They were pets.
Most likely Box turtles as the other common pet turtles are mostly aquatic and the TNMT were terrestrial.
this post was submitted on 08 Jul 2026
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You mean pizza box turtles!
Wakka wakkaaaa.....
Ok I'll leave...
Is this Dad or Fozzie Bear?
Were they? Have we been lied to this entire time? Were they in fact teenage mutant ninja tortoises?
Please refer to this paper on the subject. They’re actually four distinct species of turtle:
Kingdom: Teenage
Phylum: Mutant
Class: Ninja
Order: Turtle power
Family: Splinter
Genus: Pizza-eating
Species: Leader, Machines, Crude, and Party
These heroic half-shell types of turtles subsist mainly on pizza in the northern regions of New York, and travel in fearsome fighting teams, hunting Shredders and local Foot clan bottom feeders. They have evolved alongside the local giant Kung-Fu rat population with which they share a symbiotic relationship and a sewer apartment. When the evil Shredder attacks, these turtle boys “don’t cut him no slack” (as they’re known to let evil Shredders escape to provide weekly hunting experience and entertainment for the group).
If you’re lucky, you can catch glimpses of these elusive species on the local Channel 6 News with April O’Neil.
I want you to know that I read your comment first, before clicking your link, and then I knew in my heart that your link would be the original opening theme song lyrics. Well done. Bravo!
Radical
Right on, man.
Totally tubular!
My teenager offspring has extremely strong opinions on this and recently wrote an entire essay on how likely they are to actually enjoy pepperoni pizza given the original species involved.
But sadly, I don't remember the actual breeds involved, just that in the latest version they're all distinct species.
Red eared sliders, per the og comic, as far as I can find.
I second this; even though their mutated form is terrestrial, they clearly look like it too. Red eared sliders are common gift pets that often get abandoned (I should know, I rescued one!).
Why do you ask? Do you want to breed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?
You can only breed Infant Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Gotta wait for them to become teenagers.
I disagree with the comment saying they were radical.
Its obvious they were bodacious.
Teenage
What breed
Big ones.