How Long Can Red Ear Turtles Stay of of Water?

Question

I have 2 turtles...They´re about a month old...

I got them a week ago.

I heard that they hibernate, and would like to know at what age they start to do that.

Answer 1

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

They don't hibernate in captivity..I have had my 2 slider  girls for 36 yrs. Plus an 8 and 5 yr old and now a 2 yr old adopted from this site.. Been in a pond for almost 7 yrs now.



The bigger the environment the bigger the healthier the turtle 55 gallon plus size tank..

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.

Total Body length: 5-8" average, up to 12 inches max. Life span: 15-25+ years

Males have the longer front nails and are used in mating. And are considered mature at about 5 yrs old. You can’t start sexing till about  3” across.

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 sleep at the bottom of rivers, streams. lakes or ponds or your tank to avoid predators like coyotes,  foxes, owls, hawks, possums, raccoons and even some wide mouth bass.

TOSS in a bird cuttle bone in the water for calcium. it will dissolve real slow and if they eat it that’s fine!!

They can have garden worm, meal worms, crickets, flies, crayfish and  anything that moves!

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

You probably already know that they get sick easily, shell rot, respiratory sickness, lopsided swimming, coughing, blowing bubbles from their nose, Swollen cloudy eyes means lacking in Vitamin A. Which we all need for good eyes. Google ‘vegetables with Vitamin A.

I wish you luck.

Answer 2

Turtles that are kept as pets dont go into hibernation if they are housed indoors. The hibernation note only applies to WILD turtles.

P.S.

In order for your turtles to propser make sure you have

- at LEAST a 40 gallon LONG tank

- a heat lamp (with UVA preferred for shell growth)

- basking area

- a healthy VARIETY of foods

- a filter

- an underwater heater

Make sure you do some research on Red Eared Sliders...