General Care Discussion :: new at this

[alli_noelle]

hi. my dad and i are considering getting a red slider turtle for his house, becuase he doesnt have the time to walk a dog, and my brother is allergic to cats (plus turtles are really cool!)
so i have a couple questions that hopefully someone can answer.

1. I read on this site that turtles dont grow to the size of their tanks, they keep growing regardless. i also heard that they grow to the size of their tank. which is correct?

2. Can these turtles be taken out and played with, because i have seen pictures of people with their turtles.

3. Turtles living 20-40 years. Is this true?

and i think thats it for now. thanks!

[Safdar]

1. Turtles keep growing, aslong as you feed them and they get their nutrients they will keep growing

2. Its not advised for new turtles because it can be really stressful for them. Even older turtle, it really depends on their personality, some turles really freak out and some dont, but anywho, Its not recomended

3. With proper setup, nutrition, and health a turtle can live very long. We have people on here with turtles who have lived with them for 17 years, some, more. It depends on the way you raise them. Baby turtle(hatchlings) are most likely to die becuase the are very delicate and can get sick fast, but again with the correct setup and diet your turtle can live a very long time. (im not sure about 40 years though, someone correct me)

[Tenodera]

1. It's just a myth. Turtles will keep growing whether or not they have any room.

2. Generally it's not good, since babies or new turtles are very shy and are terrified of being out of the water. But it depends on the turtle. You could try taking him out when he's older and see if he likes it.

3. Yes. Actually, I'm not sure of their maximum longevity. Has anyone had a turtle die of OLD AGE?

[steve]

The information on the main site is generally accurate (:)) but the content on the forum should be considered carefully since it's public and we don't always have time to correct misinformation. You and your parents should read up on the main site, you should get a real good idea of the work... and fun involved.

[alli_noelle]

thanks everyone for your help!

[untsmurf]

And make sure and note the tank size you'll need.

I believe the myth that your turtle won't grow bigger than his tank was brought about so that people could get away with selling them in those little lagoons. Most people won't buy a turtle if they know it will eventually require up to a 120 gallon tank.