# Anybody know a good place to get high quality turtles.



## KatyshaB (May 6, 2016)

I'm thinking about getting a Male Musk Turtle Hatchling. To go with my two Russians. I have thought it all through, and I would get them after I came back from Europe. (In august) I was looking for a place to buy them. I started with pet stores, and I didn't see any pet stores around where I live (In Utah), I'm VERY picky about where my tortoises come from, and I want to get a good look at them to make sure they have had the proper care, because I am NOT giving money to ANY business that doesn't care for reptiles properly. So, I had to look online for them. I am even MORE picky about websites, because you can't look at the animal. I've seen a few, TurtleSupply.com and reptile magazines. I don't like ANY of those. Turtlesupply did not give enough information, and it was 'dodgey' and they kept saying 'with minor shell imperfections' so I was like NOPE. I tried reptile magazines. But they said they 'couldn't guarantee the sex.' And with turtles, females get twice as big as males, and right now I am very space tight. Also, I read stories about how they make up fake people to give them good reviews, and how they got a reptile and it died in a weak. (I COULD be wrong with everything I am saying. If you got a turtle in good shape from any of these sights please tell me). So, again I said no to that. If anybody has ordered a turtle and it came in good shape, and you trust that website please tell me. I MIGHT buy a Musk turtle from one of you guys on the forum. For I feel that everybody here is at least a responsible caretaker. But I would like pictures of them, along with a full background them. (How old they are, what there cage is like, behavior, etc..) A full bio of them is needed. I'm no expert with turtles, I ordered a book about them. If any of you have interesting information about them feel free to tell me. Thanks!


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## Grandpa Turtle 144 (May 6, 2016)




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## wellington (May 6, 2016)

Search the Internet for (the turtle room.) I can't for the life of me remember the names.


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## KatyshaB (May 6, 2016)

wellington said:


> Search the Internet for (the turtle room.) I can't for the life of me remember the names.


I looked at it, it doesn't sell turtles itself, but it does seem like a good website. Thank you, I may use this for supplies, as for actually buying the turtle, I don't know where to go.


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## wellington (May 6, 2016)

Sorry, I didn't realize they didn't sell.


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## KatyshaB (May 6, 2016)

wellington said:


> Sorry, I didn't realize they didn't sell.


It's fine, know any sights that do sell them.


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## Pearly (May 6, 2016)

I have no knowledge in turtle area but perhaps @Anthony P knows good place? Or @mark 1? Or , or is it @mark1 without the space? Or @Markw84


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## KatyshaB (May 7, 2016)

Pearly said:


> I have no knowledge in turtle area but perhaps @Anthony P knows good place? Or @mark 1? Or , or is it @mark1 without the space? Or @Markw84


Thank's I'll message them.


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## Markw84 (May 7, 2016)

KatyshaB said:


> I'm thinking about getting a Male Musk Turtle Hatchling. To go with my two Russians.


A bit confused whey you say "to go with my Russians"! I assume you are simply referring to adding to your chelonian collection, not really to be housed with your Russian tortoises? A musk turtle is one of the most aquatic of turtles, rarely going out of the water, and needs a proper aquatic setup. Hopefully you are looking, ready to undertake the proper setup and requirements of an aquatic turtle, in addition to what you are doing for your Russian tortoises.

Female musks do not get much larger, if at all, than males in my experience, so your choice of a male to me is not necessary for that reason. For most all sources, I think you will find it impossible to find someone guaranteeing a male hatchling anyway. Incubating extremely common and low cost turtles does not lend itself to the exact controls of temperature sex dependent requirements.

As far as commercial sources, I think your expectation of exact pictures and history of a specific animal is unreasonable, when again, dealing with a low cost, common species. A facility with a decent inventory cannot be expected to pay an employee to take individual pictures, answer questions, etc. on inquiries to perhaps make 1 sale per four or five inquiries, and then make a profit of perhaps $10. Finding one that lists "minor shell imperfections" is actually good as they are upfront about offering a lower price on those individuals with the knowledge that they are not perfect. Minor shell imperfections is common in aquatics, especially raised in larger commercial groups. So their 'perfect' ones all sell first and they are left with the minor imperfection ones and offer them at a discounted rate. Just don't choose those if you want a perfect specimen. I rarely do buy turtles from those sources, and its been a while. I have had good luck the turtlesource.com I just know what my expectations are when ordering there. Plus, you normally always have the right to return the animal if not satisfied and misrepresented. The problem is that the cost of the turtle is less than the cost of shipping.

