I took the plunge

[CGKeith]

Well, after years of tortoises I got my first turtles. I have spent the last few weeks researching everything I could find about the different types and proper set ups and care.
Here is what I got. A Southern painted and a Stinkpot.

No, the painteds eye is not swollen, he actually winked at me when I was taking his pic.

 

[Yvonne G]

Little turtle babies are so cute! I like that dock...the rough surface looks like it makes it easier for the babies to grasp and climb up. Thanks for sharing!

Yvonne

 

[Maggie Cummings]

That one little painted has an ornery look on his face, like he's growling at the camera!!! Too cute!!! LOL

 

[jlyoncc1]

I love the one winking! How cute. Congrats!

 

[BigBiscuit]

I LOVE the last picture of the little stink pot. It looks like you surprised him. This may be a stupid question, but do stink pots really smell bad, or are they okay in captivity. I would love to have one someday, but not if my house is going to smell bad.

Thank you for the pictures.

Evan

 

[CGKeith]

I LOVE the last picture of the little stink pot. It looks like you surprised him. This may be a stupid question, but do stink pots really smell bad, or are they okay in captivity. I would love to have one someday, but not if my house is going to smell bad.

Thank you for the pictures.

Evan

No, they don't stink, but my understanding is that they have a musk gland that can be used if they feel threatened. I think that it would be a last resort self defense thing if they were about to be eaten. Maybe someone who has had one for a while can give more info.

 

[Isa]

Congratulations for your new acquisitions.
They are too adorable .

 

[jpeck425]

I LOVE the last picture of the little stink pot. It looks like you surprised him. This may be a stupid question, but do stink pots really smell bad, or are they okay in captivity. I would love to have one someday, but not if my house is going to smell bad.

Thank you for the pictures.

Evan

No, they don't stink, but my understanding is that they have a musk gland that can be used if they feel threatened. I think that it would be a last resort self defense thing if they were about to be eaten. Maybe someone who has had one for a while can give more info.

Stinkpots are actually one of the better pet aquatic turtles. They only release a little stinker when you pick them up. It is not terribly strong and will disapate quickly, lol. They are extremely easy to feed(they'll eagerly consume any meaty or pelleted turtle diets), they are very temperature hardy and average room temperature suits them well, they are very resistent to many of the common turtle illnesses(fungus, shell rot, etc...) and best of all they will not outgrow habitat after habitat

They are not great swimmers and actually prefer to "walk" around their aquatic realm. They are, however, excellent climbers and care needs to be taken as they grow to watch for escape avenues(typically in the corners, around the basking area or around the filter.

Another neat aspect is that they are not very destructive, compared to the larger sliders, and you can actually have a lot of fun making a natural set-up with plants and driftwood. When I used to keep them, I would also keep a few small native fish with them for display. The fish also help clean-up the scraps of food.

Hope this helps

 

[Meg90]

Wow....oh my gosh don't tempt me! After my mom heard that I was getting a new baby Greek she made me promise no more reptiles...How big do Stinkpots usually get? male vs female?

They sound lovely. I really liked that last picture, he looked so PO-ed

 

[jpeck425]

Wow....oh my gosh don't tempt me! After my mom heard that I was getting a new baby Greek she made me promise no more reptiles...How big do Stinkpots usually get? male vs female?

They sound lovely. I really liked that last picture, he looked so PO-ed

Lol, they usually max around 4". A couple of other neat little musk turtles are Razorbacks and Loggerheads. They also stay small around 5" and have a nice beige color with black spots and lines. Peircing little yellow eyes,

Do an image search and check them out

 

[terryo]

A Southern painted and a Stinkpot are two of the nicest species of water turtles IMHO. I have had both. Your babies are adorable.