Are Read Ear Sliders Water or Land Turtles???

Question

I need some help what is the best turtle to buy that will live in a house and can have a buddy?

Answer 1

If you have allot of $$$$ and start out with a 55 gal plus size tank and great filtration system for Aquatic turtles I say do it! These guys can only be with their own kind.

Sliders, cooter, painted, map, yellow bellied all are basically the same and require the same basic care. They grow fast! A 55 plus size tank for 2 sliders under 4" a piece.Most people don't realize they will fight to the death if they are over crowded in a small tank and not enough to eat.

Walmart sells a 55 gallon tank with hood, light and decent filter for $153.00. You would need to buy some extra stuff, but that is a cheap tank set up with a good filter. You still need the rep light and large enough gravel they can’t swallow., and a dock…and fish and rep food.

I have used kiddy pools and plastic pond liners from most nurseries..

**The bigger the environment the bigger the turtle. Most aquatic don't need land. I take mine out of their pond on occasion and let them hang in a fenced area.

In a fish tank enviroment sand or dirt will clog your filters fast and that will make the turtles water dirty and then they get sick and need a vet.You probably already know that they get sick easily, shell rot, respiratory sickness, lopsided swimming, coughing,blowing bubbles from his mose, swollen eyes..so many illnesses.

Did you know that they need to bask under a reptile light UVA for 8 to 10 hrs a day for the vitamin D that they need to grow. So that means getting a turtle dock also.

Leave the heater on 75 to 78 degrees always.

Their water needs to be clean otherwise they get sick easily from dirty water cause they p**p allot.

You need a good filter system! Gravel larger than they can swallow.

You need to feed them feeder guppies, goldfish or minnows for protein and calcium daily drop 20 or so in the tanks and watch them disappear! This way when they swim for their dinner they get exercise also!

They need leafy greens( Romaine, Butter lettuce. Iceberg and cabbage are bad for them, any leafy greens will do) for vitamin A that they need at least 3 to 4 times a week.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29035692@N0...

Answer 2

Water and Land. They sometimes like comming on land to dry up. And then they might go back and swim. :D

Answer 3

water because it would be less expensive.

Answer 4

Semi-aquatic.  They live predominantly in the water, but spend a good deal of time daily basking in the sun, or under a UVB source.  They do not live IN water 24/7, like a fish.  A basking/land area is needed.

RESs are expensive to care for, and require a lot of space.  Adult females can reach 10" as an average shell length.  The rule of thumb for spacing is 10 gal. of water per inch of turtle shell length, so eventually a single female would need a 100 gal. tank.  Adding a second turtle would nearly double the space requirement.

http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/ca...

http://www.redearslider.com/

http://www.redearslider.com/index_habita...

Box turtles are small, but they eat daily and have nearly as complex feeding and housing requirements.  They are land turtles.

http://members.aol.com/TheWyvernsLair/tu...

http://www.austinsturtlepage.com

Google/research both animals, and decide which better suits the parameters you have in mind.

Enjoy your pets, whatever you decide.

I hope this has been helplful.

Answer 5

They are aquatic. If you mean the best turtle that can live in a house, as in without water, I would probably go with a Russian Tortoise. If your looking for aquatic, Red eared sliders are a good starter turtle. Although turtles are a lot of work so there is really no such thing as a good starter turtle.

Answer 6

You need a bit of both. RES are mainly aquatic but need a land area and basking light in order to be healthy.

Go to petco. They have a kit that contains everything you need for your turtle to live a long life. Properly cared for, a turtle can live for 25-30 years!

Answer 7

water