Buying an African Helmeted Turtle as a Pets

A new pet is always a tough decision. Bringing home a dog or cat has with it certain liabilities that are obvious even to the first time pet owner – food, health, training, love and so forth.
Pet turtles, for instance, are not as ‘hands-on’ as cats or dogs but keeping one is still not a commitment to be entered in to lightly.

When buying African helmeted turtles as pets you need to take out the time to research what it is to own a turtle and all of the care and dedication that it will take to make sure that your turtle remains healthy.
Consider the type of turtle that you want. There are a few types to choose from. Your standard turtle that most people enjoy keeping as pets are amphibian aquatic turtles. They live on land and on water, have webbed feet for swimming and can grow as large as a foot in length.



Take the time to learn about turtles

When it comes down to selecting a turtle you should consult the internet as it is a great resource for pretty much everything. You can also ask the pet specialist at your local pet store besides which there are plenty of books available on the subject of turtles, which one to choose and how to take good care of it.
Once you know your turtle, you know its habitat, its feeding needs and its other requirements. First and foremost you’re going to need some kind of aquarium or living space for the turtle.
You need enough water for the turtle to swim around in occasionally as well as a ‘basking’ ground for it to sunbathe in.
Remember, as the turtle grows the water level and the ground area will need to grow a little with it.
You can use small pebbles and stones for the basking ground and either keep the turtle outside in the sun (if it’s safe!) or buy a reptile ultraviolet, or UV, lamp. Turtles love their sunbathing – why do you think they lay their eggs on the beach!
Some turtles, as in the baby slider turtle salmonella crisis back in the 70s, can carry diseases so be very careful to wash your hands right after handling them. In fact, handle them as little as possible and if it’s a baby turtle, or four inches and smaller in length, try not to handle them at all.
Remember, turtles are very special animals and many are now an endangered species. If cared for properly they can live for many decades, some up to a hundred years, and can even outlive you! (So keep a contingency plan ready when buying turtles as pets…)

Tags: pets, pet, pelomedusa, aquatic turtles, exotic species, turtle red ear, red eared tortoise, African turtles, African turtle, pet turtles, African helmeted turtle, reptiles, shell, diet, habitat, breading, pelomedusidae, Pelomedusa subrufa