# Freshwater Aquariums > New To the Hobby ? >  Not fish - terrapins/turtles...

## Ian

interested in keeping two terrapins/turtles (whats the difference?) but don't know alot about them, not sure if anyone here does but thought it may be worth asking  :Smile: 

I know they need an area to come out of the water and they need a UV light (or at least this is what i have been told) but what else? other than the obvious heater/filter. How fast do they grow? how long would a 3ft tank last them? don't want to fork out for a tank only to find out they will out grow it in a couple of months

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## Timo

They grow quite fast m8. A three foot tank might hold them for about a year. To be frank with you i dont think pet shops should sell them to people! A lot of pet shops have stop selling them now around here. There is a place round here for unwanted animals and i was shocked when i saw 100s of them all crammed around the pond inside. What are u going to do when they get to big, kill them or pass the burden to a rescue centre? I know i sound harsh and they do look cute when there small but these are the facts!

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## Ian

get a bigger tank....thats why i was asking how fast they grow  :lol: . if a 3ft tank would hold them for 2 or 3 years then i would use that for now as appose to getting a huge tank first off

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## Timo

This PDF is quite good Keeping Fresh Water Terrapins worth a read. http://www.reptilehouse.net/care/terrapin(26).pdf

Originally native to the UK some 8,000 years ago, the terrapin has made a fateful return to our waterways in the aftermath of 1980s 'turtle mania'. 

Tiny baby terrapins, roughly the size of a 50 pence coin, were once thought ideal pets for youngsters in thrall of the Ninja Turtle cartoon heroes. Consequently, aquarium tanks became a common feature of many British homes.


Today, these pets have grown to the size of a dinner plate and developed enough strength to break free of their tanks. Their subsequent, and irresponsible, release into the wild has prompted fears for the health of local wildlife, as well as the terrapins themselves who are ill-equipped to survive in the damp British climate.

Terrapins, along with tortoises and turtles, are known as Chelonians - reptiles with shells. They are almost totally aquatic but also need dry land to bask on during sunny days. Still waters and rivers in the Midlands and Southern England support the largest terrapin populations. These are largely made up of American red-eared terrapins, although snapper turtles and European pond terrapins have also been spotted along our waterways. It is unlikely that these animals are breeding, as terrapin eggs need to be incubated at 25 degrees Celsius for around 60 days in order to hatch. Anyone familiar with the British summer knows exactly how unlikely that is!

the facts

Appearance: Similar in colour and appearance to a tortoise. Red-eared turtles can easily be identified by the red stripes on both sides of their head

Size: Adults can reach 40cm

Weight: Up to 2kg

Lifespan: 30 years

Diet: Terrapins are omnivorous and will eat a variety of fish, worms, small animals, snails and vegetation

Family: Testudinidae

did you know?

* Despite their sharp beaks, you can hold a terrapin quite safely by placing your hands mid-way along its shell
* In Britain we use the term 'tortoise' for any land-dwelling species, 'terrapin' for semi-aquatic species and 'turtle' for marine species. In the USA, the term 'turtle' refers to any reptile with a shell
* Despite the media outcry, it is doubtful that terrapins will do any serious long-term damage to our native wildlife. Terrapins are unlikely to survive in the wild for any length of time due to our hostile climate and the unsuitable diet available for them.

Source waterscape.

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## Nemo

oooooh terrapins.....
3footer will only hold them for about 6 months, when you get it you will probly notice the size diffrence a month or so.  :lol:  plus not forgetting you got plenty of other fishes, so if your going for it, just start off with double the tank then you dont have to worry about moving them and changing tanks once they have settled.

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## Ian

so a 6ft tank (funking hell! lmao) would be good for their entire lives? im assuming it would have to be about 2ft wide and 2ft tall too?

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## Not_much_cop

Hi,

I have 2 red eared sliders/terrapins I am looking at re-homing if anyone is interested. They are several years old now, I have had them for the last 4 years or so, about 8-9 inches.


Regards.

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