They’re certainly interesting animals but like others said aquarium maintenance for aquatic turtles is intense. What that means is intensive carbon and substrate filtration and weekly cleanings. Consider getting a tank as large as you can, the larger the better for water quality purposes. If your kid is interested in reptiles and you don’t want the pain in the butt that comes with properly keeping a turtle, maybe a snake? Corn snakes make excellent pets. Lower maintenance, more clean, and have a very “friendly” disposition (as far as snakes go they don’t mind being handled and are not aggressive). Well cared for, they can live for 20 years. DD’s is going on ten now.

Anonymous wrote:We have a small turtle! He has been a member of our household for 3 years now. He is lovely, low maintenance, and is ignored for extended periods of time. My perfect pet. The tank does stink if you don't wash it once a month or every other month. But he/she doesn't need food if you go away. Perfect pet imho.

The biggest downside is that you cannot really play with it for fear of salmonella.

If you’re good about washing your hands, it’s fine. But then what does playing with a turtle really look like?

Anonymous wrote:Turtles live for a really long time. Are you cool with taking care of it when your kid is in college?

This. They do live a long time. And they need a bigger tank than you think. But overall they are pretty cute.

There are reptile rescues and they would be able to provide a lot of good information on taking care of them. Also if you need to rehome them, they will always take the animal back.

We have a small turtle! He has been a member of our household for 3 years now. He is lovely, low maintenance, and is ignored for extended periods of time. My perfect pet. The tank does stink if you don't wash it once a month or every other month. But he/she doesn't need food if you go away. Perfect pet imho.

The biggest downside is that you cannot really play with it for fear of salmonella.

We had an aquatic turtle-- a red-ear slider. The most unsatisfying pet ever. The only thing that got excited was the smell of cooking steak.

Anonymous wrote:Turtles live for a really long time. Are you cool with taking care of it when your kid is in college?

This. My parents got me one when I was 8 or so. When I went to college, we gave it to a friend's younger sibling - probably she was around 9 or 10 at the time. When SHE went to college, the family found a turtle guy who had a large collection of pet turtles. Or so I hope...

Turtles have a very long lifespan.

They are very dirty and the tank does stink. Requires regular cleaning which is difficult. Make sure you are up for that work because it may be more than a kid can handle or your child may lose interest after a year or two.

Turtles live for a really long time. Are you cool with taking care of it when your kid is in college?

Anonymous wrote:Anybody have a pet turtle and love it? My son has been asking for one and I am thinking we might just do it.

Any insights into care? Is it possible to form an actual attachment, or is it like a fish?

It is possible for a turtle to recognize the sound of an owners voice. No one knows if they can recognize their name like a dog does.
They do respond to touch in the proper manner.

Any terrarium is high maintenance to maintain with water and heat. Terrestrial turtles need a larger area to thrive.

The tank stinks.

Anybody have a pet turtle and love it? My son has been asking for one and I am thinking we might just do it.

Any insights into care? Is it possible to form an actual attachment, or is it like a fish?