Ok I know you guys are going to think I'm the worse person in the world, but I couldn't resist getting a little red eared slider like that. I mean I even know that they get really big like 12 inches or more or something like that, but this little guy when he gets bigger is going into a nice big tank. I was think about putting him in like a 75 gallon or bigger. I did a lot of research about them but everyone says different things about them. Some say that they do better outside some say they that they do better inside. I just love my new turtle timmy and I wouldn't get rid of him for the world like so many other turtle owners do when they get bigger or out grow their cage. Well anyways I'm going to tell you what kind of setup I have him in now. He's only the size of a 50 cent piece so I have him in a 10 gallon tank. I have UVB lighting a ledge for him to bask on and a fluval 1 plus to keep the water cleaner. oh and a heater too. I feed him those wardley turtle pellets and he seems to like those a lot. Now I know I went against all the rules for buying turtles, but I hope this one lives to be a big turtle. Could I get some feed back on what I actually got myself into here. I mean how big to red ear sliders really get? and what do you recommend I get him?
well . . . a 75 gal tank is the absolute *minimum* for an adult male res (they average 6-8" in shell length as adults i believe). for an adult female res (these girls get 9-12" i think) you gotta have at least a 90 gallon. i would put him outside if at all possible (when it's at least 75 degrees out) just for the natural sunlight which is VITAL for basking turtles. when he is inside he MUST have a fluorescent uv tube-type light bulb above an area where he can completely get out of the water and bask. if you put him outside you MUST have a very secure locking cage partially in the shade. do NOT put him outside in a glass tank - you will boil him. outdoor ponds are the best and you can easily build a wall around them and put a lid on the wall. birds, raccoons, stray cats, etc will definately want to eat your baby. as for wardley turtle sticks - they suck (IMHO). he can have one or two wardley turtle sticks PER WEEK. other than that he needs to be eating live crickets, earthworms, peices of grapes, apple, and banana, and dead feeder fish. i'd put some live feeder fish in there too just to stimulate him. but he needs to have a varied diet - those 'turtle sticks' are always like 40% protein which will cause pyramidding very quickly. get him on a more varied diet. he may not want fruits and veggies til he's a year old or so, but keep trying to get him to want them. he should love dandelion greens and romaine lettuce as well. right now his diet should be 95% crickets, earthworms, and fish. and also - it is EXTREMELY easy to over-feed these guys. he should not have more food than can fit in his head more than once a day. right now that should be an amount of food about the size of a small marble. ONCE a day. i'm sorry you bought impulsively like that, but i know what it's like to look into those sweet little faces. extremely hard to say no. just keep asking questions and you'll do fine.
Congrats. I have to say, out of all the hatchling herps, Turtles rank on the top 3 for cuteness. Get a heat lamp.
i have a red ear slider that the shell from one side is a little bigger then the other side. if any one can give me advice of what to do. i will appreciate that
Congrats GeckoPaws, RES make great pets, I have a few. Frist- Food, Wardley pellets aren't nutritional, I'd recomend either Tetra Reptomin, or Mazuri turtle sticks. Twice a day, about 3/4 the size of his head, which is probably only one pellet right now, but break it up into 3 or 4 peaces. A cricket about twice a week is a good treat, but at this early age he needs the high protein stick food. Enclosure- All of my shells are indoor shells. If kept properly there is nothing wrong with keeping them inside forever. It is just more expensive than an outdoor pond. At his age a 10 gal wont hurt him, but when he get to be about 2" (shell length) you should put him in a 25gal rubbermaid. I say this because he out grow that aquarium in less then 2 months and then the rubbermaid 3 months after that. When he gets to be about 3" you should put him in a big aquarium. A 55gal will do. Then in 2 to 3 years when he gets to be about 5" you should either go with a 100gal or a outdoor pond. third- Lighting, he needs the UVB, but most arent a heat source. You should add a basking light, and check to see that the basking temp is... 87*F (is that right hummingbird?) Good luck, you should do fine.
Cher447- How much of a difference? Can you get post a pic? I would just say make sure 1. check the basking temp. 2. check the UVB bulb, they're only good for about a year before the UVB disapates, 3. check the amount of Calcium he gets. Add some ReptoCal to his stick food.
