# Semi aquatic turtle list?



## tyguy35 (Jul 4, 2012)

Hey I was wondering if anyone can give me a list of semi aquatic list of turtles that can be pets. My girlfriend wants to get into the turtle tortoise thing like me an I'm making her study up before she can get anything. A list of all to choose from will help the study?


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## GeoTerraTestudo (Jul 4, 2012)

If you think of tortoises as the only fully terrestrial turtles, you can list the different semi-terrestrial/semi-aquatic pond turtles as follows.

Emydidae (American pond turtles):
1) *American box turtles* (_Terrapene_ spp.)
Native to North America, this genus of terrestrial pond turtles contains many species and subspecies of varying land/water preferences. All are omnivorous, but with varying proportions of plants/mushrooms/animals in their diet.

2) *American wood turtles* (_Glyptemys insculpta_)
Related to American box turtles, but more aquatic. Native to the cool Northeast, and endangered. Omnivorous.

3) *Spotted turtle* (_Clemmys guttata_)
Also related to American box turtles and wood turtles, but more aquatic. Native to the eastern US. Endangered. Omnivorous.

Geoemydidae (Eurasian pond turtles):
4) *Ornate wood turtles* (_Rhinoclemmys_ spp.)
Semi-aquatic pond turtles. The only geoemydids native to the Western Hemisphere (from the Neotropics, or Central and South America). Omnivorous.

5) *Asian box turtles* (_Cuora_ spp. and _Pyxidea (Cuora) mouhotii_)
Semi-aquatic pond turtles from tropical Southeast Asia. Omnivorous.

6) *Spiny turtle* (_Heosemys spinosa_)
Rainforest turtle with uniquely spiked marginal scutes. Endangered. Mostly herbivorous, eating leaves and fruits, but occasionally animal matter.

7) *Black-breasted leaf turtle* (_Geoemyda spengleri_)
Small semi-aquatic turtle from Vietnam and southern China. Endangered. Mostly carnivorous.

Did I miss any?


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## tyguy35 (Jul 5, 2012)

Cooters, maps, sliders unless those are part of a group listed o don know much about turtles I just want her to get as much knowledge and see if it's stillsomethinf she wants. Does a turtle smell. (baby sized)

Or maybe I asked incorrect which I think I did. Aquatic type I guess maps cooters res etc I'm not sure of this group of turtles. All the names.


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## GeoTerraTestudo (Jul 5, 2012)

tyguy35 said:


> Cooters, maps, sliders unless those are part of a group listed o don know much about turtles I just want her to get as much knowledge and see if it's stillsomethinf she wants. Does a turtle smell. (baby sized)
> 
> Or maybe I asked incorrect which I think I did. Aquatic type I guess maps cooters res etc I'm not sure of this group of turtles. All the names.





When I think of cooters, sliders, painted turtles, and map turtles, I think of fully aquatic turtles, which come out only to bask on a log. If disturbed, they jump immediately back into the water. Semi-aquatic/semi-terrestrial turtles don't just bask on logs, they actually walk around and feed on land to one degree or another.


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## tyguy35 (Jul 5, 2012)

Ya I suppose so. Whisk of the aquatic turtles would be a good pet for her.


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## Yvonne G (Jul 5, 2012)

Its probably only semantics, however, the sliders and cooters and turtles like that are referred to as semi-aquatic, even though they live in the water. Turtles that are fully aquatic are turtles like the soft shells and mata mata, etc. Box turtles, while loving the water and spending a lot of time there, are land turtles, and are not referred to as semi-aquatic.

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/selecting-an-aquatic-or-semiaquatic-turtle.html


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## tyguy35 (Jul 5, 2012)

Thanks Yvonne I think this will help alot


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## GeoTerraTestudo (Jul 6, 2012)

emysemys said:


> Its probably only semantics, however, the sliders and cooters and turtles like that are referred to as semi-aquatic, even though they live in the water. Turtles that are fully aquatic are turtles like the soft shells and mata mata, etc. Box turtles, while loving the water and spending a lot of time there, are land turtles, and are not referred to as semi-aquatic.
> 
> http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/selecting-an-aquatic-or-semiaquatic-turtle.html



See, I thought tortoises were *terrestrial* because they spend almost all their time on land, wading only into shallow water to bathe. I thought American box turtles were considered *semi-terrestrial*, since they spend most of their time on land, but still return to the water sometimes. In contrast, I thought all the other turtles in my list above were *semi-aquatic*, since they spend a lot of time in the water, but still romp around on land sometimes.

I thought pond turtles like cooters, sliders, terrapins, etc. were considered *aquatic* because they only leave the water to bask and lay eggs, while submerged turtles like snappers, mata mata, soft shells, mud turtles, and Fly River turtles were considered *fully aquatic* because they don't even bask, and only leave the water to lay eggs. And sea turtles are *marine* because they're fully aquatic, except in seawater.


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## Madkins007 (Jul 6, 2012)

Turtles are often divided by lifestyle, and there are a lot of ways to do it.

- Completely on the land (tortoises, terrestrial turtles)
- Mostly on the land, but need water (this is the one with the weakest terminology. I have seen then called bog turtles, terrestrial turtles, semi-terrestrial turtles, etc.)
- Mostly in water but spend time 'dry' (Pond or basking turtles, terrapins)
- Mostly in fresh or brackish water (terrapin or turtle)

I find it really interesting that when you think about how much people and especially scientists LOVE to categorize things that this is not a more concrete set of terms!


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## tyguy35 (Jul 6, 2012)

We have to categorize its in our nature. My girlfriend has decided she wants a cooter any thoughts on that. Of course ill be around to help her out with it teach and learn myself.


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## Terry Allan Hall (Jul 7, 2012)

tyguy35 said:


> Ya I suppose so. Whisk of the aquatic turtles would be a good pet for her.



Sliders are nice, but females can get pretty big. Cooters are also nice, and stay smaller. 

Diamondback terrapins are prettier that either the sliders or cooters, but cost a bit more, and there are legal restrictions on them in many places.

All can be kept virtually stench-free with the right filtration system in their tank. All can become friendly pets that will learn to eat from your hand remarkably fast.

Plan on a large fish tank or similar, though...cute quarter-sized baby turtles don't stay tiny for long! 1 adult cooter will be ok in a 40-gallon long, 1 female red-eared slider will do well in a 70-gallon breeder. If you go to a Tractor Supply store, they have thick black stock watering troughs that work quite well for aquartic turtles and will last virtually forever, leak-free.


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## bobbymoore (Jul 7, 2012)

I breed mississippi map turtles if you want one ?


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## tyguy35 (Jul 7, 2012)

bobbymoore said:


> I breed mississippi map turtles if you want one ?



Its all my girlfriends choice. Ill see what she says about the map turtle are they new born. She wants baby lol shes being picky.


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