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Anyone have a turtle? (1 Viewer)

We have a red eared slider. If you have a good filter it's really low maintenance but also not that fun. Can be dangerous for kids because of the possibility of salmonella poisoning. They also can live for like 40 years. Do not recommend.

 
a tortoise is a better option. Turtles require water. I would recommend a Russian Tortoise. Very easy maintenance and you can take him out and let him walk around the yard.

 
Turtles do smell, and aren't 'fun' for a kid. A tortoise is a better choice, due to its portability for a 'fun' factor.

Goldfish are an option but are very messy fish. I'll second fatguy's recommendation of a betta. Lots of color and wow factor for the son and can be kept in relatively small containers (smaller containder = more maintenance, the water quality turns south faster).

 
fantasycurse42 said:
Okay, what would be a recommendation for set it and forget it?
Click to expand...
Ant farm maybe?

What are you looking to accomplish?

If you're looking for a pet, betta would be my recommendation. Cheap initial investment (bowl, fish, water conditioner, food). All in maybe ~$20. Just change it's water every week (or every other is bigger bowl).

If it's an activity, those grow crystals, or sponge things that grow in water were a hit with my girls. That or planting seeds/small plants over the summer.

 
odin33 said:
fantasycurse42 said:
Okay, what would be a recommendation for set it and forget it?
Click to expand...
Ant farm maybe?

What are you looking to accomplish?

If you're looking for a pet, betta would be my recommendation. Cheap initial investment (bowl, fish, water conditioner, food). All in maybe ~$20. Just change it's water every week (or every other is bigger bowl).

If it's an activity, those grow crystals, or sponge things that grow in water were a hit with my girls. That or planting seeds/small plants over the summer.
Click to expand...
Son had a class trip to Petco today... Wife said he had the greatest day ever and we need to buy him a pet. I was just going to grab a turtle on the way home bc I figured they just sit there, do nothing, don't smell, and are harmless.

Glad I checked in.

 
I've got two red-eared sliders. They're mean, you can't take them out of their tank without risking getting bitten. Even with a good filter the water gets dirty. Just about any other aquatic creature you put in with them will become dinner. They start off cute and small but now are each the size of a small plate. And they can live a very long time.

Go for it!

 
Last edited by a moderator:
My son got one (he's 8) and apparently I'm the only one in the house qualified to clean its tank.

Last time I waited so long, the tank was just coated in black...something (mold maybe?).

Anyway, I was shocked the turtle survived in that mess for a couple of months. I was super pissed when my wife never got it cleaned during their Spring Break. I think we got into two fights over the turtle's tank.

But yeah, they're great pets. :rolleyes:

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Gerbil is definitely not set and forget. PITA to clean their cages. Plus some of them are professional escape artists.

What about a hermit crap. Cheap, easy to care for, can jazz his shell up or have options and your son will have something to watch.

 
MikeIke said:
I've got two red-eared sliders. They're mean, you can't take them out of their tank without risking getting bitten. Even with a good filter the water gets dirty. Just about any other aquatic creature you put in with them will become dinner. They start off cute and small but now are each the size of a small plate. And they can live a very long time.

Go for it!
Click to expand...
:goodposting:

odin33 said:
Gerbil is definitely not set and forget. PITA to clean their cages. Plus some of them are professional escape artists.

What about a hermit crap. Cheap, easy to care for, can jazz his shell up or have options and your son will have something to watch.
Click to expand...
Gerbils are a piece of cake. Take them out of the cage, put them in a box. Dump all the old filler out of the cage. Put in new filler. Walla.

Hermit crabs are crappy pets. They're nocturnal by nature and die quickly.

 
fantasycurse42 said:
odin33 said:
fantasycurse42 said:
Okay, what would be a recommendation for set it and forget it?
Click to expand...
Ant farm maybe?

What are you looking to accomplish?

If you're looking for a pet, betta would be my recommendation. Cheap initial investment (bowl, fish, water conditioner, food). All in maybe ~$20. Just change it's water every week (or every other is bigger bowl).

