I got my red eared slider about 4-5 months ago from someone who kept him in the smallest critter keeper. He didn't even know how to swim at first, I had to slowly raise the water level. Now hes swimming great. I started him in a 10 gallon, and just moved him to a 30 gallon steralite storage bin...And we are buying a 65 gallon performed pond this week, or next week from someone on craigslist. But he will be inside in the bin during winter. I had gotten him some feeder fish, but he doesn't eat them so they are his tank mates, and will be his pond mates. (5 comet goldfish, and 2 Rosy red minnows...And my moms 3 large comets will go out there too).I feed him commercial pellets (three different brands/varieties, Monster,HBT and Reptomin), a frozen aquatic turtle food,Veggies,and a canned shrimp treat on occasion. Here are some pictures: The bin Some of his tank/pond mates.
Does it have a UVB light too? On a future clean out of the tub you may want to ditch the gravel, it's a choking/impaction hazard. The turtle may eventually figure out what fish are for, when it grows a bit more. So you may not want to put your mom's fish in with it if she's a bit attached to them. Good choice with using the tub, everyone gets so set on using glass aquariums when the cost for them is usually ridiculous (for the larger ones anyways). If you need to upgrade the tub size over the winter you can build a wooden frame to help support the sides for a larger tub. Petsmart sells some aquatic plants, so you may check there to see if they have duckweed. It's a good edible plant to help get a RES to eat more plants/veggies. Toss a small piece of cuttle bone in there for the little guy to munch on too. Also, if you search around a little bit online or check a couple other bigger turtle forums you may come across recipes/suggestions on how to make homemade veggie gelatin foods for turtles. It could be a good way to get more vegetables in the little guy in the future. (It can also be fed to both turtles) It's too bad the poor thing was being kept the way it was. A few years ago I was with my husband when he was visiting a friend, and the guy had a little RES in a tiny critter keeper. I tried to convince the guy that it needed a lot better care then that or maybe that it would be best he gave it up. He wouldn't listen, saying it was his "kids turtle".
Yes, he has a UVB and a basking light (UVB wasn't pictured), and there are two 15 gallon filters (only one was set up when i took the picture). I like the tubs cause they are easier to clean, and cheap. lol. PetSmart here definitely doesn't have duck weed (I work there ) There is a cuttle bone in there, called "Turtle Bone", its floating by the dock. And there are two live plants, I am not sure what they are called..and he does eat them. Too many people come into work with tiny RES they won at fairs.. They bring them in little kritter keepers which are almost always their permanent home..And of course I have to go on and on about whats wrong with it, and what they need..Some listen, most don't cause its "Too Expensive"
Fairs huh? I thought that the whole purpose of the ridiculous 4" law was to get them out of situations like that - where small children would win them. Maybe if it were brought up at a city council meeting (if the fair is on city property) the health risks could be discussed and the fact the 4" law is a federal law could stop the fairs use of turtles as prizes.
