What do red eared sliders need

There are different types of pumps available in the market. You can choose a suitable pump for your tank from those. It can be conveniently placed in your tank for water pumping. After arranging all these you can set it up by yourself. If needed you can take help from someone having prior experience of doing so. After setting up the tank, you just have to do some routine basis maintenance works.

Neglecting these works will make a dirty tank for your turtles. Such a tank is not healthy for them at all! While setting up the tank you might face some problem. Awareness about such possibilities is beneficial for your pets. It will prevent complications in the future. These are some of the ways of avoiding tank set up problems;. Red Eared Slider turtles are very low maintenance, cheap and adorable pets.

They can be your companion for a long amount of time. All you have to do for it is just to take good care of it and its habitat. What do Red Eared Sliders need in their tank is pretty much obvious. These are the basic things which are needed to keep them in good health and happiness.

If you deeply observe, they are very playful. Sometimes you will even feel they are communicating with you and showing you gratitude for having a home. I have been keeping turtles as a pet for many years now. Last week my friend bought a musk turtle, and he was pretty confused about its food habit.

When he reached out to me, I helped him with everything I knew. In this article, I am rewriting that Aquatic turtles are fun to watch, and I totally agree with you. However, species like Mississippi map turtles can be hard to pet due to their neat lifestyle. But if you love challenges, then this Skip to content. It is also important to know about the diet chart of the turtle while living in the pet store.

So it is better to buy it in the first place. So, what do red eared sliders need in their tank? You will need a few materials for setting up the tank, which are: An Aquarium or Plastic Tank For creating a perfect habitat for your Red Eared Slider, you will have to arrange at least 20 gallon aquarium or a plastic container.

Basking Area Red Eared Sliders are semi-aquatic. Lighting Arrangement In their natural habitat, these little creatures enjoy the sunlight. Heater Red Eared Sliders need a convenient temperature inside the tank for their survival. Some Decorations It is more convenient for you to keep the tank any sort of clutter-free with minimal decoration.

Apart from this stuff, you can get some decoration stuff from the pet store as well. Pump Keeping your Red Eared Sliders healthy is a crucial task to do. These are some of the ways of avoiding tank set up problems; Arranging a separate space for the turtles to feed. If you get one of these quarter-sized babies, it may look easy at first, but as they grow, they will need a giant tank and a lot of constant care. It's more than just a bowl with a little bit of water and a rock.

Aquatic turtles , including red eared sliders , will need special lighting, animal- and plant-based foods, and continuous cleaning and maintenance. Take a look at what you need before acquiring a turtle and your new pet slider will be sure to thank you. Red eared sliders require more work than many people think. They also get much larger and need more room than is often implied by pet stores and other vendors. A large tank, special reptile lighting, and an appropriate diet are just a few things you'll want to make sure you provide to your red eared slider.

Before you bring home a red eared slider there are a few things to check out to increase the odds that you are bringing home a healthy turtle. Learn where to get a red eared slider including possibly rescuing one and how to tell whether or not your turtle of choice is healthy. Look at their eyes, shell, how they swim, and whether or not they seem very active.

There are some key indicators to help you determine whether or not a red eared slider is healthy. Small aquariums are good for young turtles but as red eared sliders mature they will require a tank that can hold well over gallons of water.

Creative turtle owners use all sorts of novel housing ideas to meet the roomy requirements of their red eared sliders using things like pre-formed plastic pond liners to make homes more like indoor ponds. And, if you have an outdoor pond, and a securely fenced yard to keep your turtle in and predators out, you might consider putting your turtle outdoors for at least part of the year. Water quality must be maintained no matter where you house your turtle and both supplemental heat and UVB lighting should be provided.

Setting all of this up is the hardest part but once your tank or pond is established the maintenance isn't all that bad. This is because of the risk of salmonellosis.

Please review this article for more information on reducing your risk of exposure to this disease. Red-eared sliders kept as pets generally reach sexual maturity between years of age. In the wild, females may not mature until years of age. Females are generally larger than males, though males have longer tails and very long front claws.

The cloacal opening on female red-eared sliders does not extend past the edge of the shell. The skin of a red-eared slider is green with bright yellow stripes.

A patch of red behind each eye gives the red-eared sliders its common name, although some sliders may be missing this color. Some turtles may also have a small patch of red on top of their heads.

The Red-eared Slider has webbed feet and strong claws. The shell of hatchlings is green with a fine pattern of yellow-green to dark green markings. As the turtles mature, the carapace may become yellow or olive green, with the fine pattern changing into dark lines or patches on each scute. Portions of the shell may be white, yellow, or even red. As the turtle ages, even the lines and patches may slowly disappear until the shell is a uniform dark olive green or greenish-brown.

Some male turtles will become "melanistic" uniformly dark gray or black. Breeders have developed two other color morphs strains. One is the pastel, which is lighter in color with varying amounts of red and yellow. The other is the albino, which is bright yellow as a juvenile. The color fades as the turtle ages. Turtles soon acclimate to new environments, though they may spend the first several days hidden within their shells.

Soon, however, they will associate your presence with food, and will greet you with anticipation. If a red-eared slider feels threatened, however, just like other pets, it may bite.

Turtles should be handled gently, with the body and legs supported with both hands. If the turtle becomes alarmed, it may struggle and accidentally scratch your hand or fingers. Many turtles become seriously injured, sometimes fatally, if they fall, so always hold the turtle securely and use two hands.

