Size

Energy

Cleanup need

Breed & nickname	Temperament sketch	Size	Energy	Cleanup need	Family fit	Enrichment & routine	Health notes
Red-eared SliderPark pond favorite	Curious basker that begs for food and tolerates calm tankmates when space and filtration are generous.	Medium	Moderate	Heavy	Works for families ready to scale up tank or pond upkeep and stick to UVB and heat schedules.	Provide sturdy basking docks, floating logs, and varied pellets or greens with occasional feeder puzzles.	Needs strong filtration and UVB basking; monitor for shell rot and obesity from overfeeding.
Yellow-bellied SliderSunbeam swimmer	Social basker that stacks with tankmates when ramps and surface space are plentiful.	Medium	Moderate	Heavy	Works for families with mid-to-large aquariums and a routine filter backwash schedule.	Use floating basking platforms, driftwood mazes, feeding clips for greens, and occasional current changes.	Provide UVB and heat gradients; monitor for ear abscesses and water quality spikes.
Western Painted TurtleStriped paddler	Active swimmer that enjoys open water and regular basking.	Medium	Moderate	Heavy	Suited to families with roomy filtered aquariums and secure basking platforms.	Provide varied perches, gentle current shifts, feeding clips for greens, and seasonal outdoor sun.	Needs UVB, warm basking area, and clean water; monitor for retained scutes and ear abscesses.
Mississippi Map TurtleRiver lookout	Alert, skittish swimmer; relaxes with cover and stable water quality.	Medium	Moderate	Heavy	Best for attentive keepers who test water regularly and offer wide basking docks.	Add floating logs, visual barriers, mixed pellets and greens, and low-stress basking ramps.	Sensitive to poor filtration; needs UVB, calcium, and algae control around shell seams.
Reeves' Turtle (Chinese Pond)Platform sentinel	Alert basker that can be assertive with tankmates in tight spaces.	Small	Moderate	Moderate	Best for mid-size aquariums with secure basking docks and stable filtration.	Use shallow basking ramps, floating cork, planted refuges, and target-fed pellets or greens.	Needs UVB, clean water, and gentle heat; watch for shell erosion and aggression over basking space.
Common Musk Turtle (Stinkpot)Bottom walker	Calm, secretive bottom dweller that can be defensive if grabbed.	Small	Low	Moderate	Fits smaller aquariums with secure lids and gentle flow; best for hands-off keepers.	Offer ledges for surfacing, caves, live food hunts, and floating feeding stations.	Keep clean water, a shallow basking option, and monitor for shell pitting or retained scutes.
Eastern Box TurtleForest stroller	Shy but curious; enjoys damp hides and slow perimeter walks.	Small	Low	Moderate	Suits gentle families who can maintain humid hides, shallow water dishes, and secure garden pens.	Provide leaf litter, shallow soak dishes, worm and berry rotations, and shaded basking spots.	Needs UVB, clean water, and moderate humidity; watch for respiratory issues and shell fungus.
Russian TortoiseHardy digger	Even-tempered daytime grazer that explores enclosures and tunnels without much fuss.	Small	Moderate	Low	Good for patient households with secure indoor or outdoor runs and a dry, well-ventilated setup.	Offer deep substrate for burrowing, grazing trays of weeds and greens, and seasonal outdoor sun time.	Needs high-fiber diet, steady UVB, and low humidity; watch for pyramiding and parasites.
Hermann's TortoiseSun-loving trail scout	Alert, gentle grazer that patrols and enjoys predictable routines.	Small	Moderate	Low	Suited to households that can offer secure pens, mixed weeds, and dry, warm basking areas.	Provide deep soil, edible weeds, UVB basking ledges, and seasonal supervised outdoor walks.	Needs high-fiber diet, steady UVB, and low humidity; monitor for pyramiding and beak overgrowth.
Greek TortoiseMediterranean stroller	Calm, steady forager that relies on hides and sun patches.	Small	Low	Low	Good for keepers who maintain dry, ventilated enclosures with edible weeds and safe outdoor time.	Offer mixed grasses, slate basking spots, and loose substrate for shallow scrapes.	Needs fibrous diet, UVB, and low humidity; monitor for respiratory stress in damp rooms.
Sulcata Tortoise (African spurred)Yard bulldozer	Confident, food-motivated, and powerful; may push enclosures when curious.	Large	Moderate	Heavy	Only for spacious yards and long-term caretakers who can handle heavy feeding and veterinary needs.	Provide secure outdoor pens, hay-based diet, digging areas, and winter heat shelters.	Needs constant hay, calcium, and UVB; monitor shell growth, joint strain, and cold stress.
Leopard TortoiseSpeckled grazer	Calm and steady; prefers predictable paths and open space.	Large	Low	Low	For experienced keepers with warm, dry rooms or pens and year-round access to hay.	Provide large roaming space, hay piles, shallow soaks, and winter-safe heating.	Needs high-fiber grass diet, UVB, and low humidity; monitor shell growth and cold snaps.
Red-footed TortoiseTropical forager	Curious and food-motivated, often tolerant of gentle handling.	Medium	Moderate	Low	Fits keepers who can maintain warm, humid hides with consistent UVB or natural sun access.	Offer leaf litter, humid hides, variety of greens, fungi, and occasional fruit or protein treats.	Requires moderate humidity, UVB, and balanced calcium; monitor for shell softening and mites.