Liz Palika is the author of over 20 pet care books. She lives with a variety of turtles and tortoises, including sulcata and leopard tortoises and Gulf Coast box turtles.

Introduction 1

Part 1: Deciding Whether a Turtle or Tortoise Is Right for You 7

Chapter 1: Understanding Chelonians 9

Chapter 2: Understanding What Turtle and Tortoise Ownership Requires of You 19

Chapter 3: Choosing the Right Turtle or Tortoise for You 35

Chapter 4: Finding Your Turtle or Tortoise 49

Part 2: The Who's Who of Turtles and Tortoises 57

Chapter 5: Aquatic Turtles 59

Chapter 6: Semi-Aquatic Turtles 73

Chapter 7: Semi-Terrestrial and Terrestrial Turtles 87

Chapter 8: North American Box Turtles 101

Chapter 9: Small Tortoises 115

Chapter 10: Medium-Sized to Large Tortoises 127

Chapter 11: Really Big Tortoises 137

Chapter 12: Special Tortoises 145

Part 3: Welcome Home! Creating a Safe and Healthy Environment 153

Chapter 13: Making a Home for an Aquatic or Semi-Aquatic Turtle 155

Chapter 14: Making an Indoor Home for a Terrestrial Turtle or Small Tortoise 165

Chapter 15: Keeping a Turtle or Tortoise Outdoors 173

Chapter 16: Lighting Up Your Chelonian's World 181

Chapter 17: Keeping Your Turtle or Tortoise Warm and Toasty 187

Chapter 18: Water: The Magic Liquid 195

Part 4: Open Wide! Turtle and Tortoise Health 201

Chapter 19: Making Sure Your Pet Eats the Right Things 203

Chapter 20: Monitoring Your Turtle's or Tortoise's Health 225

Chapter 21: Breeding Your Chelonians 243

Chapter 22: Sleeping the Winter Away 263

Part 5: The Part of Tens 269

Chapter 23: Ten Turtles and Tortoises That Make Great Pets 271

Chapter 24: Ten Turtles and Tortoises That May Be Difficult to Care For 275

Chapter 25: Ten Ways to Keep Your Pet Healthy 281

Chapter 26: Ten Common Mistakes to Avoid 287

Appendix A: Chelonian Terms and Scientific Names 293

Appendix B: Sources of Things Chelonian 303

Index 307