Turtle tank ideas.

[Emmey]

Ok my little brother's 12 birthday is coming and we are thinking a pet Mud turtle, but we need enclosure ideas for this species. Up to 150 dollars is the limit, so give me your ideas!

 

[EverythingDucks]

I wouldn't recommend a mud turtle as a pet for a 12 year old. They're small and cute, but a lot of work and they can smell bad.
Mud turtles can live up to 50 years in captivity, which is a huge commitment.
Unfortunately, turtles are advertised as easy pets and people sell extremely small enclosures for them, which are not at all appropriate. There's a lot of out dated information on them so it's important to do plenty of research. Enclosures tend to be pretty expensive, and you'll also need substrate, decor, a filter, and proper heating/lighting.
A reptile vet should be considered as well, as they are not very common.
If he likes reptiles, I may be able to offer some better suggestions.

 

[Emmey]

I wouldn't recommend a mud turtle as a pet for a 12 year old. They're small and cute, but a lot of work and they can smell bad.
Mud turtles can live up to 50 years in captivity, which is a huge commitment.
Unfortunately, turtles are advertised as easy pets and people sell extremely small enclosures for them, which are not at all appropriate. There's a lot of out dated information on them so it's important to do plenty of research. Enclosures tend to be pretty expensive, and you'll also need substrate, decor, a filter, and proper heating/lighting.
A reptile vet should be considered as well, as they are not very common.
If he likes reptiles, I may be able to offer some better suggestions.

Any recommendations then?

 

[EverythingDucks]

Any recommendations then?

Is $150 your total budget or just for an enclosure?
Personally, I'd talk to him about what he would want first, and spend the money on a nice enclosure for him. Then take the time to set it up, get the supplies, and find a reputable breeder.
A few things to keep in mind when choosing a reptile:

1. What are you comfortable feeding? Live insects, frozen rats/mice, fruits/veggies?
2. What space do you have? Something terrestrial is going to take up more floor space, whereas an arboreal reptile needs mostly vertical space. Keep in mind most reptiles actually need 40+ gallons.
3. Are you wanting more of a "display" animal, or something easy to handle? Not sure of this will be your first reptile, but something naturally docile will be easier to care for.
4. Who will be the main caretaker? Are you or your parents willing to care for it if your brother loses interest or becomes too busy?
5. Do you know someone with reptile experience who could care for it while you're away?

House geckos stay pretty small and are easy to care for. They're a tropical species, so they'll need a rather humid climate that will need daily misting. They eat a variety of small feeder insects, mine prefers small crickets, with wax worms as a treat. They can live up to about 10 years in captivity. Not the most handle-able due to how small, fast, and fragile they are though. They will drop their tails if stressed, but they do grow back. Most are wild caught. My adult lives in a bioactive 20 gallon vertical enclosure.

Toads, while not a reptile, are also easy to care for. They do get bigger than house geckos. And on average they have a lifespan of 10-12 years but some have lived up to 30. They can be cohabitated in large enclosures when they are of the same size. I would recommend a 20 gallon for an adult. My juvenile is currently in a 16 gallon. They aren't very picky, and can eat a wide variety of feeder insects like crickets, mealworms, dubia roaches, and black soilder fly larvae. It's difficult to find captive bred toads though. If he likes amphibians there are a few other good options, though I'm not as familiar with their care.

Crested geckos are a popular option. They can live 15-20 years, it's easy to find breeders, and there are many different morphs (which are color/pattern mutations). They are very friendly and easy to handle when well socialized. They are still quite fragile though and love to jump (without much thought lol), so be careful with them. They will easily drop their tails if stressed or spooked, though they don't grow back. This is very common for them.
Babies can be housed in smaller enclosures, but an adult should be in at least a 30 gallon vertical enclosure (40+ gallons is better). Like house geckos, they are a tropical species that needs high humidity. They need thick substrate that can hold humidity well such as cocofiber or a bioactive mix. They should have lots of climbing opportunities and enrichment, which is why a larger enclosure in recommend.

A few more common "beginner" reptiles are bearded dragons, ball pythons, and corn snakes, but as adults they need 120 gallon enclosures (4x2x2 ft). I recommend avoiding any information from chain pet stores such as petco and petsmart, their care guides are wildly inaccurate and their animals come from unethical environments. As with any animal, please look into reputable breeders, this will have a great effect on the health of your reptile.
If you'd like more information on any of these I'd be happy to offer some resources, and I hope this helps!

 

[Emmey]

Is $150 your total budget or just for an enclosure?
Personally, I'd talk to him about what he would want first, and spend the money on a nice enclosure for him. Then take the time to set it up, get the supplies, and find a reputable breeder.
A few things to keep in mind when choosing a reptile:

1. What are you comfortable feeding? Live insects, frozen rats/mice, fruits/veggies?
2. What space do you have? Something terrestrial is going to take up more floor space, whereas an arboreal reptile needs mostly vertical space. Keep in mind most reptiles actually need 40+ gallons.
3. Are you wanting more of a "display" animal, or something easy to handle? Not sure of this will be your first reptile, but something naturally docile will be easier to care for.
4. Who will be the main caretaker? Are you or your parents willing to care for it if your brother loses interest or becomes too busy?
5. Do you know someone with reptile experience who could care for it while you're away?

