How Much Does It Cost to Own a Turtle? (Full Cost Breakdown)

Turtles are fascinating and intriguing creatures that can make great pets. However, before getting a turtle as a pet, it is important to understand the cost associated with owning one. From housing to food and veterinary care, the cost of owning a turtle can add up quickly. In this article, we will explore the various costs associated with owning a turtle.

On average, the yearly costs of keeping a turtle usually range from $100 to $300, and can vary depending on the type of food you opt to give them, as well as how frequently you maintain and clean their tank, and the species of your turtle.

But those are not the only costs, they are just the major ones, there are a few more things, that while not as expensive, they will add up. So, let’s take a look at all possible costs, and how much you can expect to pay for each one of them annually.

Food Costs

One of the biggest expenses associated with owning a turtle is the cost of feeding it. Turtles are omnivores, which means that they eat both meat and plants. Their diet may include a variety of foods such as insects, vegetables, fruits, and commercial turtle food.

But, despite their ability to eat almost anything, you will mostly be feeding it pellets, and meat, vegetables and plants will mostly be treats.

When It comes to pellets, my turtles and I are big fans of the Mazuri and ZooMed pellets, both of them having all the nutrients that a turtle needs. And of course both of them are established brands. Depending on the size of the bag, it can cost anywhere from $7 for a small 7oz bag to $22 for a 45 oz large bag.

I own 4 turtles, so I usually go for the biggest size possible, and I usually need to get a new bag once every 2 months or so. So from my experience, I would say that 10 oz will last you for a month or so.

But the amount of food you should feed your turtle is based on its age and size, If you don’t know exactly how much food to give your turtle you should check out this article where I cover everything in detail: How Much and How Often Should I Feed My Turtle? +Schedule

And if you can’t find Mazuri or ZooMed Best Pellets, you can check out this article: Turtle Food (We Tested 20 Different Brands).

As for treats like meat, and vegetables, you don’t really need to invest that much.

For meat, you could simply cut a small piece of chicken, or beef before you cook or season it and give it to your turtle, and that should be enough. But due to safety concerns, I wouldn’t recommend feeding your turtle raw meat, since it might have bacteria that could make it sick.

What you could do instead is buy a bag of dried crickets, you can find them in most pet shops for around $5, and you could give your turtle 2 or 3 crickets every week or two. This way, they should easily last you for a year, and your turtle will have enough treats.

When it comes to vegetables, you don’t need to buy some especially for your turtle, you can simply give it some vegetables that you usually buy for yourself. Just make sure that you check out the list in this article: as there are some vegetables that will do more harm than good: What Can Turtles Eat from Human Food? Including Food List. So vegetables are completely free, so to speak.

Now let’s look at other costs.

Electricity Costs

This part is very overlooked, but it can be one of the most expensive parts.

A turtle uses a lot of electricity, indirectly. The biggest consumers are the water filter, which has to be on constantly, the water heater and the basking area.

The water filter is essential, without it, you will have to change the water every day, so you can’t own a turtle without one. Water filters can be rated for a certain number of gallons, 20, 30, 50, 80 and so on. But those rating are good if you have fish in the tank, and the amount of a mess fish will make is nothing to compare to what a turtle can do. This is why you need a water filter that is rated for at least twice the amount of water that you have in your tank.

You can always go for a less powerful filter, but that will mean that you will have to clean the tank more often, probably at least 3 times per week.

So how much will keeping the water filter on cost you?

Model	Power	Energy Consumption	Running Cost (if kWh = $0.2)
107	145 Gal/h	10W	$17.52/year
207	206 Gal/h	10W	$17.52/year
307	303 Gal/h	16W	$28.03/year
407	383 Gal/h	23W	$40.29/year

This is the average cost of the Fluval Water filter series. The price of electricity can differ from area to area, for this example I chose the cost of $0.2 per kWh, if electricity is cheaper in your area you can expect to pay less.

For the smallest tank, the 20 gallon one, you will need a 207 model, which will cost you about $17 per year.

If you don’t own a filter yet or want to get a more energy efficient one, I highly recommend the Fulval series. Over the years I used a lot of different water filters, and those are the most energy efficient, and reliable ones that found. You can find more information about them here at this link on Amazon.

Another important energy consumer is the basking area, mainly the heat bulb and the UVB bulb.

I wrote a detailed article about how to choose and position each bulb, which you can find right here: Guide for Lighting and Heating a Turtle Tank and Basking Area.

Depending on the power of the bulbs, the cost will vary, but on average you can expect the basking area to consume about $20 of electricity per year.

As for the water heater, you can find an in depth guide on how to choose one, and what temperature you should be aiming for based on the age and species of your turtle right here: The Correct Turtle Tank Temperature (Beginners Guide).

As for the cost, you can expect to pay around $10 per year, but this cost can fluctuate a lot depending on the temperature of the room. Most water heaters consume little to no power when they don’t have to heat the water.

Accessories

In addition to the basic setup, you may want to invest in accessories to provide your turtle with a more enriching environment. This could include items like plants, hiding spots, and other features. The cost of accessories will depend on the items you choose and the size of your turtle’s tank.

The reason why I list those as maintenance cost is simple. Turtles will eat all the plants that you put in the tank. So while you might want to add plants as a way to make the tank look nicer, your turtle will eat them completely in a week or two. So if you want to have plants in the tank, you will need to replace them consistently.

As for other decorations. Depending on their build quality, they might not last that long either. While swimming, turtles can and will knock hit things from time to time. Overall, I would advise against adding small or fragile accessories to the tank, not only because it will cost to replace them, but if they break, they can be eaten by the turtle, or they can simply scratch it.

Veterinary Costs

This part is optional, but highly advised.

