In my science class, we have two turtles, well loved turtles. One is a land turtle of an unknown species (it was adopted) named Schleiden, and the other is a water-going, painted turtle named Myrtle.  Myrtle was nicknamed Myrtle da Turtle by my friend.  So, after a science class, I feel like writing about turtles as pets.

Turtles are a type of reptile belonging to the order Testudines.  They are ectotherms (in layman’s terms, coldblooded), breathe oxygen, lay eggs, but do not lay their eggs in water.  They live in water or on land, but the largest species are aquatic. Turtles have two separate shells, one on top and one on the bottom.  The upper shell of the turtle is called the carapace. The lower shell that encases the belly is called the plastron.  Most turtles shells are hard, but some species have leathery shells instead.  They also have four legs, one head, and one tail.  Some sea turtles may live to be eighty years old.

Turtles are common pets, whether as land or sea turtles.  Schleiden lives in a twenty gallon tank that has a hut and a water bowl in it.  Myrtle has a ten gallon tank full of water that contains a rock pile.   Schleiden’s primary food source is earthworms.  Myrtle eats food pellets, but once, we conducted an experiment with gold fish and two of the surviving five were eaten by Myrtle.  Also, many turtles will eat vegetation, such as leafy greens.

Tortoises are from the same order as turtles but are land only creatures.  Some species grow up to two meters in length and several hundred pounds.  The oldest tortoise on record was one hundred eighty-eight years old.  Most are herbivores, although as babies, they may consume meat.

Terrapins are a species of turtle that live in brackish or murky water (most turtles don’t).

So, if you are a reptile lover looking for a different reptile or just someone wanting a pet, turtles need love, too.