Pet Turtle Care: Exceptional Characteristics of Various Turtles

If you have a pet turtle or you are an avid turtle enthusiast, then you do not only know the basic things and information about this shelled animal but also its exceptional characteristics. Turtles, specifically the marine species, inhabit saline, brackish and fresh waters. Sea turtles have firm beak-like mouths that they need to tear foods. They have bigger shells, strong flippers and lungs to breathe while in the ocean.

Here are some varieties of pet turtle species. The loggerhead turtles are vertebral. They usually grow up to 95 centimeters at 55 kilograms weight. The loggerheads carry three intra-marginal scute pairs. They have fore-flippers in, a pair of claws, sturdy jaws and a bigger head. They are carnivorous turtles and the males have longer and thicker tails with thinner shells.

Another pet turtle species is known as the green marine turtle. This species is called as such due to the green-colored fat in their bodies. These creatures are generally omnivorous. Green turtles can develop up to 120 centimeters. They can also weigh up to 150 kilograms in weight. Green sea turtles have black colored hatchlings. When they turn older, they usually become brown. Their foreheads have a pair of scales. They also have claws on their fore-flipper as well as jagged claws.

Of the pet turtle species, the black sea turtle are species that carry a claw on each flipper. They have black markings which is why these are called with such name. They have jagged jaws. Black turtles can reach the length of 117 centimeters. They can weigh up to 126 kilograms and are primarily omnivores.

The leatherback turtle is not one of the regular pet turtle species. Leatherbacks are the largest of the sea turtle species. They have black or blue bodies with pink or white patches. They grow up to 210 centimeters long and weigh as heavy as 900 kilograms. These species have leathery and smooth skin. Similar to loggerheads, they are also carnivorous turtles. Leatherbacks have claws and serrated jaws. The can tolerate different temperatures in the ocean.

Olive ridley turtles are another pet turtle species which have gray-brown hatchlings. The olive green color is obtained when they grow older. If the leatherbacks are the biggest, the olive ridleys are the tiniest of sea turtles, growing to merely grow at 70 centimeters with a 50 kilogram weight. Also, they have up to 9 lateral scutes and nearly round shells.