baby maquarie turtle.

Question
Hi, i recently got a baby maquarie turtle, for my 13th birthday he/she is about the size of a (aus) 50cent piece so cute. I was wondering over time will he/she get to know who I am by my voice? Is it okay to get him/her out of the tank? Thanks alot. Riley. (from Australia)

Answer
Hi Riley,

It is always nice to hear from our Aussie neighbors. Australia has so many fascinating reptiles, I would love to come thee one day and catch a few.

Your macquarie turtle is VERY cool turtle, they are very similar to the African sideneck turtle. Like most turtles they are turtles of habit. They recognize movements and timed behavior. For instance if you walk to the tank and tap the glass two times everytime you feed him, he will recognize that immediately. They are not too fond of voices but rather vibrations they feel better. You can remove them from the water but not for too long, they are usually pretty shy turtles and prefer the cover of water.

I hope this helps. If you want e-mail a picture of your turtle and I will post it on my website.

Nate
http://petshoptalk.com/postyourpet.html