Birdsville, at 684 Botany Road, Alexandria NSW 2015, regularly has Murray River Turtles (Emydura macquarii) in stock, with baby and juvenile turtles making up most of what we carry. These native freshwater turtles are powerful swimmers with a rounded shell and a curious, interactive personality, making them a genuinely engaging aquatic pet for the right home.
What You Need to Know
Murray River Turtles grow to a shell length of 30 to 40 centimetres as adults and can live for 50 to 60 years – a genuine multi-generational commitment. A valid NSW Native Animal Keeper Licence is required before purchase. Because we sell mostly babies and juveniles, you’re generally starting with a smaller, more manageable animal, but be aware they’ll need their enclosure upgraded significantly as they grow toward that adult size. Full detail on tank setup, filtration, heating, UVB and diet is in our How to Care for a Murray River Turtle guide.
Why You Should Get a Murray River Turtle
Murray River Turtles are active, curious, and genuinely interactive once settled – they’ll often come to the surface at feeding time and are far more engaging to watch than most fish. Starting with a baby turtle means you get to watch it grow over what can be a genuinely decades-long relationship, and their strong swimming ability and rounded shell give them real character in a well-set-up aquatic display. As a native Australian species, there’s also something rewarding about keeping and properly caring for an animal that’s genuinely part of our local wildlife.
Why a Murray River Turtle Might Not Be Right for You
This is one of the bigger commitments on four legs – or flippers – that we sell: a lifespan of 50 to 60 years means a Murray River Turtle could easily outlive the household it starts in, so long-term planning genuinely matters. Adults need a substantial 180 x 60 x 60cm enclosure at minimum, considerably larger than most other pets we stock, and maintaining water quality through filtration and regular testing is an ongoing task rather than a set-and-forget one. You’ll need a valid NSW Native Animal Keeper Licence before buying, plus ongoing record-keeping. If you’re not prepared for the eventual tank size or the decades-long timeline, a smaller, shorter-lived reptile might suit you better.
Licensing Requirements
A valid Native Animal Keeper Licence from Service NSW is required before purchasing a Murray River Turtle. Applications are lodged online via the Service NSW website, with phone support on 02 9585 6406 if needed. Keepers must also follow the NSW Code of Practice for the Private Keeping of Reptiles, covering housing, welfare and record-keeping standards. Birdsville, as a licensed reptile dealer, requires proof of a valid licence before any sale proceeds – we don’t process licence applications or paperwork on a customer’s behalf, so it’s best to have this sorted before your visit.
Useful links:
NSW Code of Practice for the Private Keeping of Reptiles: https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/publications/code-practice-private-keeping-reptiles
Reptile Keeper Licences: https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/licences-and-permits/wildlife-licences/native-animals-as-pets/reptile-keeper-licences
Apply for a Native Animal Keeper Licence: https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/apply-for-a-native-animal-keeper-licence
What Could Happen If You Keep One Without a Licence?
NSW enforces native wildlife licensing seriously, and the penalties are substantial. A Sydney man was fined $5,000 under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016, plus a further $3,000 in legal costs, after being caught with native blue-tongue and shingleback lizards he’d imported without holding a wildlife licence. Turtles are covered by the same native species licensing framework, so it genuinely pays to have your paperwork sorted before bringing one home rather than risking a similar outcome.
Availability
Murray River Turtles, mostly babies and juveniles, are regularly in stock at our Alexandria store. Very occasionally rarer specialty individuals (such as albino turtles) come through the trade, though these are uncommon – ask in-store about current availability, or get in touch if you’re after something specific.
Package Deals & In-Store Help
As the Eastern Suburbs’ only dedicated, licensed reptile dealer, Birdsville is a genuine one-stop shop for your Murray River Turtle – we stock tanks and enclosures, filtration systems, water heaters, UVB and basking lighting, basking platforms, water testing kits, frozen bloodworms and other feed, and a wide range of aquatic plants including duckweed, elodea, ribbonweed and more. Ask our team about a package deal covering your turtle and its complete setup, and we’re always on hand to help keep you stocked with feed, plants and supplies as your turtle grows.
Visit Us
Come see our Murray River Turtles in person at Birdsville, 684 Botany Road, Alexandria NSW 2015. Follow us on social media for updates on new arrivals, and check out our How to Care for a Murray River Turtle guide for the full picture on keeping one happy and healthy for the decades ahead.