Always wash your hands before and after handling the turtle. Children less than 5 years of age should not handle turtles. If older children are allowed to handle the turtle, teach them how to do it correctly and be sure they also wash their hands before and after contact with the turtle. Red-eared sliders will need housing that mimics their natural environment - warm, with water for swimming, and a dry warm area in which to bask.

A glass or acrylic aquarium will be needed to house the red-eared slider; glass is usually better, since acrylic tends to be scratched easily. Another option is a plastic utility tub, wading pool, or stock tank. Remember that your turtle will grow, and have larger housing requirements see table below.

An adult Red-eared Slider will eventually require at least a gallon aquarium. NOTE: To avoid having to buy many housing systems over the life of your turtle, you may wish to start out with a larger aquarium. Bigger is always better. This is the minimum size of the area which will contain water, and does not include areas of dry land or air space above the water level to prevent the turtle from escaping.

The air temperature in the tank needs to be around 75 - 82 degrees Fahrenheit 24 - 28 degrees Celsius. Use the right kinds of lights. The bulbs should be replaced about every 6 months. The heat light keeps the basking area temperature 10 degrees higher than your water temperature. Your turtle shouldn't be able to reach the lighting, since the bulbs can burn. Screw the lights tightly out of the way of the turtle.

Also, never leave a glass or plastic tank in full sunlight as it will quickly overheat. Part 3. Purchase your turtle. Never take a turtle from the wild. Not only is this cruel and unfair to the turtle, it is also illegal in most states. If you still are determined, be sure you have the legal paperwork to do so. The kindest thing you can do is to get an adult turtle that is no longer wanted, and there are a lot of abandoned turtles that need homes. You can also try reputable breeders to get your turtle.

A number of turtles are ill before you buy them. Look around and take note of the turtle's behavior, as well as the conditions the turtles are kept in.

The water in the tank should not smell. If it does this is a sign the turtles have not been cleaned out regularly and are more likely to become sick. It is not recommended to buy from large breeders, as they usually have bad conditions and lack veterinary care.

Give your new turtle some space. Your turtle will probably be a little shy when you bring it home. It may take a few days before your turtle feels safe enough to venture forth from the shelter of its shell. Determine the sex of your turtle. You will not be able to determine the sex until a turtle is a mature adult, from 2 to 4 years old. Males will have longer nails and tails than females. Females will also be larger in general.

Part 4. Feed your red-eared turtle the right food. A proper diet for red-eared turtles and similar aquatic turtle species should have the following proportions: vegetables and water plants 50 percent, commercial foods 25 percent, and live protein 25 percent.

Red eared turtles are happy to store-bought food turtle food, as well as food you've foraged for them. Good vegetable choices include: dandelions the ones in your yard are good if you don't use pesticides , carrot tops, mustard greens, romaine lettuce, carrots, bell pepper, and squash.

The best greens are water plants like anacharis, water hyacinth, water lettuce, Frogbit, hornwort, and duckweed. While expensive in a pet store, these are easy to grow in a separate tank or pond, and they are cheap if you buy in bulk online. Red eared turtles don't usually eat fruit in the wild, so avoid it except for an absolute treat.

If giving a treat, bananas are a good choice. For commercial food, look for something that has low protein and low fat. Dried shrimp are an absolute no-no! While turtles love the taste of dried shrimp, they offer no nutrients and turtles may refuse other foods for weeks. Check your turtle for signs of health problems.

There are various conditions and diseases that can occur if the tank water is dirty, if the turtle's diet is poor or for other reasons. You may see pieces of tissue coming off. Eye infections are caused by bacteria. The turtle should be seen by a vet and probably needs a topical antibiotic plus upgrading the tank's filtration system. Soft shell : If your turtle's shell is softer than it's supposed to be, your slider may not be getting enough light from your overhead light.

If this happens, the turtle's dock may be too small, the water may be too deep, or the turtle is too weak to get on the dock. If this happens, contact your vet or a pet store. It can also mean that it has metabolic bone disease. Furry mouth and refusal to eat : Your turtle has a bacterial infection and should be seen by immediately by the vet for an antibiotic treatment.

Weak, wheezing, lethargic and holding head at an unusual angle : This may be a respiratory infection, such as pneumonia. Immediately take your turtle to the vet. Wounds : Check the tank for sharp objects or a fighting mate. Remove the cause, treat the wound with povidone-iodine solution, and keep it clean. See your vet for more advice. If it's shell is having a crack, then you will need to take a paste of calcium powder and paste it on the crack of the turtle's shell.

You can make a calcium paste by mixing pure calcium powder with necessary amount of water. Take your turtle outside sometimes for direct sun.

You must supervise outside time, to prevent overheating. One approach is to get a kiddie pool, fill it with some water, and provide something for the turtle to bask on. Make sure to offer some shade for your turtle so it won't overheat.

Spend time with your turtle. This is your pet and you'll form a bond, as with any pet, if you spend time together. Handle with care——not all turtles like being held or touched.

Some turtles love to have their shells gently scratched, just like a backscratch, or scratching behind a dog's ear. However, be careful, as not all of them enjoy it and may try to bite.

Note that their shells have nerve endings in them and they can feel everything. Be gentle. Never touch the mouth of your turtle.