Turtles are some of the most popular pets in the world, but they are also one of the most neglected pets due to uneducated and neglecting owners. Although small, red eared sliders require a lot of care, including proper space, lighting, heating, filtration, and diet. Let’s start with spacing. You may think that these tiny plastic containers are sufficient for a baby red eared slider, but it’s not. To find the base minimum proportions of an enclosure is simple: 10 gallons of water per inch of the turtle. Keep in mind that it is always better to have a larger tank because it gives your turtle more space to move around and it will also be good when your turtle gets slightly bigger. As for the question of whether you should get a tank or a tub, it doesn’t really matter, but I prefer tubs because they're easier to find, is much cheaper and because it’s dark and non see through, which gives your turtle a better sense of security.
Next is lighting. Red eared sliders are 75% aquatic, which means that most of their time is spent in the water. However, 25% of the time they will go on land to shed, so if your enclosure is indoors or if it is somewhere that doesn’t get a lot of sunlight, it is crucial for you to set up the proper lighting for your turtle. This includes both a heat bulb and a UVB bulb. Heat is pretty self-explanatory, but not a lot of people give their turtles or understand the purpose of UVB light. UVB light helps the turtle to maintain strong bones and a strong shell, which is very important. A basking area is basically a space above water that has the lighting above so the turtle can get on whenever it wants to absorb the heat and UVB. Every red eared slider enclosure needs a basking area, it is extremely important and helps the turtle shed. Measure the temperature of your basking area, it needs be in between 90 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit (32-35 degrees Celsius).
Okay, next is heating. So, if you live somewhere warm than you may not need a heater, but do some research just to be safe. However, a heater is absolutely necessary if your enclosure is indoors or if you live somewhere really cold. You want to make sure that the water in your enclosure should be between 72 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit (22-25 degrees Celsius). I suggest putting a probe or an aquarium thermometer in the water to make sure that it is the right temperature. Be careful when handling the heater because I’ve heard of some cases where the heater explodes in the water, which will undoubtedly create a lot of damage. So, just be careful.
Next is filtration. It is really important that the water in the enclosure is filtered and clean. Filtration removes any poop, left over food, and toxic substances from your enclosure. There are a wide variety of filters you can choose from depending on the enclosure size and your budget. In-tank filters, as the name suggests, go inside of the tank. Although they are not expensive, I don’t really recommend this one because it tends to be really small and it takes up a lot of space in your enclosure, especially if you have a small one. It is pretty cheap though. The next option, and a slightly better one are hang-on filters. As the name suggest, they hang on to the sides of your enclosure, and create a cool sort of waterfall effect. I previously used one of the Penn-Plax Cascade hang on filters before I switched to a canister filter, which is the last option. Hang on filters typically range between 40-60 dollars, so they are not that cheap but it is still better than in tank filters because they do not take up space. The last option and the type I am currently using are canister filters. These filters are the best in my opinion because the filtration is incredible. It is so big that you can’t even fit it into your enclosure. Canister filters are good if you have a big enclosure like mine, but it isn’t really necessary if your enclosure is small. If you have a canister filter, you should clean it every two months, which means taking it outside, disassembling it, and rinsing all of the media. But, the point is that you need a filter in your enclosure, whether it be an in tank filter, a hang on filter, or a canister filter.
Next is diet, what to feed to your red eared slider, and how often to feed it. A majority of a red eared slider’s diet should be vegetables. Some common options are lettuce, cabbage, kale, and pretty much any greens that humans consume. I grow some of these vegetables in my aquaponics system. Just to be safe, always search if a food is safe for your turtle before giving it to them. I give my turtle a lot of greens for him to munch on every day. I know that pet stores sell a lot of commercial turtle pellets, and you can feed them that, but just not for the majority of what you’re feeding them. Pellets should be about 25% of their diet. I am currently feeding my turtle two types of pellets. This Mazuri Aquatic Turtle Diet and the Zoo-Med growth formula. You can also feed your turtle dried shrimps, crickets, and worms because it expands their diet which is always a good thing. Always try to feed a wide variety of safe foods to your turtle. Fruits contain a lot to sugar but you can feed it to your turtle occasionally as a treat, maybe once a week, and only a small amount (e.g. a thin slice of apple or a grape.) If you want, you can feed your turtle live worms like earthworms, which they like. When is it moist outside, I like to go and collect a few earthworms that I find, rinse them, and feed it to my turtle. But I understand if you don’t want to do that, it is just good to give your turtle live food once in a while.
Now for the question of how often to feed your turtle. It depends on the age. My turtle is a little more than 2 years old, so I feed him once every two days. If your turtle is less than 2 years old, you should feed it everyday. If your turtle is an adult, you should feed it once every 2-3 days. To figure out how much to feed your turtle every time, just look at your turtle’s head and imagine how many pellets can fit into it, then feed it that amount. It is important not to overfeed your turtle because it may cause pyramiding, which is a sign of malnutrition or that you are overfeeding your turtle. If that ever happens I suggest taking it to a vet and figuring out how to fix it.
That’s about it for the basics of how to take care of red eared sliders and what you will need to get in order to set up the perfect environment for it. Before getting a turtle, do a TON of research about it because the requirements of different species of turtles are different. I am just sharing with you how I take care of my red eared slider and I hope that this post will help you somewhat.
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