Do people like having a tortoise as a pet? I do. It is not difficult to take care of turtles if people have the right equipment. Many factors come into play when the turtles' environment changes from their natural environment to humans' home environment. Turtles are ancient animals that have evolved. “From the human point of view, turtles are slow and harmless creatures, and in this characterization they play an important role in mythology and folklore” (Carl H. Ernest and Roger W. Barbour, 1). Many people seem to think that turtles are just another animal that's easy to take care of, but that's not always true; many factors come into play when caring for turtles and the things people discover while caring for a turtle are very interesting. First, here are some basic facts about tortoises: Tortoises are cold-blooded, meaning they cannot raise or lower their body temperature. Their body temperature reflects the temperature of the surrounding air or water. Turtles date back approximately two hundred million years. With over forty-nine species of turtles, they can live both in water and on land. The upper shell, called the carapace, of the land tortoise is overgrown and spreads the ribs. Below the upper shell is the lower shell, called the plastron. Both shells protect the turtle from other animals and their environment. Therefore, turtles have developed long necks and an unusual way of moving air in and out of their lungs. A turtle's neck forms a narrow S-shaped curve, and the curve becomes shallow as the neck extends (Smith and Zim, 18). Also, having modified their body, turtle legs are attached to their ribs. The unique structure of turtles has made them unusual and long-lived species. Because of t...... middle of paper ......nc., 1999. Web. 4 March 2012. .Barbour, Roger W. and Ernst, Carl H. Turtles of the United States. Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky, 1972. PrintGreen, S. “Turtle Care.” PetTurtle. PetTurtle, 2002. Web. 4 March 2012. .“Is a tortoise the right pet for your family?” CENTER FOR DISEASE PREVENTION AND CONTROL. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2007. Web. 4 March 2012. Smith, Hobart M. and Zim, Herbet S. Reptiles and Amphibians. New York: Western Publishing Company, 1987. Print. Department of Veterinary and Aquatic Services of Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc. "Turtles, Tortoises and Tortoises." Animal planet. Discovery Communication, 2012. Web. 4 March 2012..