Soft Shelled Turtle Care (Apalone sp.) Erica Mede, CVT Natural History Throughout central and south eastern United States , the soft sandy and muddy bottoms of rivers, lakes and ponds are home to the unique soft shell turtle.  These beautiful animals make unique display pets that [...]

Russian Tortoise Care (Agrionemys horsfieldii) Erica Mede, CVT Photos and edited by Susan Horton, DVM Natural History Found naturally in the dry open landscapes of Aghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Russia, and China this tortoise is also known as the Steppe tortoise, the Afghanistan tortoise, the Russian Box [...]

Red-foot Tortoise Care ​Erica Mede, CVT ​Enclosure Style Terrestrial Natural Habitat Tropical/Amazon Basin Diet Style Modified Omnivore Life Span >80 years Size 12-18 inches(Carapace) Temperature Range  74-80 F (Basking 82-90 F) Humidity 50-70% UVB Required Yes Permits required in Illinois None Red Foot Tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonaria) [...]

Red Eared Slider Care Erica Mede, CVT Photos and edited by Susan Horton, DVM The Red Eared Slider (also known as RES and Red Ears) is an extremely prolific and widespread chelonian accounting for 70-85% of the turtle population in the United States !  The slider [...]

Painted Turtle Care (Chrysemys picta) Erica Mede, CVT Photos and edited by Susan Horton, DVM The Painted turtle like sliders and cooters are prolific and widespread.  The Paints are very common in captivity being small and incredibly hardy.  Many owners remark that their Painted turtle is [...]

Musk Turtle Care (Sternotherus odoratus) Erica Mede, CVT Natural History Common Musk turtles, also called Stinkpots, are native to North America from south eastern Canada down through the south eastern and south central United States .  This semi-aquatic species of turtle prefers non-brackish water in the [...]

Mud Turtle Care (Kinosternon baurii) Erica Mede, CVT Natural History These small oval shaped turtles are only 3-4 inches long with horizontal yellow stripes along the face and neck.  With their tiny size, adorable markings, and fairly large snail crushing head these turtles are quickly becoming [...]

Leopard Tortoise Care (Stigmachelys pardalis) Erica Mede, CVT Photos and edited by Susan Horton, DVM Beautiful and large, these gentle giants will move furniture, plants, and anything that they find to be in their way.  The Swahili call these animals, “tortoise of the elders” due to [...]

Common Snapping Turtle Care (Chelydra serpentina) ​Erica Mede, CVT Natural History Common snapping turtles are a common inhabitant of brackish, shallow slow moving waterways.  Snappers, as they are often referred as, will also take up residence in deep lakes and rivers.  Snapping turtles are found throughout [...]

Chinese Box Turtle Care (Cuora flavomarginata) Erica Mede, CVT Natural History  These inquisitive little chelonians, also called “snake eating turtles”, Yellow Margined box turtles, and Golden-headed box turtles.  These turtles are native to the sub-tropical and temperate climates of China , Taiwan , and Japan and [...]