# Penny turtles



## punk_uzi (Jun 20, 2006)

Hey all i was just wondering if penny turtles were illegal in australia....? any help will be appreciated greatly... thanx suzi


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## BeardyBen (Jun 20, 2006)

Hi Punk Penny turtles are a myth, they are just baby shortnecks that were sold as penny turtles and then got the nickname. most natives grow to approx 20-30cm shell diameter.


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## Lurk (Jun 20, 2006)

Hang on I am no expert and I know what pet shops use to tell people about so called "Penny turtles".But I was corrected one day when someone told me once that there is such a thing but they are exotic and you cant get them in Australia.
Now I do not know how much truth there was to that :? But there may possibly be someone who can tell me and any one else who wants to know.So does someone know?


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## bigguy (Jun 20, 2006)

Penny turtles are not a breed. It is the term pet shops used for baby turles which are normally the size of the old penny coins when they hatch.

As I like to say to people, you do not call a kitten a new species of cat, nor do you call a puppy a new species of dog. Penny turtles are exactly the same. Just a name given to baby turtles.


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## Lurk (Jun 20, 2006)

Ok so there are no exotic turtles that go by that name?


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## punk_uzi (Jun 20, 2006)

*Maybe Google it???*

Maybe I should google it???


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## Kersten (Jun 20, 2006)

*RE: Maybe Google it???*

Ummm there might not be much point googling it as even if there is an exotic with the name penny turtle it will definitely be illegal here since all exotics are. Well....the one's which haven't been bought in by the government that is lol. Suffice it to say that Bigguy and Ben are right, there's no such Australian animal.


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## Lurk (Jun 20, 2006)

*RE: Maybe Google it???*

I knew there was not a turtle called that in Australia but someone said there was one that was exotic and I was curiouse.
Punk even if there was and I dont think there is,you cannot have one sorry. But it is not a rare question


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## punk_uzi (Jun 20, 2006)

*RE: Maybe Google it???*

Damn Government...Kill all my fun...Well since I live in an apartment (I do have a licence now tho! YAY!) Whats the smallest breed of turtle? (Ie I mean that wont grow too big???)


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## SLACkra (Jun 20, 2006)

*RE: Maybe Google it???*

if you google "penny turtle" you end up with a lot of links about how penny turtles do not exist, are myths, names given to baby turtles by pet shops ect. you even get a link to the VHS website 

sorry but they do not exist however there are some smallish species of native freshwater turtles that get to only around 20cms in length which is quite small and would probably be suitable to have as a pet inside.

andrew


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## Rennie (Jun 20, 2006)

*RE: Maybe Google it???*

Yes, Craig Latta has a variety of Murray River Turtle that only gets about 19cm for $90 each, besides most hatchling turtles would be able to live in a tank for a few years at least, they don't grow very fast from my very limited experience. I've had 3 for about 3 months and can't see any size difference yet, they're still only "penny turtles" or "50 cent turtles" if you like. :lol:


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## Greebo (Jun 20, 2006)

*RE: Maybe Google it???*

There are no such things as Penny turtles. Since our money system changed over they are now known as 50c Turtles.


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## punk_uzi (Jun 20, 2006)

*RE: Maybe Google it???*

ok thanx guyz.... so u reckon the murry river turtles the smallest one....? where would i get one from....?


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## cris (Jun 20, 2006)

*RE: Maybe Google it???*

IMO you would be best off with a long neck(anything but a broad sheel coz they are too big) because they dont like to cruize around as much as the short neck species. I think there is a species of long neck that only gets to 20cm shell length but i dont know if you can get them because they live in WA.

Western swamp turtles are very small but they are endangered.

Maquarie turtles from some locations are very small, brisbane ones are fairly small and another locality type only gets to 18cm(i have forgotten locality) If your interested try to contact expansa1 he breeds them.


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## Rennie (Jun 20, 2006)

*RE: Maybe Google it???*

PM me if you want expansa1/Craig Latta's email address, thats who I got my Murray's from and he breeds numerous types.


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## Strange1 (Jun 20, 2006)

*RE: Maybe Google it???*

Macleays River shortnecks are about the smallest full grown you can get your hands on. They can live as adults in a 4x2x2 foot tank. My breeding female is around 18cm shell length and about full grown.

Id tend to disagree cris, my long necks are so much more active than my short necks. The longi's are cruising constantly.


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## martyn_tann (Jun 20, 2006)

*RE: Maybe Google it???*

actually... sorry to ram a spanner in the works... but you can get small turtles... there called terapins.
from the amazon. you used to be able to get them here but i very much doubt you can anymore. my dad had some when he was a kid... apparently they need all these special conditions to live under. but certain species only grow to quit a small size... but again i dout u will get ur hands on any... personaly i would love some but hey. thats government restrictions for ya...
goodluck
l8r
Martyn


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## Strange1 (Jun 20, 2006)

*RE: Maybe Google it???*

"The word "terrapin" is derived from the Algonquian Indian word "torope" and is used to refer to a variety of North American aquatic turtles of the family Emydiolae, especially the genus Malaclemys."

BAM!!


