Although Yellow Bellied Turtles naturally live in the Eastern areas of the United States, they are bred in captivity in other countries. They are aquatic turtles that live in fresh water. In warmer weather, they spend hours basking on logs or rocks around their preferred body of water. If you want to raise Yellow Bellied Turtles, there are a few things to consider.Yellow Bellied Turtles have a lifespan of 10 to 25 years in their natural habitat. That number is most likely shortened to 10 to 12 years if they are living as pets. You may want to raise one for yourself or you may want to have several and try breeding them. Whatever your reasons for wanting a Yellow Bellied Turtle, they can be very high maintenance pets. And since they live for several years as pets, you should make sure that you are up for the commitment. They are generally considered to make good pets but they have been known to bite. It’s best to mind your fingers, especially when feeding them.
Yellow Bellied Turtles are omnivorous in adulthood. They will eat insect and amphibian larvae, snails, land plants, water plants, fish and smaller crustaceans. Baby yellow bellied turtles are almost completely carnivorous, as are most baby turtles. The females are generally going to be larger than the males. They can grow to be just over a foot long. If you are going to be raising several turtles, you will need a rather large tank. You can start out with a smaller tank and replace it with a larger one as the turtles grow or you can estimate what size tank you will need for your adult turtle or turtles and buy that size to begin with. Since these are water turtles, it may be good to use a 2/3 water to 1/3 land ratio in the tank. They will need enough water to comfortably swim around and turn over in.
Over all, if you are a turtle lover or just want to raise turtles, the Yellow Bellied Turtles are a good choice for pets. They are one of the more social species of water turtles and will grow to a good size. As long as you are willing to put in the necessary time and money, you should be quite happy with your choice of pet. Yellow Bellied Turtles will live a long time as a pet and provide you with enjoyable companions.