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Today I made a MAJOR Petco run. Captain Michaelangelo Tortuga (size ONE inch at MOST) is for NOW in just a 20 gallon aquarium but will be in a 40 eventually. He's got a heating lamp, a moss filled "dock," pellets (seems to enjoy them), a little celery, a pump, a cave...

but I am getting mixed answers from Pet Stores and Websites (I have sugar gliders so I am REALLY used to that!). Some say more terretium style while he is little or he will DROWN! Others say more aquarium but with a lilly pad type thing at the top. Well, for saftey till I know more he has a smallish dock and water, but only a few inches deep. He seems to prefer the water to the land though, ALL the time. Can he REALLY drown?

The only time I've seen a turtle drown (in a pet store) is when it got in between the filter and the glass and couldn't get to the surface for air. As long as you have the tank set up so there are no tight spots he'll be fine.

Don't take anything a pet store employee says seriously. Usually (most of the time) they don't know what they're talking about. Fill the tank up as much as you can without giving him room to climb out of the tank and provide a basking area and he'll be happy. Oh, and ditch the celery..there's really no nutritional value in that..all water.

Check out the "What to feed" and "What not to feed" lists and vary the diet a bit.

Thanks! Seriously, some day they should make a law that you have to certify in pet care somehow to work in a pet store. Grrr...

ANYWAY, today Captain Tortuga got a remodelling. Filled up the tank, got rid of the moss, put in a dock and some cave things. Already seems much happier. Oh and I just wrote out a turtle grocery list, and threw away the celery, though he doesn't seem too interested in vegitables right now anyway.

Youn turtles are more carnivorous but some, if not many, will begin to consume vegetation at an early age. So keep offering even if she's reluctant to them. You can also try some aquatic plants (listed on the food sticky) to entice her to eat some veggies.

Do you have a water heater? He'll like the water kept at a constant 78F. Do you have a UVB florescent as well?

Sounds like you are off to a good start, just keep researching and improving his home where you can. You will find that they are a wonderful pet and it's so nice just to watch them swim.

Try starting your turtle on anacharis (aquatic plant you can get at aquarium shops, among other places. Most turtles take to it quickly, and it can stay in the tank for quite a while without going bad (if your turtle doesn't eat it first).