How Much Do Softshell Turtles Cost?
fact checked & review by
Dr. Partho Kumar Shaha
Veterinarian (DVM)
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Softshell turtles may not cost you a sack of money. But before buying any species, you should check the price first. Recently, the demand for softshell turtles is increasing and so is the rate. So, how much do softshell turtles cost?
The average cost of a softshell turtle is somewhere around $6 to $1995. The cost greatly depends on the exact species of the softshell turtle. This cost is not constant and changing continuously.
If you are planning to buy a softshell turtle, this is the article you need right now. I will discuss where you can buy a softshell turtle and which factors decide its cost.
How Much Does A Softshell Turtle Cost?
The softshell turtles have around 25 species. It is obvious that not all the species are ideal as pets and up for sale. Here I am adding a chart including the average market price of the available softshell turtles:
| Softshell Turtle Species | Average Price Range |
|---|---|
| Spiny softshell turtle | $25 – $280 |
| Florida softshell turtles | $6 – $280 |
| Smooth softshell turtles | $40 – $60 |
| Albino Chinese softshell turtles | $295 – $1995 |
| Chinese softshell turtle | $40 – $400 |
| Malayan softshell turtle | $200++ |
| Crown Florida softshell turtles | $1495 – $1995 |
| High orange Florida softshell turtle | $70++ |
| Leopard softshell turtle | $24 – $280 |
| Hybrid Florida and Spiny softshell turtle | $70 – $190 |
| Pastel Florida softshell turtle | $50++ |
You may find the market price a bit higher or lower than these average rates. It is because the cost of a softshell turtle depends on various factors. We will get to that in the upcoming sections.
Many of you can ask me if there are around 25 species of a softshell turtle, then why they are not for sale. Well, the softshell turtles are rare and endangered. Also, a few of these turtles are ideal for petting.
Where Can You Buy Softshell Turtles?
It is a fair question. Where will you find trusted shops to buy softshell turtles? Well, your local pet shops can be an easy way to buy softshell turtles. However, sometimes, owners put softshell turtles for adoption. You can contact them to adopt the turtle.
Nowadays, softshell turtles are also available online for sale. Many reputed shops are selling softshell turtles and offering health support. Here I will add a chart of the trusted shops I have found online:
| Shop Name | Available Softshell Turtle Species | Price Range | Shop Policy | Shipping policy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tortoise town | Spiny softshell turtles | $60 – $170 | The Tortoise Town assures the health quality of any reptiles. The shop offers a 7-day health guarantee. If the delivered pet does not make it through the first week, the shop will replace the reptile. | The shop provides a week-long delivery program. You can also request overnight delivery. They use animal expert delivery companies for shipping. So, do not worry about the pet. |
| Backwater Reptile | Florida softshell turtle, Spiny softshell turtle | $14 – $24 | The shop is very professional and serious about their customers. They will offer you 7-day health coverage. The company does the packing using special boxes so that the reptiles do not feel uncomfortable. If the turtle is dead or unhealthy, the Backward Reptiles offer special service in that case. | The shop offers both overnight delivery and usual delivery. Overnight shipping will cost you a few extra bucks. However, you can cancel the order before shipping. But once it is up for delivery, there can be no cancellation. |
| Underground Reptiles | Florida softshell turtles, Spiny softshell turtles, Leopard softshell turtle, Pastel softshell turtle | $9 – $200 | The Underground Reptiles has a strict shopping policy. Even though the refund policy is not an option in most cases, the shop offers a credit refund. | The shop only provides weekly delivery. They guarantee the live arrival of any reptiles. In case of any accident, you will have their support. |
| CB Reptile | Leopard softshell turtles, | $70 – $279 | CB Reptiles is one of the oldest reptile shops in town. They offer a full replacement for 7 days. The shop will also provide a care sheet for your pet. | The shop is open to both overnight and weekly shipping. If the health of the reptile is compromised, you can request a replacement with free shipping. |
| Reptile City | Albino softshell turtles, Spiny softshell turtles, Smooth softshell turtles, Florida softshell turtles. | $30 – $500 | Reptile City is one of the most trusted online shops for reptile shopping. They will offer a refund or store credit if there is any inconvenience. | The shop provides various delivery packages, which includes an overnight shipping system too. They do the packing maintaining all safety and regulations. |
| The Turtle Source | Albino Chinese softshell turtles, Clown Florida softshell turtles, Florida softshell turtles, High orange Florida softshellt turtles, Hybrid Florida and Spiny softshell turtles, Smooth softshell turtles, Spiny softshell turtles | $39 – $1995 | The Turtle Source offers a big collection of turtles. They have been breeding turtles for over 30 years, and so, they have earned the trust of people. They also provide a 7-day health guarantee for the turtles. | The shop has a fast and secure delivery service. You can get your reptile overnight by adding an extra fee. |
If you ask me which one shop I recommend, I will go to Tortoise Town. They have maintained top-notch service quality over the years. You can visit the shop by clicking here. However, there are hundreds of turtle shops available online. You can buy it from anywhere you want.
No matter which shop you choose, make sure they have a trading license from the higher authorities. You may get a discount on the average rate if you buy from the black pet markets. But I highly discourage you to do so. Also, never pick up softshell turtles from the wild to pet it.
Factors That Affect A Softshell Turtle’s Price
You already know that the market rate of all the softshell turtles is not the same. Again, the softshell turtle hatchlings cost less than the adult ones, even though they belong to the same species. Why is that?
Well, the cost of a softshell turtle depends on several factors. Such as:
- Species
- Size
- Gender
- Age
- Area
- Physical condition
- Availability
Species
Softshell turtle has over 25 pure species and many more hybrid species. Most of these species are rare and unavailable. Also, those are not as ideal as pets. So, if you want to get any rare softshell turtle species as a pet, you need to pay a lot more than the normal price.
On the other hand, the Florida softshell turtles, Spiny softshell turtles, Smooth softshell turtles are available almost everywhere. As a result, you can have them at a lower price.
Some owners have a fascination to collect rare turtle species and raise them. I suggest you not to take any risk with softshell turtles if you are not an expert. It is because most of the species of softshell turtle are endangered, vulnerable, and at the edge of extinction. Read this article to know more.
Size
The small-sized softshell turtles cost less than the medium or bigger ones. Here is one thing you keep in mind while buying a softshell turtle. Do not take the turtle less than 4 inches.
There is a high risk of getting Salmonella bacteria from the hatchlings that are less than 4 inches. The shops can only sell these turtles for educational purposes, not for petting.
Gender
Well, the sex of the softshell turtle does not always affect the price. But in some cases, the male softshell turtles cost more than the female ones.
Age
The hatchlings of a softshell turtle cost less than the young ones. So, the rate will increase with the turtle. But an old softshell turtle costs much less than the average one.
Area
The native turtles always cost less. For example, the price of a Florida softshell turtle will be slightly less in that particular state. You can check this article to learn the native places of softshell turtles.
Physical condition
You will find shell damaged, paralyzed, or injured softshell turtles in the shops too. These softshell turtles cost less than the healthy ones.
Availability
By availability, I am indicating the demand and supply of the particular softshell turtle species. If you want to raise a rare or exclusive softshell turtle as a pet, you need to higher your budget.
Conclusion
Softshell turtles are cheap if you go for the common ones. But if you want a fancy species, you have to pay extra dollars for that.
About Author
Muntaseer Rahman started keeping pet turtles back in 2013. He also owns the largest Turtle & Tortoise Facebook community in Bangladesh. These days he is mostly active on Facebook.
