An Introduction to the Big Three of the Turtle World: The Current State of Keeping Chinese Pond Turtles, Red-eared Sliders, and Chinese Striped-neck Turtles

As you can probably guess from the title, this article isn’t about any high-end species like the “premium starter trio.”

Before e-commerce platforms became a major channel for selling goods, the figures of the Big Three were already frequently seen in the flower-and-bird markets of various cities. Because these three types of turtles are affordable, have mature breeding techniques, and are produced in large quantities, their costs are relatively low. They are often the first choice for novice keepers and represent the largest group of keepers in the turtle circle.

One of the Big Three — The King of Skin Rot

The Chinese Pond Turtle, known as the most famous “King of Skin Rot” in the turtle world, has secured the top spot among the Big Three thanks to its characteristic of large quantity leading to better prices. As the native turtle species with the largest production in China, the Chinese Pond Turtle offers keepers plenty of enjoyment, both in terms of cultural significance and the experience of raising them. After all, this is a species that even expert turtle keepers are keen to take on the challenge of raising, giving a sense of déjà vu, like a mob from the starter village turning out to be the final boss.

Therefore, the turtle circle often regards keepers who can successfully raise a Chinese Pond Turtle until it is healthy and stable as “masters.” After all, even if a keeper is chasing their dream of a high-domed, fine-lined, strongly-hinged Yellow-margined box turtle, we can only praise them by saying they’re “loaded.”But if someone has a fully grown, melanistic male Chinese Pond Turtle, that’s when a true master has arrived.

The Second of the Big Three — The Slider God

The Red-eared Slider, scientifically named *Trachemys scripta elegans*, gets its name from the conspicuous long, red patches on each side of its head behind the eyes. From its common Chinese name, “Brazil turtle,” one can also guess that this is not a species native to China, but rather one from North America. “Brazil turtle” is just a colloquial name in the Chinese market.

If the Chinese Pond Turtle is the “King of Skin Rot” in the turtle world, then the Red-eared Slider is undoubtedly the “King of White Eyes.” Although it is a common disease among pet turtles, the probability of Red-eared Sliders getting white eye always seems higher than that of other species. In a mixed-species turtle pond, you can always spot a Red-eared Slider mixed in, sporting two big white light bulbs for eyes.

It is worth mentioning that the Red-eared Slider is classified as an “invasive alien species” in China. This is due to its hardy constitution, strong vitality, and prolific breeding ability, reaching sexual maturity within two years of hatching. Coupled with the lack of its natural predators from its native waters in China’s lakes and rivers, its population has gotten out of control, encroaching on the habitat of native turtle species. However, because of this, there’s a running gag about their mortality among Red-eared Slider keepers in the turtle circle:

In the wild, the Red-eared Slider is an invasive species, a god-like existence. In the hands of a keeper, the Red-eared Slider is: on the brink of extinction.

The Youngest of the Big Three — The Pearl of the Vast Sea

The Chinese Striped-neck Turtle is also a species native to China. It seems to blend the characteristics of the other two members of the Big Three, possessing both the subtlety of the Chinese Pond Turtle and the vibrant patterns of the Red-eared Slider. When young, the underside of their marginal scutes has neatly arranged black spots, like a string of “pearls.” Additionally, each scute on the carapace of a juvenile Chinese Striped-neck Turtle has irregular, yellow-bordered circular patterns, also resembling scattered pearls, which is why they are also called “Pearl Turtles.”

If it had only inherited the looks of the other two, the Chinese Striped-neck Turtle would undoubtedly have become a top-tier favorite in the turtle circle. Unfortunately, it also came with “skin rot” and “white eye.” Even more tragically, this turtle is also more susceptible to diseases like “shell rot,” which has been the bane of new keepers. After all, compared to the other two diseases which mainly require dry-docking and applying medication, shell rot often requires the keeper to personally clean out the rotten area, making countless keepers of Chinese Striped-neck Turtles exclaim about:

The awkward predicament of ‘it hurts when you touch it’