Red Ear Slider Turtle Help?

Question

Tommorow my mom said that I could get a turtle.I already have $150 is this enough money?Should i get a turtle from petsmart or petco rather than the mall?How much do turtles cost in petsmart and petco?Where can i find a tub to put them in because my mom said that she feels that they should have more room.If you have any orther tips please tell me.

P.S if you answerd the questions i posted about my hermit crabs im not spoiled the died a couple weeks ago when i asked my dad to take of them and he diddnt feed them for 3 freakin weeks and the died.PLZ GIVE ME ANYMORE TIPS YOU HAVE ON HAVING A TURTLE AS A PET!

Answer 1

sliders are expensive..must have feeder goldfish minows or guppies and lettuce and dried turtle food..

You need at least a 40 gal to start with and a good filter..

check the 55 gal tank sets at Walmart.

I have had 2 sliders for 36 yrs now plus a 8 yr old and a 5 yr old. This is how I have taken care of them for 36 yrs. Great pets.

I have had them in a stand alone 150gal pond from sears..for about 6 yrs now..

**Here is some important and a lot of info. If he or she is small get feeder guppies or small feeder goldfish, frozen brown worms ..or live brown worms from a fish store. petco and or petsmart do not carry live worms..

**Red-eared sliders, Gender especially juveniles, can be difficult to s*x. Gender in adults is determined by external physical characteristics and behavior. Males have longer fore claws (which are use in courtship), a longer tail length, a longer distance from the body to the vent opening, a tail that is thicker at the base and generally a smaller body size and shell length. Turtles are considered juveniles till after 5 yrs old.

Their Home

The minimum enclosure size for hatchling re-eared slider should be a 20-gallon aquarium minimum. As a general rule, the water depth should be at least 2 times the turtle's length, with several extra inches of air space between the surface of the water to the top edge of the tank to prevent escapes. So if your turtle is 4” around  he needs at least 10 to 12” of water to swim. For ONE 4 to 5 inch long sliders, the recommended minimum enclosure surface area is 50 gal plus tank with an extra square foot for each additional turtle.

What to Feed

In the wild, re-eared sliders eat both animal and plant sources of food. However, juveniles are mainly meat eaters but still love the greens.

In captivity, the diet for juveniles should consist  of a commercial aquatic turtle pellets and small feeders guppies or goldfish or minows. Hatchlings and juveniles should be fed on a daily basis. The diet can be supplemented with live fish of an appropriate size (guppies, goldfish), tubiflex worms and earthworms. Plant matter, in the form of  leafy greens or finely chapped mixed vegetables, can be offered once weekly but may not be readily accepted until they grow older.

Fill tank with approx 20 feeder guppies and or 10 to 15 small goldfish. you’ll know when to replenish the live food supply. just count what’s left and then fill it up again..Get a cuttle bone from the bird dept and drop in the water for added calcium. Hopefully they may eat it and that’s what you want.

For adults their of the diet may consist of some commercial turtle pellets. Plus 80% of their diet is fresh alive fish to catch in their water which also gives them exercise when trying to catch to eat. Adults should be fed greens , romaine, red leaf lettuce, mustard greens, dandelion, watercress, parsley. Swiss chard, shredded carrots, shredded squash, thawed frozen mixed vegetables and miscellaneous fruits. Adults can be fed every two to three days. NO iceberg or cabbage!!

Vital Statistics

Total Body length: 5-8" average, up to 12 inches max.

Life span: 15-25+ years

Males have the longer foreclaws..

Water quality and Filtration

Sliders are voracious feeders and tend to foul the water real quickly with their messy eating habits and frequent defecation. Therefore, a system needs to be in place for good water quality. Partial to full water changes can be performed. Many different filter systems are available ..

*** Health Problems

If you take proper care of your red-eared slider by providing excellent housing, nutrition, lighting, and heating, it is unlikely to ever become ill or injured. However, it’s still important to familiarize yourself with ailments common to sliders so that you can quickly identify them in your own slider, should it become ill. The following are some of the most common medical problems among red-eared sliders.

Fungus Infections

“Fungal infections are fairly common among red-eared sliders, especially younger ones. If you notice what looks like a light layer of cotton on your slider’s shell or eyes or in its mouth, this is most likely some form of fungal infection. Although their appearance can be alarming, most infections in their early stages are fully treatable at home. If a fungal infection remains untreated, however, it can spread across the entire body and cause serious harm to your turtle.

To treat a mild fungal infection, immerse your red-eared slider in a warm saltwater bath for about half an hour each day, using a soft sponge to gently scrub the infected regions. You can also treat patches of fungus with topical applications of a mild antiseptic, such as povidone-iodine. As long as the problem isn’t severe, you should notice signs of recovery within a day or two, and a full recovery in about 10–14 days.

