Need Red Eared Slider Mating Help

Question

I have two res about 4 years old. A male and a female, and i know i have one of each because of the size difference, the tail, the claws, and the indention on the male. Now this is the part i need help on. I read up on the breeding of the turtles because i hope to have some babies. I found out that the female is larger then the male, well in my case the male is huge compared to my female. He is about 6 inches and she is 4. And i know that they are suppose to be 5 years old for them to be sexually mature, but the male is already doing the mating dance. Oh and there is no fighting or aggression going on.

Now the question is, since he is doing the mating dance are they ready to start mating even though they are only 4 years old and the female is so much smaller then him?

Thanks for your help and if you need anymore information just let me know.

Answer 1

when we get these guys we never really know how old they are. So they might be ready,,but they generally lay eggs in May thru june and the hatch in 80 to 90 days.

so here ya go:

mating tank size,Use a 30 gallon tank.  Keep the water warm but shallow (About 5 inches), since during the mating the male might get so concentrated that he might forget that the female has to go out for breathing!.

after mating,It is advisable during pregnancy to keep the female separate from the male, so that she will not get disturbed so much.  You should handle her ONLY when absolutely necessary.  Keep the water very clean and give her enough space.  Heating is also very important as they will spend a lot of time basking to warm themselves and the eggs inside.  You might notice a change in the appetite of the female, she might refuse to eat.  This is normal.  Nevertheless, continue offering her food and consider a dietary change, she might feel inclined to eat certain things only.Nesting quartes, Prepare a 20 gallon tank with about 4 inches of potting soil or soil/vermiculite mixture

.You should start to observe the eggs more carefully about 80 to 85 days after they had been laid.  Hatching time is comming!  Once the time comes, the hatchings will cut the egg shell with something called the egg tooth, which falls out about an hour later and never grows back.  If they don't feel secure, they will remain inside their shells.  Do not try to take them out until they have come out on their own. (they might not come out until the following day).   Once they come out, you will notice a small sack hanging out of their bellies. This is the yolk sac that fed them while they were incubating.  DO NOT try to remove this sac, trying to remove it can kill the baby turtle.  It is better to wait that it drops on its own.  Once it drops, you will notice a split in the plastron.  This will heal by itself too, you don't need to treat it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29035692@N0... you know that they need to bask under a reptile light for  8 to 10 hrs a day for the vitamin D that  they need to grow.

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!

You need to feed them feeder guppies, goldfish or minnows for protein and calcium daily.

They need leafy greens for vitamins at least 3 to 4 times a week.

And a big tank 55 gallons or more..

Answer 2

They may or may not be ready for mating. The displays start before the male is sexually mature. They're sort of like human teenagers in this way. When you see the male mounting the female, it will be time to prepare for egg-laying. Just make sure that the eggs are laid on land. Eggs laid in water will be dead by the time you get to them.