General Care Discussion :: Is a turtle a good pet to keep?

[marisa]

comills, you've illustrated one of the points I was trying to make (that turtles don't make good "pets" for everyone) exactly. And there's nothing wrong in knowing and admitting it. I can't remember what your situation is (how many turtles you have) but please, if you don't want/can't care for them, try to find them a good home.

[CountryGirl68]

You've said it Marisa. Turtles, just like dogs, cats, fish, ferrets, etc. do not make good pets for everyone. ALL pets require a commitment to ensure their well being and survival. So do children, by the way.

I currently have fish and am setting up a tank for a turtle. Contrary to popular belief, caring for my fish takes a lot of work and a lot of money, if I want them to survive for as long as they are meant to live. But they are wonderful pets for me. My husband and I work full-time and having a pet that requires little "attention" (walking, playing with, etc) works for our lifestyle. The biggest problem I've seen is that most people don't consider turtles or even fish good pets because they are "hands off" pets. But when you consider how many abandoned dogs and cats are in this country - even the world - you realize that even those are not good pets for some people. Too many people go out and get pets because they think it will be fun without considering the costs involved.