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## Lurk (Jun 20, 2006)

*RE: Maybe Google it???*

Wow someone has opened a can of worms! Well I dont have turtles so I dont know as much about them.
All I knew was there was no such thing as Penny turtles untill someone said otherwise and that led me to ask a silly question?
Oh well I knew it was a strong topic just thought I would ask my silly question any way.
Im glad there are no Penny turtles still


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## herptrader (Jun 20, 2006)

*RE: Maybe Google it???*

Here is a bunch of links for penny turtles:

http://www.amonline.net.au/collections/herpetology/turtle.htm
http://www.austmus.gov.au/collections/herpetology/turtle.htm
http://www.turtles.searching-web.us/penny-turtles.html
http://www.vhs.com.au/pages/Turtlecare1.html
http://www.petalia.com.au/Templates/StoryTemplate_Process.cfm?specie=Small_Pets&amp;story_no=374
http://www.amonline.net.au/factsheets/mary_river_turtle.htm
http://www.petalia.com.au/templates/StoryTemplate_Process.cfm?Story_No=374
http://www.ozpets.com/fish/articles/FF10002.shtml
http://www.didgrevolution.com/didghistory.html
http://www.uk.earthwatch.org/expeditions/whittier/relatedreadings.html
http://www.lib.duke.edu/bes/reptiles/freshwater_turtles.htm
http://www.ozpets.com.au/fish/articles/FF10002.shtml
http://www.reptilepark.com.au/animals.asp?catID=9&amp;ID=70
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/science/ss/stories/s1325540.htm
http://www.biology.iastate.edu/intop/1Australia/NAt'lGeogBiblio
https://www.bluemts.com.au/reptilepark/animals.asp?catID=9&amp;ID=70
http://www.pittwateranimalhospital.com.au/reptiles.html
http://www.abc.net.au/wildwatch/archive/tip-frogpond.htm
http://www.biology.iastate.edu/intop/1Australia/NAt
http://antigreen.blogspot.com/
http://www.pennycollector.com/Details.aspx?location=4960
http://www.underwaterphotography.com/Dive-Sites/Country.asp?ID=11
http://www.savannah-guides.com.au/page3-13.html
http://ebeltz.net/column/vivarium/vivavol2.html
http://www.wildlife.org.au/mag-win04.html


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## Strange1 (Jun 20, 2006)

herptrader you didnt look at those links did you? lol
I only say that as one of the links is about making turtle penny coins at Australia zoo  :lol:


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## herptrader (Jun 20, 2006)

Strange1 said:


> herptrader you didnt look at those links did you? lol
> I only say that as one of the links is about making turtle penny coins at Australia zoo  :lol:



Actually I did look at that one (but not all of them) and it sort of seemed relevant ;-)


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## Snake Catcher Victoria (Jun 20, 2006)

unfortunatly for 'penny turtles' they were the same size as the 'matchbox car'
many of these poor guys were taken back to the petshop by some parent worried about the flaking scales under the animals carapise..
it wasnt until they watched the interaction between the kid and the "pennyturtle" did they realise that the 'flaking scale' was due to the kid going vroooooooom with turtle on the concrete driveway


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## JasonL (Jun 20, 2006)

> Strange1
> Macleays River shortnecks are about the smallest full grown you can get your hands on. They can live as adults in a 4x2x2 foot tank. My breeding female is around 18cm shell length and about full grown.



Thats rite the Macleay river shortneck is Enydura macquarii dharra and is the smallest of them but as they are all bundled under the same spiecies in the listings you can end up with one of the other Murray river spiecies and some are fairly large. But I sugest you join a club then keep trying and you'll get the rite advice to keep them for years in a tank .


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## peterescue (Jun 20, 2006)

*Re: RE: Maybe Google it???*



martyn_tann said:


> actually... sorry to ram a spanner in the works... but you can get small turtles... there called terapins.
> from the amazon. you used to be able to get them here but i very much doubt you can anymore. my dad had some when he was a kid... apparently they need all these special conditions to live under. but certain species only grow to quit a small size... but again i dout u will get ur hands on any... personaly i would love some but hey. thats government restrictions for ya...
> goodluck
> l8r
> Martyn



They would have been baby freshwater turtles. 
There are no penny turtles anywhere in the world. There are baby turtles rthen there are dead turtles. 

If you wanted to get a snake without researching it first most people would jump down your throat. If you decide to get a turtle that issue gets sidelined. if you want something that looks good in a fish tank get fish or get a really good tank set up. A well looked after turtle will be with you all your life. Do some research. They dont deserve to be short changed.


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## martyn_tann (Jun 21, 2006)

*RE: Re: RE: Maybe Google it???*

i didn't know frsh water turtles can stay about 5cm in diameter for a few years... lol my dad had them for about 4 years till he had to give them up... (which is fair enough. threat of getting into the waterways. i completly agree) but he loved them and sorry but they do exist... just no here they don't


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## Retic (Jun 21, 2006)

*RE: Re: RE: Maybe Google it???*

From what I can gather years ago red eared sliders where sold in pet shops and they were called Penny Turtles, I remember going to a pet shop in I think Box Hill in Melbourne many many years ago and they had a tank literally full of them. 
Red Ears come from North America and not the Amazon and can grow quite big. If they stayed 5cm for a few years it was because they weren't fed very much. Terrapins are what Americans call fresh water tortoises (turtles) usually just the Diamondback and they aren't that small. To further complicate things terrapin is used in many countries to describe aquatic tortoises in general.


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## peterescue (Jun 21, 2006)

*RE: Re: RE: Maybe Google it???*

Thats freshwater turtles, tortoises are terrestrial. They have feet that look a bit like elephants feet( a long bow I know but you get my drift(mixed metaphore))Terrapins in the hobby is preodominately British. The misnomer of turtles being called tortoises here in Australia has unfortunately led to the slow death of many of them. Thats turtles not the British (who by the way have a club Called Middlesborough that pays Mark Viduka to play for them, English aye?)


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## JasonL (Jun 21, 2006)

*RE: Re: RE: Maybe Google it???*

Original "Penny Turtles" were according to John Cann, Mary River Shortnecks (Elusor macrurus). He spent years studying the origin of this turtle, that funny enough grows to be one of the larger types of shortnecks. He is a world authority on Australian turtles, and his book "Australian Freshwater Turtles" is a must for any serious herper.


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