Turtles, like any other pets, require regular veterinary care. This includes check-ups, and treatment of any illnesses or injuries. The cost of veterinary care can vary depending on your location and the specific veterinary clinic you choose.

While you don’t really need to go and see a vet if your turtle is fine, I would still recommend you to go at least once per year with your turtle to the vet for a checkup. Due to their unique anatomy, and at times odd behavior, it can be very hard to tell if a turtle is sick or not. And in most cases, when it’s clear that a turtle is sick, the illness has progressed a lot, which means that your turtle will be very sick, and the treatment will be more expensive.

In general, the cost of a veterinary check-up for a turtle can range from $20 to $50. However, if your turtle requires treatment for an illness or injury, the cost can increase significantly. Additionally, if you live in an area where there are not many reptile veterinarians, you may need to travel further for care, which can add to the cost.

Other Costs

Some additional costs that you may need to consider when owning a turtle:

Cleaning Supplies: Turtles produce waste, so it’s important to keep their tank clean. And to do so, you will need to use sponges to crape the algae off the walls and clean the bottom of the tank from time to time. And from personal experience, I can tell you that you can’t really reuse those sponges after that.

Water: Turtles can use quite a bit of water, which while not expensive in most cases, it can add a few dollars to the yearly cost. Even more so if you need to use water treatments.

Insurance: While not always necessary, pet insurance can provide financial protection in case your turtle requires unexpected veterinary care. Pet insurance policies can vary in cost depending on the coverage and the provider.

Time and Energy: Owning a turtle requires a significant investment of time and energy. Turtles require daily feeding, tank cleaning, and other care tasks.

Replacements: Some accessories and equipment such as light bulbs or gravel may need to be replaced periodically. These replacement costs can add up over time.

Upfront Costs

Aside from the maintenance costs, you also have to take into consideration the upfront costs, which are always higher than the maintenance costs. The only exception being if you adopt the turtle from somebody that is also giving away the necessary equipment.

The first upfront cost is the turtle itself, on average a turtle costs between $10 and $50. In the case of more exotic species, the price will average between $100 and $200.

Here is a table with different tufter species, and how much they cost based on their age:

Quick Note: A turtle is considered a baby if it’s younger than 6 months. The term juvenile doesn’t have a proper description, but in general juvenile, turtles are between 6 months and 2 years old.

Turtle Species	Baby Turtle Price	Juvenile Turtle Price	Adult Turtle Price
Red-Eared Slider	$10 to $15	$20 to $25	$20 to $40
Eastern Painted Turtles	$25 to $30	$40 to $60	$50 to $80
Western Painted Turtle	$15 to $25	$50 to $60	$50 to $80
Mississippi Map Turtle	$15 to $20	$30 to $40	$30 to $50
Ornate Box Turtle	$70 to $80	$100 to $250	$200 to $400
African Side-Neck Turtle	$30 to $40	$60 to $100	$100 to $200
Eastern Mud Turtle	$20 to $25	$45 to $70	$50 to $100
Russian Tortoise	$70 to $80	$150 to $250	$200 to $300
Common Snapping Turtle	$20 to $40	$50 to $70	$50 to $100
Florida Red-Belly Turtle	$20 to $25	$60 to $70	$60 to 100
Twist Neck Turtle	$80 to $100	$150 to $200	$200 to $400
Common Musk Turtle	$20 to $25	$35 to $50	$50 to $80
Spotted Turtle	$100 to $125	$200 to $250	$200 to $300
Chinese Golden Thread Turtles	$40 to $50	$75 to $100	$100 to $150
Yellow Bellied Slider Turtle	$10 to $15	$20 to $25	$30 to $40
Texas Diamondback Turtle	$100 to $150	$200 to $250	$200 to $300
Gibba Turtle	$50 to $60	$100 to $120	$150 to $200
Indian Star Tortoise	$500 to $600	$700 to $750	$750 to $1000
False Map Turtle	$20 to $25	$35 to $50	$40 to $60
Belize Slider Turtle	$50 to $75	$85 to $100	$100 to $140

If you want more details on how much a turtle costs, you can check out this article: How Much Do Turtles Cost? (20 Examples and Pictures) – 2023.

The next thing is the tank. The price starts at around $30 for a small 20 gallon tank, to $60 for a 40 gallon tank, and can go up indefinitely.

Turtles need to have 10 gallons of water for each inch of shell that they’ve got. Anything smaller than that and they will lack the space to properly swim around, and they will also dirty the water a lot faster, which means that you will have to clean it more often.

One advice that I always give to people who want to get a pet turtle is to get the biggest tank that you can afford right from the start. Turtles, especially young ones, can grow up fast, and the tank that you bought them last year will be way too small for them the next one. So, if you can go for a bigger tank right from the start, it will make it easier for you since you won’t have to clean it as often, and in the long run it will save you a lot of money.

We’ve already discussed water filters and how to choose one, in teed to be rated for two times the capacity of the tank. And as I said, I am a big fan of the Fluval series, and that is what I recommend.

As for the basking area, you can find a detailed guide here: Guide for Lighting and Heating a Turtle Tank and Basking Area.

Final Thoughts

In summary, owning a turtle can be a rewarding and enriching experience, but it’s important to consider all the potential costs before making the commitment. Keep in mind that the cost of owning a turtle can vary depending on several factors, including the species, size, and specific care needs of your pet.

Turtles can live for several decades, which means that owning a turtle is a long-term commitment. You should consider the long-term costs associated with providing for your turtle’s needs throughout their life. This includes replacing equipment and accessories as needed, as well as budgeting for veterinary care and food expenses.

I hope this article answered all of your questions regarding how much it costs to own a turtle. If you have any other questions regarding turtles, feel free to leave them in the comment section, my colleagues and I regularly check the comment section and answer all the questions that we can find.