Just got my first penny turtle. Should have done some research before buying one. First of all, there’s no such thing as a “penny turtle”. That’s just a name that was coined back when pet shops sold hatching turtles(which are indeed very small) by the thousands. You can’t get a turtle the size of a coin and expect it to stay that size forever. Most Australian freshwater turtles will grow up to have a shell 20 to 30 cm long. Hatching turtles might take four or five years to reach an adult size. Turtles generally won’t tolerate much handling.They don’t make the best pets either but are pretty damn cute.
Turtles need to have very clean water at the right temperature and right pH. This means you’ll need a strong filter and a decent heater.Try to avoid glass heaters, as they crack very easily. Hatching turtles are very prone to stress, which will frequently lead to them developing potentially lethal fungal infections. Turtles need direct, unfiltered UV light to prevent shell deformities. This is easily provided by a UV-light tube, which will have to be replaced every six months or so. An area of dry land should be placed under the UV light so that your turtle can bask.
Eventually your turtle will reach adulthood. It’s best to keep adult turtles in an outside pond, unless you have a very big fish tank.
Which most people don’t have large fish tank in their home.