Abstract The burgeoning pet trade is a primary threat to wild freshwater turtles worldwide. Although the risks from commercial exploitation of turtles have been discussed widely, there is little empirical research on preferences for pet turtles from a hobbyists’ perspective. We conducted an online survey of nearly 2000 turtle hobbyists recruited via discussion forums in China. We collected information on turtle‐keeping experiences, past purchase behaviors, knowledge about the protection status of certain endangered species, and awareness of legality in the trade. We framed discrete choice experiments around different hypothetical scenarios about wild population statuses and captive‐breeding market conditions. We then used a random parameter logit model and a latent class logit model to identify key influencing factors and to explore the level of heterogeneity among turtle hobbyists. Consumers preferred inexpensive turtles, captive‐bred turtles for which traders’ certificates (e.g., business licenses, breeding permits, and proof of legal species origin) were available, online purchase, and delivery by the postal service. They were especially willing to buy turtles for which captive‐breeding techniques were well developed and turtles that had wild populations that were stable or increasing. Preferences were sometimes affected by social factors; for example, some consumers more willingly accepted high‐priced turtles under social influence, rather than when such factors were absent. We identified 3 distinct types of turtle consumers with heterogeneous preferences: 40.3% preferred cheap turtles, 31.1% preferred captive‐bred turtles, and 28.6% preferred both captive‐bred and inexpensive species. Overall, our results can inform interventions and campaigns to conserve freshwater turtles by targeting hobbyists with specific profiles.