Turtle or Snake?

[Horsy]

Since my snake passed away I've been saving for a new enclosure (the one my snake was in now holds my frogs). We were at the pet shop today and I saw some turtles and I've always wanted them but wasn't allowed. Mum said "This time around you can either get another snake or two turtles but you can't have both" so now I have to decide. If I got another snake I'd probably go with a MD or Coastal.
What are your opinions?

 

[cris]

turtle

 

[MrBredli]

I'd go with a turtle, but they are far more costly to set up and maintain.

 

[Horsy]

I do love snakes though. Especially when they are huge. And when we move house we are moving to a farm so we'd have a pond/dam that I could buy and keep some turtles in..it's hard to decide.

 

[mrboajangles]

i have had a turtle i find them over rated!!!
Snakes are a lot less work!!! and easier to feed etc

 

[peterjohnson64]

get a pair of Mary River Turtle hatchies

 

[cyclamen]

guess it all depends on what you want.
i have 3 turts , 1 murray and 2 saw-shelled. they are great to watch and do have alot of charecter. but you cant really hold them and interact with them alot.
i dont hold any of my snakes just for pure enjoyment anyway. but u can interact with them on a different level.
people say turtles are messy and smelly. but i think thats crap. i have 3 in a massive tank with a super filter pump thingie and i just emptied it out cause we moving and the water was still really clean with no poo at the bottom. so if u go with turtles. get a good pump. decisions decisions..

 

[peterjohnson64]

i have had a turtle i find them over rated!!!
Snakes are a lot less work!!! and easier to feed etc

I NEVER feed my long necks as they eat feeder fish that breed themselves. I am afraid that my snakes are a lot more work than that!!!

 

[Hoppa1874]

i wood pik a snake.. must less drama.. and a cool pet..

 

[Horsy]

Yeah before I got my reptile license back in the day I wanted a turtle which was the reason I got my license. I spent about 6 hours one day researching them so I know ALOT, especialyl sizes and food variations and things like that so I am aware how big they get.
But I love both of them! Arbok was really good for me because she was such a friendly, easy-going snake. I loved that in her..hmm what to get!

 

[cyclamen]

I NEVER feed my long necks as they eat feeder fish that breed themselves. I am afraid that my snakes are a lot more work than that!!!

yep i am with PJ on this. my turtles are way less work than all my snakes. everyday i spend an hour with the snakes refilling water, picking out crap. fixing what they have knocked over or whatever...
turtle takes me 2 mins to check on em.
and they have lots of feeder fish, and gold fish and stuff to eat when ever they want.

 

[MMAnne]

It depends what you want from your new pet. I have never had turtles, but I believe snakes are better with handling. If you want a pet you can handle and (in my opinion) is great to watch, go with a snake, but if you want a pet that is beautiful to watch but not the best to handle, go for a turtle.

I personally like snakes better. Turtles are beautiful but snakes are too and I like to be able to handle and hold my pets. If I could have both, I would definately get turtles, but if I had to chose I would go with a snake.

But in the end, it is your decision. Do you want something different this time round (like a turtle) or do you think you would enjoy another snake more?

 

[Horsy]

So the water doesn't get very dirty and need changing often if you just have a good pump?
My dad had a huge aquarium full of fish and he used to get a guy in once a month to completely clean it all for about $40. I was thinking of doing that but if you don't need too..
How often do you do a water change? Even just a 25% or 50% change?

 

[Horsy]

But in the end, it is your decision. Do you want something different this time round (like a turtle) or do you think you would enjoy another snake more?

The thing is, I want both! Haha. My snake was so beautiful and a real gem to handle but what if my next snake isn't? It could put me off alot. Hmm. I hate decisions.

 

[cyclamen]

The thing is, I want both! Haha. My snake was so beautiful and a real gem to handle but what if my next snake isn't? It could put me off alot. Hmm. I hate decisions.

i usually do a 50% water change every month. and maybe every 3 months i empty it out completely. but each time i do it. its still spotless. turtles eat the fish poo. they are real vacuums. lol. they eat anything they can get too.
a good pump is the way to go. it shoots my smaller turtles about a foot away if they get infront of it. its pretty powerful. but the big murray can swim right up to it now.

 

[mrboajangles]

yep i am with PJ on this. my turtles are way less work than all my snakes. everyday i spend an hour with the snakes refilling water, picking out crap. fixing what they have knocked over or whatever...
turtle takes me 2 mins to check on em.
and they have lots of feeder fish, and gold fish and stuff to eat when ever they want.

how many snakes do you have??
when i had over 15 at one time it took me less then an hour on feeding day, they only crap once every feed. I have alot less now and it would take me no more then 15 min a week keeping them good!!
I only had one turtle so i guess i cant really say much about them, mine lived with a mertens maybe he was the one that made it seem like alot of work!

 

[ldheav]

turtles althoug more expensive may be a change from snakes for you

 

[cyclamen]

how many snakes do you have??
when i had over 15 at one time it took me less then an hour on feeding day, they only crap once every feed. I have alot less now and it would take me no more then 15 min a week keeping them good!!
I only had one turtle so i guess i cant really say much about them, mine lived with a mertens maybe he was the one that made it seem like alot of work!

i have a few snakes now. but because i choose not to handle them just for the heck of it. i spend alot of time watching them as well. so that was included in the hour. after i change there water. i sit back and watch them come out to see what i have done. that is the way i like to interact with them.

 

[mrboajangles]

lol, yeah i aint big on handling either, prefer to watch!!

Hey how about you get a monitor

 

[Horsy]

My best mate and I are planning on moving in together once she finished highschool. At that time I'm allowed as many reptiles and I want as long as she can have her own wallaroo or sugar glider so if I was to get a turtle now, I could get a snake later on.
How fast do turtles grow? Would it be best to get a 4ft tank right away that would hold them for a long time before upgrading to a 6ft or 8ft when they are adults/ make a pond outside or should I just get the 2ft started and go from there? Will they outgrow the 2ft in a short time?