If your turtle has a persistent fungal infection that home treatment isn’t curing, take it to the vet for treatment. Several medications are available that can address a fungal infection if it hasn’t spread too far.”

**Shell Rot.

First make a dry box to keep the turtle in, shell rot needs water to grow.

Keep it warm and give it plenty of light.

Scrub the shell gently with a toothbrush and water.

Let the turtle swim for about 20 minutes a day in something other than his pond..clean water.

1-2 times a day take a cotton ball apply Hydrogen Peroxide to it then to his shell. It'll start bubbling which means its cleaning it. it. DO NOT get it in his eyes.

Then clean the shell and apply providone-iodine solution to the shell, coat the shell and don't clean it off until he is ready to swim the next day.

** Keep this up for several weeks and it should go away. . MOST important !!! TOSS in a bird cuttle bone in the water for calcium. it will dissolve real slow and if they eat it that’s fine!!

Respiratory Infections

“Slider turtles and other aquatic species are susceptible to respiratory infections. Most respiratory infections that can affect sliders are mild and easily treatable in their early stages, but there are also some particularly virulent infections that can kill a turtle very quickly without veterinary attention. Sliders usually develop respiratory infections when their tank is too cold.

Symptoms of an infection include a runny nose, wheezing, lopsided swimming (an ailing lung changes the turtle’s buoyancy), lethargy, and a refusal to eat. If you identify the illness in its early stages, you may be able to treat it by removing the sick slider from its quarters into a new, clean tank (especially if you keep multiple sliders, since the majority of respiratory infections are contagious) and keeping it a few degrees warmer than normal. Warmth is the most crucial factor in treating respiratory infections in the home. If the condition persists for more than a few days or worsens, bring your slider to your veterinarian, who will treat the infection with antibiotics.”

Contact the “herpetologicalsocieties.com“.

Ps..I have arthritis in my hands, so I have  pasted my answer for you. I just try to help you the pet  owner as much as I can. I wish you  Luck.

Answer 2

I got all my supplies at Petco and they were super helpful. They also had some books on RES. I bought "The Guide to Owning a Red Eared Slider" by Patteson but the internet probably has all the answers too. You are going to want an aquarium tank with a good filter (it will get so old trying to clean it out every few days if you dont). They also have docks and lamps that will easily attach. It is very important that you set up a good home for them and feed them correctly. And really think about this because these turtles live a long time if cared for correctly so be prepared to have this thing for most of your life if you do things right. And if you are not committed then dont buy it but if you chose to they are great pets and so fun to watch. Just buy some books and you will be fine! Best of Luck!

Answer 3

I had a Red Eared Slider when I was a kid. They can be pretty nice friendly turtles if you're lucky. Walmart or any large store should have a tub of suitable size for a medium sized turtle (30"x18" tub for a 6 inch shell). They don't jump much, so the shallower (down to 12" or so) the better. Fill it with rocks on one side so it can get out of the water if it wants to. Clean the tub twice a week, or more if you're up to it. Also, make sure to play with or pet the turtle occasionally, because some turtles like to be petted. Oh! On that note, don't just pick any turtle. The temperment matters. Some are friendly, some bite. So meet them first and pick one.

Answer 4

well um were to start first of all ALWAYS DO RESEARCH always a tub will work for a minute but try a fish tank they at my local pet store cost about $30 a tank depends on how big go to a smaller more family owned type of pet store the animals there are usually better cared for u need a basking area light  food fish feeder goldfish insects commercial food i recommend u do more research before getting any turtle many turtles have died because of lack of knowledge so plz do ur research first!!!!

Answer 5

i would go to a smaller exotic pet shop for the turtle, then petco for supplies, but ask the sales person at the smaller shop exactly what you need. i dont trust petco or smart with animals. i've had several die because they were raised in mills (i found out later)

Answer 6

Figure 10 gallons of tank or tub per inch of shell length. Provide a ramp and basking site. You can make them from a piece of hardware cloth  for much less than you would pay in the store. Feed them live food when you can: small earthworms, fishes (from the bait shop, not goldfish), and soft-bodied insects. When you can't get live food, cut liver into strips and dust it with bonemeal.

You might have noted that most of the stuff I have suggested does not require a trip to the pet shop. Get the turtle there and (maybe) a tank. Also a filter rated for twice the size of the tank or tub.

As far as where to shop, look around. Are the turtles kept in good conditions? Do they look healthy? Do the clerks sound knowledgeable? Or are they only trying to sell you as much as they can?