Knowing which subspecies of turtle you own enables you to care for and feed them appropriately. Feeding in itself can be extra effort since turtles are not the most popular pets, thus special care must be taken to ensure vet n pet direct maintenance, and improve their quality of life. This turtle species guide reiterates the need to know your pet so you can create a conducive environment for them to thrive.
Because of their hardy nature and modest requirements, turtles make excellent pets. Turtles that live on land, sea, and freshwater have different physical characteristics and dietary habits.
Sea turtles have a rectangular head, bony shell, and scissor-like jaws. Meanwhile, hard shells, webbed feet, and short necks are synonymous with freshwater turtles, while their land counterparts have retractable heads and legs.
Identifying Your Pet Turtle Species
You can correctly identify the species you own, from the shape of your pet’s shell, its feet, color patterns, and markings. The characteristics highlighted below will serve as your turtle species guide:
The Shell
Recognizing your turtle’s shell pattern, whether solid, striped, reticulated, spotted, or ringed, can help you determine its species. The hardness of the shell indicates a soft-shell or hard-shell turtle.
Aquatic species have fairly flat top shells, while leatherback sea turtles are devoid of scutes or shell sections that reflect its main pattern. These turtles and the soft-shell ones have a skin covering over their shells.
Head and Neck
Freshwater and land turtles can retract their head and limbs, unlike sea turtles. The shape, length, and markings on these body parts help you identify the specific category of the turtle.
Chicken turtles have long and stretchable necks, while the Murray breed has short necks that do not stretch. Its unique head shape makes the Matamata turtle easy to identify.
Feet and Claws
Turtles living primarily in water have webbed feet, while those dwelling on land are equipped with claws. Marine breeds have front legs resembling flippers and do better in their natural habitat. Conversely, freshwater turtles display feet with webbed toes most often.
Beak and Jaws
In terms of shape, size, and texture, the beaks and jaws of turtles vary. Box turtles have hard and sharp beaks, while leatherback sea turtles have much softer beaks though still sharp.
The turtle’s habitat and diet determine the shape of its beak. For instance, a sea turtle needs a rigid jaw but not necessarily a sharp beak to eat jellyfish.
The Tail
Generally, male turtles have longer tails than their female counterparts. Loggerhead sea turtles have long tails, while thick tails with barbs indicate a Greek turtle. Certain breeds have short tails that are virtually hidden under their shells.
Skin Colors and Markings
Some turtle breeds get their name from the markings and colors reflecting on their body. Map turtles have ridges that run down the middle of their shells, while painted turtles reflect colorful stripes with a greenish-black shell.
Red-eared sliders display red or orange stripes from the eye to the ear region, with patterns on their top and bottom shells.
The Keel
Some turtles like the Keeled Box breed display a ridge or keel that runs from the front to the rear. This characteristic often appears like a bend or sharp fold along the length of the turtle’s shell.
