I have had a turtle as part of my family ever since I can remember.  They were always red eared sliders who were rescued.  We had a pond built for our last red eared slider and then she passed away.  She got to be the size of a large dinner plate and we could not buy a tank big enough to hold her.  I do not recommend them as pets for that very reason; they just keep growing and growing.  So when Sipokni died we decided to get two little Texas map turtles as part of our menagerie.  They are the smallest breed of aquatic turtle and males do not get any bigger than the palm of your hand.  I named them Pecos and Brazos.  They were rescues as well, as they were slated to be on the menu as turtle soup in Asia.  *shudder*  Their 55 gallon tank is roomy and they love to come out and bask like you see in the picture I took here.  I think this is Brazos; he’s slightly bigger than Pecos, just like the rivers.  I like to hear the filter running because it has the tranquility of an indoor waterfall.  One of our cats is always on top of the tank I suspect because she likes the heat lamp.  In Native culture, turtles are the symbol for long life and we all like having them.  They do not bite and are low maintenance.  When I look at them I am reminded of the American writer Bill Copeland’s words:  “Try to be like the turtle — at ease in your own shell.”  I think that is the very best place to be.