If it's an activity, those grow crystals, or sponge things that grow in water were a hit with my girls. That or planting seeds/small plants over the summer.
Click to expand...
Son had a class trip to Petco today... Wife said he had the greatest day ever and we need to buy him a pet. I was just going to grab a turtle on the way home bc I figured they just sit there, do nothing, don't smell, and are harmless.

Glad I checked in.
Click to expand...
is telling the kid 'no' not an option?

 
a couple years back, I got my kids a fish tank. have 12 fish or so in there. It takes me about 5 minutes every 2-3 weeks to change some of the water out while vacuuming the rocks.

 
jomar said:
fantasycurse42 said:
odin33 said:
fantasycurse42 said:
Okay, what would be a recommendation for set it and forget it?
Click to expand...
Ant farm maybe?

What are you looking to accomplish?

If you're looking for a pet, betta would be my recommendation. Cheap initial investment (bowl, fish, water conditioner, food). All in maybe ~$20. Just change it's water every week (or every other is bigger bowl).

If it's an activity, those grow crystals, or sponge things that grow in water were a hit with my girls. That or planting seeds/small plants over the summer.
Click to expand...
Son had a class trip to Petco today... Wife said he had the greatest day ever and we need to buy him a pet. I was just going to grab a turtle on the way home bc I figured they just sit there, do nothing, don't smell, and are harmless.

Glad I checked in.
Click to expand...
is telling the kid 'no' not an option?
Click to expand...
Sure, but telling the wife no is a little more complicated.

 
Jayrod said:
My son got one (he's 8) and apparently I'm the only one in the house qualified to clean its tank.

Last time I waited so long, the tank was just coated in black...something (mold maybe?).

Anyway, I was shocked the turtle survived in that mess for a couple of months. I was super pissed when my wife never got it cleaned during their Spring Break. I think we got into two fights over the turtle's tank.

But yeah, they're great pets. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Get a sucker fish to take care of that moldy stuff. That's the only thing the turtles haven't eaten, though he does have a few holes in his fins. Ours looks like this.

 
fantasycurse42 said:
jomar said:
fantasycurse42 said:
odin33 said:
fantasycurse42 said:
Okay, what would be a recommendation for set it and forget it?
Click to expand...
Ant farm maybe?

What are you looking to accomplish?

If you're looking for a pet, betta would be my recommendation. Cheap initial investment (bowl, fish, water conditioner, food). All in maybe ~$20. Just change it's water every week (or every other is bigger bowl).

If it's an activity, those grow crystals, or sponge things that grow in water were a hit with my girls. That or planting seeds/small plants over the summer.
Click to expand...
Son had a class trip to Petco today... Wife said he had the greatest day ever and we need to buy him a pet. I was just going to grab a turtle on the way home bc I figured they just sit there, do nothing, don't smell, and are harmless.

Glad I checked in.
Click to expand...
is telling the kid 'no' not an option?
Click to expand...
Sure, but telling the wife no is a little more complicated.
Click to expand...
whats complicated? tell her the kid can have a pet when he's old enough to care for one. or she can find him a pet and be responsible for it. :shrug:

 
We lost a few small turtles within a couple of weeks when we were kids. You can consider a leopard gecko if you like reptiles. Otherwise, a guinea pig is easy to take care off and it won't bite. Hamsters are cool too because they like to run in a wheel and climb through tunnels.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Get a box turtle, they're low maintenance.

Don't get a red ear slider if you're not prepared to set up an aquarium for it/them.

 
MikeIke said:
I've got two red-eared sliders. They're mean, you can't take them out of their tank without risking getting bitten. Even with a good filter the water gets dirty. Just about any other aquatic creature you put in with them will become dinner. They start off cute and small but now are each the size of a small plate. And they can live a very long time.

Go for it!
Click to expand...
My friends have one of these. The damn thing was purchased in chinatown for $1 about 7 years ago. They're also the least responsible adults you'll ever meet. Not sure how this thing is still alive.

 
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