Turtle Cost

How Much Does a Turtle Cost?

Medium: $15-$50

High: $150+

When selecting a turtle for a pet, the first consideration is its home -- will it be wet or dry? Turtles are mainly aquatic and tortoises live on dry land.

Typical costs:

Common aquatic pets include the Eastern Painted turtle[1] which has red and yellow stripes and olive or black shells. Priced around $15, they reach 5-10 inches in length and live between 15-25 years. Red-eared sliders live 30-70 years and cost $7-$18.
Dry-land species include the small box turtle which grows 5-6 inches long and runs $30-$75. They regularly live 30-40 years, while some have been known to reach 100. Russian Tortoises cost $75-$95. Young Sulcata tortoises cost $50-$75, and mature to around 2.5 feet in length and up to 110 pounds. On the higher end, the spur thigh tortoise costs about $150 and the Leopard tortoise[2] costs around $250.

Related articles: Rabbit, Fish, Hamster

What should be included:

A certificate of health.

Additional costs:

Aquatic setup: A tank, heater and filtration unit can run $400-$700. Red-eared sliders need a large aquarium filled with water 1 and a half times deeper than the turtle's width. A full-grown slider will need a 55-72-gallon tank for around $100, a UV spotlight for $20-$30, a large flat river rock for about $30, a water heater for $20-$30, a water pump for around $20, an aquatic filter for $20-$50 and aquarium gravel which runs $14 for a 25-pound bag. An aquarium stand designed to keep the turtles up off the floor runs about $50.
Dry set up: Dry tanks cost $150-$200 and include a UV light for $20-$30. The Tortoise Trust maintains an online guide to caring for a box turtle[3] . A water dish large (around $10)must be available all the times. Indoor terrariums must be misted daily to maintain humidity.
Turtles require a combination of animal protein, vegetables and commercial turtle feed. Typically, turtles are fed 3-4 times a week with some fruits and vegetables at an average cost of $20-$40 a month. Add $25 per year for pellets or 50-cents a day for cat food. Vitamin supplements run about $10 per year. Live food costs around $20 per year.
An initial veterinarian check up will cost about $120. Typical annual veterinary visits run $20-$80. Expect to spend $100-$200 for any treatment requiring lab tests.

Shopping for a turtle:

TurtleHomes.org helps place turtles and tortoises and provides an onlineadoption application.
Turtles may be purchased online[4] at several stores which include overnight shipping.
Petsmart sells red-eared sliders. Check the store locator[5] , then call for price and availability.

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What People Are Paying - Recent Comments

pet redeared slider turtle

Amount: $18.00

Posted by: sterling kemp in baldwin, NY.	Posted: September 12th, 2019 06:09AM
Type: redeared slider turtle	Store: petco