Ever since I was a child, I always wanted a pet. Although my parents would disagree with having pets, most of the time, they would say we would have to be too responsible. Also, I didn’t give up. After a few months, my dad would start talking about it. My mom did not even think about having a turtle after a few days. My brother also decided to try to convince my parents.
As days flew by, my parents got convinced and decided to look for a pet first. We went to PetSmart, but there were no turtles. Then we went to Petland, and we still found no turtles. I was sure we would not get a pet until my brother found a turtle store, and at least I would get a turtle! We didn’t decide much, but the turtle was a male.
Hi, my name is Pratyusha Sinha. I authored this article in honor of my turtle, Bunti, who is very special to me. I am 9 years old, and I study at Mason Elementary School. I love to write and love language arts. A really important thing I like is riding my bike. My brother and I usually go biking with my dad on the Miami trail or on very excellent trails! That’s all about me!
If you are interested to read my previous story, click the link https://journals-times.com/2022/03/16/this-girl-is-so-in-love-with-holi/
Sharing the Excitement: My New Pet Turtle Adventure
Heading to school, I packed my bag with all the essentials, ensuring I was fully prepared for the day ahead. I waited for my friend, who was at a different bus stop. “So excited,” I said as my friend hopped on the bus. “Guess what?” I said as she sat on her seat. “What?” she said in a serious voice. “I got a pet turtle,” I exclaimed. “Really?” she said in a surprised voice. “Really,” I said as the bus went to a shaky stop.
The day I got the turtle, he was terrified. He would run into his only hiding spot whenever he saw a human. But now he is better than ever, and he loves food. Whenever he sees a human, he runs to the side of his cage just to say hi!
Want a turtle? Here are some top tips for keeping your turtle healthy and happy!
- Research your turtle’s habitat. This is important because giving your turtle a similar habitat can make it feel more at home and comfortable with humans.
- Try to connect and communicate with your turtle. This is recommended because your turtle will recognize your face more effortlessly, and that’s good if your turtle’s breed is shy, just like ours! One way to connect with your turtle is to give him food with tweezers, or you could provide treats even though the turtle did nothing to earn them.
- Choose a filter for your turtle. This is a good choice because most turtles like fast-flowing water like our turtle. However, the main reason for having a filter is to keep the water clean. Even though we clean the tank once a week, we still have a filter because it keeps the tank clean.
- The last tip is to bring your turtle out of its cage to feed it, NOT inside the cage, because the food could get mixed with the water, and the filter might have a problem processing the food because filters are meant for processing smaller things.
Life with Bunty: Funny Moments
Bunti started wiggling like crazy and—boom—peed right in my brother’s hand! Talk about a surprise! And let me tell you, Bunti’s a serious foodie. He went from “too scared to eat” to “gobbling everything in sight” within days. It’s like he’s training for a turtle eating contest!
Even though there are a few responsibilities, there are a few good memories to keep to! One memory is when my brother picked up our turtle to pet him, but suddenly, he started making sudden movements. Before my brother could react, our turtle peed! Right into my brother’s hand! What a day!
Also, my turtle is a big foodie because He loves eating all types of food he is allowed to eat! The first day he arrived, he was too scared to eat, but in the next few days, he was munching his food!
The last thing you need to know is that our turtle’s name is… BUNTY!!
The turtle that appears in this article is the Baby Northern Red-bellied Turtles (Pseudemys rubriventris), known for their bright red or orange belly, are freshwater turtles native to the U.S. east coast. They start at about 1–1.5 inches long and need clean water, temperatures around 75°F–80°F, and a basking area of 85°F–90°F. Their diet includes protein-based foods like insects and turtle pellets, with more plant-based foods as they grow. UVB lighting is essential for shell development. In the wild, they thrive in slow-moving waters with plenty of vegetation. Check for buying this turtle at https://myturtlestore.com/baby-turtles-for-sale/
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