Most terrestrial non-box turtles?

[Madkins007]

I occasionally think about branching out from my beloved Red-foots and tend to wonder about terrestrial turtles.

Can anyone remind me of the more common terrestrial (non-box) turtles and which make the best 'pets'?

 

[egyptiandan]

You have North American wood turtles (Glyptemys insculpta), Central American wood turtles (Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima incisa), Ornate wood turtles (Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima manni), Jagged shell turtles (Cuora mouhotii) and Black breasted leaf turtles (Geomyda spengleri).

Danny

 

[chadk]

You might look into one of these. But I have to warn you, they are cute when little, but VERY destructive when they grow...(you thought a sulcata was bad....):

























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[harris]

Hands down the NA Wood Turtle!!! By far the most entertaining species I've collected. Hardy, extremely personable, and SMART.

 

[-JM]

lol @chad

 

[terryo]

If you want a challenge ...Black breasted leaf turtles (Geomyda spengleri). One of my favorites.

 

[Madkins007]

You have North American wood turtles (Glyptemys insculpta), Central American wood turtles (Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima incisa), Ornate wood turtles (Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima manni), Jagged shell turtles (Cuora mouhotii) and Black breasted leaf turtles (Geomyda spengleri).

Danny

So far so good, but I seem to recall there were some Forest Turtles of some sort that often make the list- am I just mis-recalling?

I've had a NA Wood, and did indeed enjoy it.

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If you want a challenge ...Black breasted leaf turtles (Geomyda spengleri). One of my favorites.

Why is it a challenge?

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You might look into one of these. But I have to warn you, they are cute when little, but VERY destructive when they grow...(you thought a sulcata was bad....):

Sadly, I don't live in Japan, and last I heard they were not breeding well elsewhere. But- maybe I just need to do more research- what was that scientific name again?

 

[Jacqui]

Hands down the NA Wood Turtle!!! By far the most entertaining species I've collected. Hardy, extremely personable, and SMART.

I agree! spengleri are great too!

 

[harris]

So far so good, but I seem to recall there were some Forest Turtles of some sort that often make the list- am I just mis-recalling?

That would be the spengleri or mouhotii, no? Or are you thinking of Ind forsteni, the Sulawesi tortoise?

 

[egyptiandan]

Oh there are others, just that they are either expensive or unavailable. Than there are some that like a bit more water like Cyclemys dentata and Rhinoclemmys punctularia.

Danny

 

[terryo]

The Black breasted leaf turtles (Geomyda spengleri) is something I've always wanted, Mark, but I know a few people who had them and found them to be hard to keep. Also they go for big bucks.
http://www.asianturtle.org/htm/species_Geoemyda_spengleri.html

 

[Yvonne G]

I've always liked the Mouhotii (spelling??) If I had a better climate for them, I'd have a colony.

 

[tortoises101]

Spengleri are high humidity tropical turtles but need cooler temps. In addition, they're VERY unforgiving of bad care (screw up once and it could mean life or death) and pretty delicate as well. They're expensive like what Terry said, and many that enter the pet trade are imports that need to be deparasitized. In addition, they will gorge themselves to death if not carefully monitored and most will not accept commercial foods, unlike RF's.
Some hardier and easier terrestrial turtles are wood turtles (both NA wood and Rhinoclemmys) and Cuora species. Cuora flavomarginata is a good choice, hardy and ornate.

 

[Saloli]

yep north american wood turtles are smart like rat level (smarter than dogs), so are their close relatives the boxers, spotted and bog turtles. not sure how smart the other three members of their subfamily the european pond turtle blanding's turtle and pacific (western) pond turtle are but they need puzzles things to do with their mind or the get bored.

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Though none of them are easy and most of them are protected if you get one make sure it is captive bred. Oh but the black wood turtle Rhinoclemmys funerea which though from central america in not a member of the american pod turtle family Emydidae but the asian turtle family Geoemydidae. May be a good choice they are though only partly terrestial

 

[Madkins007]

It is amazing how much things can change in less than a year. Right now, I am no longer all that interested in other species, gave away my bigger guys, restarted with baby Cherrys, and not too serious about terrestrial turtles... until I re-read this thread. Dang that was dumb of me to do!

Right now, if I DID expand, it would be Hinge-backs, Eastern Box, or NA Wood. Ask me tomorrow, and I'd probably say something different.