House geckos stay pretty small and are easy to care for. They're a tropical species, so they'll need a rather humid climate that will need daily misting. They eat a variety of small feeder insects, mine prefers small crickets, with wax worms as a treat. They can live up to about 10 years in captivity. Not the most handle-able due to how small, fast, and fragile they are though. They will drop their tails if stressed, but they do grow back. Most are wild caught. My adult lives in a bioactive 20 gallon vertical enclosure.

Toads, while not a reptile, are also easy to care for. They do get bigger than house geckos. And on average they have a lifespan of 10-12 years but some have lived up to 30. They can be cohabitated in large enclosures when they are of the same size. I would recommend a 20 gallon for an adult. My juvenile is currently in a 16 gallon. They aren't very picky, and can eat a wide variety of feeder insects like crickets, mealworms, dubia roaches, and black soilder fly larvae. It's difficult to find captive bred toads though. If he likes amphibians there are a few other good options, though I'm not as familiar with their care.

Crested geckos are a popular option. They can live 15-20 years, it's easy to find breeders, and there are many different morphs (which are color/pattern mutations). They are very friendly and easy to handle when well socialized. They are still quite fragile though and love to jump (without much thought lol), so be careful with them. They will easily drop their tails if stressed or spooked, though they don't grow back. This is very common for them.
Babies can be housed in smaller enclosures, but an adult should be in at least a 30 gallon vertical enclosure (40+ gallons is better). Like house geckos, they are a tropical species that needs high humidity. They need thick substrate that can hold humidity well such as cocofiber or a bioactive mix. They should have lots of climbing opportunities and enrichment, which is why a larger enclosure in recommend.

A few more common "beginner" reptiles are bearded dragons, ball pythons, and corn snakes, but as adults they need 120 gallon enclosures (4x2x2 ft). I recommend avoiding any information from chain pet stores such as petco and petsmart, their care guides are wildly inaccurate and their animals come from unethical environments. As with any animal, please look into reputable breeders, this will have a great effect on the health of your reptile.
If you'd like more information on any of these I'd be happy to offer some resources, and I hope this helps!

Ok, thank you!!!

 

[La granja grande]

Is $150 your total budget or just for an enclosure?
Personally, I'd talk to him about what he would want first, and spend the money on a nice enclosure for him. Then take the time to set it up, get the supplies, and find a reputable breeder.
A few things to keep in mind when choosing a reptile:

1. What are you comfortable feeding? Live insects, frozen rats/mice, fruits/veggies?
2. What space do you have? Something terrestrial is going to take up more floor space, whereas an arboreal reptile needs mostly vertical space. Keep in mind most reptiles actually need 40+ gallons.
3. Are you wanting more of a "display" animal, or something easy to handle? Not sure of this will be your first reptile, but something naturally docile will be easier to care for.
4. Who will be the main caretaker? Are you or your parents willing to care for it if your brother loses interest or becomes too busy?
5. Do you know someone with reptile experience who could care for it while you're away?

House geckos stay pretty small and are easy to care for. They're a tropical species, so they'll need a rather humid climate that will need daily misting. They eat a variety of small feeder insects, mine prefers small crickets, with wax worms as a treat. They can live up to about 10 years in captivity. Not the most handle-able due to how small, fast, and fragile they are though. They will drop their tails if stressed, but they do grow back. Most are wild caught. My adult lives in a bioactive 20 gallon vertical enclosure.

Toads, while not a reptile, are also easy to care for. They do get bigger than house geckos. And on average they have a lifespan of 10-12 years but some have lived up to 30. They can be cohabitated in large enclosures when they are of the same size. I would recommend a 20 gallon for an adult. My juvenile is currently in a 16 gallon. They aren't very picky, and can eat a wide variety of feeder insects like crickets, mealworms, dubia roaches, and black soilder fly larvae. It's difficult to find captive bred toads though. If he likes amphibians there are a few other good options, though I'm not as familiar with their care.

Crested geckos are a popular option. They can live 15-20 years, it's easy to find breeders, and there are many different morphs (which are color/pattern mutations). They are very friendly and easy to handle when well socialized. They are still quite fragile though and love to jump (without much thought lol), so be careful with them. They will easily drop their tails if stressed or spooked, though they don't grow back. This is very common for them.
Babies can be housed in smaller enclosures, but an adult should be in at least a 30 gallon vertical enclosure (40+ gallons is better). Like house geckos, they are a tropical species that needs high humidity. They need thick substrate that can hold humidity well such as cocofiber or a bioactive mix. They should have lots of climbing opportunities and enrichment, which is why a larger enclosure in recommend.

A few more common "beginner" reptiles are bearded dragons, ball pythons, and corn snakes, but as adults they need 120 gallon enclosures (4x2x2 ft). I recommend avoiding any information from chain pet stores such as petco and petsmart, their care guides are wildly inaccurate and their animals come from unethical environments. As with any animal, please look into reputable breeders, this will have a great effect on the health of your reptile.
If you'd like more information on any of these I'd be happy to offer some resources, and I hope this helps!

thanks for righting this out the way you did, i completely agree, i used to specialize in various species of chelonians, and they are NOT for beginners, i know everybody loves them cuz they are cute and cool looking. but there a lot of work, and a life time commitment.