TURTLES AND TORTOISES
All of our turtles and tortoises are rescues! Most of them were unwanted pets that were in need of a second home.
Alligator Snapping Turtle
Macrochelys temminckii
Lifespan: 100 years
Maximum Size: 220 pounds (record: 400 pounds), 2.5 feet long
Diet: FIsh
Conservation Status: Vulnerable
Fun Fact: My tongue looks almost exactly like a worm! I open my mouth and sit still while I wiggle my tongue to lure fish into my mouth!
Diamondback Terrapin
Malaclemys terrapin
Lifespan: 25-40 years
Maximum Size: .5 pound, 5.5 inches male; 1.5 pounds 11 inches female
Diet: Snails, crabs, bivalves, worms, fish, insects
Conservation Status: Vulnerable
Fun Fact: Our primary habitat is the mangrove estuaries of the south-eastern United States and we can survive in either fresh or salt water. When in salt water, we excrete excess salt from glands near their eyes.
Aldabara Tortoise
Geochelone gigantea
Lifespan: Debated, 80-200 years
Maximum Size: 550 pounds, 4 foot carapace male; 350 pounds, 3 foot carapace female
Diet: Vegetation, meat when available
Conservation Status: Vulnerable
Fun Fact: We are very social and intelligent reptiles. We spend time together in the wild (on the Aldabara Islands) and in captivity we recognize and respond to our caretakers.
Softshell Turtle
Apalone ferox
Lifespan: Debated, 20-50 years
Maximum Size: 1 foot carapace male, 2 foot carapace female
Diet: Small fish
Conservation Status: Least Concern
Fun Fact: Unlike most other turtles, my shell is actually soft and leathery. I lack the bony scutes that most other turtles have. This flexible shell allows me to move quickly in water and run quickly on land.
We take in turtles of all sizes and several species! Check out some of the species that call the aquarium home.
