defenders.org/site/PageServer?pagename=adopt_g_sea_turtle&autologin=true&s_src=WHY07WDADOPT&s_subsrc=07ADOPTEB2&JServSessionIdr007=pq88n2krx1.app24a

No aquarium to clean, a cute cuddly toy, an adoption certificate, and a sense that she's done something wonderful for one of the earth's most endangered species.

And there'd still be money left for some cute girly things...

[Shine]

46. Brilliant idea!! I just adopted one in her name. It'll take 3-5 wks

but that's cool. It's a great idea and I'm all over it for the good cause aspect. Thanks for the suggestion, Goddess!! :yourock:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

63. Congratulations!

Every year at about this time, they send me a 15% off certificate. So I use it to do some early holiday shopping. :D

[Ariana Celeste]

69. That is so cool!

I'm going to Adopt a Polar Bear for my MIL for X-mas! :D

[GoddessOfGuinness]

71. Great!

She'll love it! :yourock:

[InvisibleTouch]

42. Others have already said it, but I'll chime in:

Stay away from aquatic turtles. Very messy, lots of cleaning needed. I've kept reptiles of one sort or another for most of my life, and I'll someday want a slider or painted turtle again, but for a 10-year-old, there are better choices.

A land turtle is another matter altogether - clean, calm, and relatively easy to care for (just check on the right temperature requirements), and not an animal that would easily escape, such as a snake or even a rodent. A tortoise really is a good choice - just don't buy a tiny Sulcata hatchling and expect it to stay that size. The adults approach the Galapagos species in proportions. A Greek tortoise is a good option, or a box turtle, as others have suggested.

I guess I reveal my own biases when I encourage parents to promote their kids' love of animals early on - maybe because I remember too many battles over the pets I wanted to keep, and was flat-out denied. (There was that ugly ugly scene in the pet store when I was 8 years old, and ohhhh I wanted a garter snake so badly...!) If your daughter really has her heart set on a pet, and you refuse her, you might be creating the monster that I turned out to be, once I was old enough to do what I wanted - no husband, no human kids, but a houseful of animals. ;)

[Shine]

47. Good advice, thanks InvisibleTouch. I appreciated your story.

Fortunately, we let the kids pick out their own kittens a couple o' years ago, so we've certainly done our bit to nurture their (and our) love of animals. My personal bias is warm cuddly affectionate animals rather than the reptile scene, but that's just me.
After a discussion at dinner tonite, I really think my dtr is at peace with us NOT getting her a turtle for her 10th bd afterall. She doesn't want the responsibility and doesn't want her room to smell. She's switched over to another girly-girl tract, which is easier to fulfill. :D

Hey, have fun with all those animals and reptiles!! :hi:

[InvisibleTouch]

56. That's actually a very mature decision on her part...

...to realize that, while a turtle or tortoise would be very cool, she'd then have the responsibility of taking care of it. Better to realize beforehand that she'd rather not commit herself to that right now, than to make an impulse purchase and then neglect the animal. Good for her ... and here's wishing her a happy birthday! :)

[Shine]

67. Hey, thanks!!

:D

[NMDemDist2]

64. just don't leave it on the car's dashboard on a sunny day

trust me

:scared:

[Shine]

68. Ewww!!

sounds yucky...

:hi:

[mdmc]

70. how about a tatoo of a turtle?

:shrug: