New to Turtles.

[Jace]

Hi All, I am wanting to start a indoor pond and would like to include two or three smaller turtles. I was wondering if any one could recomend a particular breed that stays smaller and is social. I like RES but I know they can get quite big and are turtle aggressive. I would just like a smaller brightly collored turtle.

Jace

[FrogO_Oeyes]

Your big issue in Alberta will be finding any turtle at all which is aquatic, legal, and affordable. There are only about 400 known species of living turtle, which further limits your choices. Very few are "small", although that depends on your definition.

[Jace]

6 to 8 inches long would be nice.

[joeysgreen]

How big of an indoor pond are you looking at? Pink belly sidenecks might be a fun choice for you. Reeves turtles are smaller species that are readily available. Musk turtles, wood turtles; there are many species that are sporadically available if you keep an eye out. I myself have a beautiful male redbelly cooter (Pseudemys nelsoni) that stays pretty small, but the females can get pretty big.

Perhaps look through www.chelonia.org to narrow down which species interest you, and look up their husbandry care to see if it's something you are able to provide.

Whenever mixing multiple turtles, you always have to be prepared for aggression. They are very personable and sometimes some just don't get along. If one decided to pick on another, he can get rather single minded about it and they'll have to be seperated.

[vangarret2000]

I would recommend diamondback terrapins. They look awesome, are small enough for what you want, and I think you can keep more then one.