With that considered you may need to find a private party who happens to have musk turtles available. I would not expect to know or trust the sex of a hatchling, though. Perhaps browse frequently through faunaclassified.com and look for someone offering what you are looking for. You could email or text them and they would converse with you since it's their "hobby" and often interested in where their turtle is going to end up. They would normally be happy to send you pictures of the exact animal.


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## Yvonne G (May 7, 2016)

KatyshaB said:


> Thank's I'll message them.



No need. When we put the @ in front of their username it sends them an alert and they look at the thread.


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## KatyshaB (May 7, 2016)

Markw84 said:


> A bit confused whey you say "to go with my Russians"! I assume you are simply referring to adding to your chelonian collection, not really to be housed with your Russian tortoises? A musk turtle is one of the most aquatic of turtles, rarely going out of the water, and needs a proper aquatic setup. Hopefully you are looking, ready to undertake the proper setup and requirements of an aquatic turtle, in addition to what you are doing for your Russian tortoises.


Of course I researched and I am prepared to take on the responsibility of owning a turtle, (not all the way prepared, still getting there.) I merely said 'too go with my two Russians' because I wanted to point out that I'm not new to this forum, and buying this turtle would have not been my first reptile. I have thought long and hard about getting a turtle, and I want it for the education experience. And maybe (MAYBE) I MIGHT start breeding them. Of course they are not being housed with my Russians, I picked the Musk turtle because of there small size. I'm space tight, but I will be able to house them in a 20-30 gallon tank enclosure. Along with a UV light, a basking area (Even thought normally Musks don't bask.) A filter, a daily supply of food..etc...etc..


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## KatyshaB (May 7, 2016)

Markw84 said:


> As far as commercial sources, I think your expectation of exact pictures and history of a specific animal is unreasonable, when again, dealing with a low cost, common species. A facility with a decent inventory cannot be expected to pay an employee to take individual pictures, answer questions, etc. on inquiries to perhaps make 1 sale per four or five inquiries, and then make a profit of perhaps $10. Finding one that lists "minor shell imperfections" is actually good as they are upfront about offering a lower price on those individuals with the knowledge that they are not perfect. Minor shell imperfections is common in aquatics, especially raised in larger commercial groups. So their 'perfect' ones all sell first and they are left with the minor imperfection ones and offer them at a discounted rate. Just don't choose those if you want a perfect specimen. I rarely do buy turtles from those sources, and its been a while. I have had good luck the turtlesource.com I just know what my expectations are when ordering there. Plus, you normally always have the right to return the animal if not satisfied and misrepresented. The problem is that the cost of the turtle is less than the cost of shipping.


Thanks, I'm not worried about getting a 'perfect' specimen. That's not my goal. The thing I'm worried about, (And I have seen this many times, not as much in reptile breeds though) is when they say: 'Grade B turtles have minor shell imperfections, damaged eyes, missing claws..etc..' That's not what I'm worried about It's the "And grade B turtles get no benefits." That is what bothers me. Because if I get a turtle, that dies. I basically wasted 50 bucks. And I don't get a new one. Or really anything back. Thanks again. I learned something today, I'm looking at 'TheTurtleStore" right now. They seem to have decent Musks. Again thanks I'll check out the turtle source. Oh, one reason I'm being stingy (I should have wrote this in my original question, but I forgot, sorry) is when I was say 8, I wanted a turtle, so I convinced my parents to buy me a baby Red Eared Slider (We where buying it Blindly, so I wasn't very smart, I had no idea how big they got) the first one died in a couple days. So I got a new one, that one died too. I don't want to have that repeated.


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## KatyshaB (May 10, 2016)

Markw84 said:


> As far as commercial sources, I think your expectation of exact pictures and history of a specific animal is unreasonable,


One more thing, yes I agree, my expectation of exact pictures is for anybody I would buy from here. On TFO. Sorry I didn't explain myself well enough, I hope this cleared everything up.


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