Red eared slider turtle care....

Question

i am wanting to get a red eared slider turtle and i want to now about there diets, care, habitat, ect. if you have a red eared slider turtle or anything very simular, PLEASE help me by telling my about it and how to care for it!

and i am not an aldut quit yet. would a red eared slider turtle be good for me?

thank you very much!!

Answer 1

well if i were you i would personally get a mississippi map turtle.  although res are also good pets map turtles stay much smaller and generally require the same care as a res. mississippi mat turtles are my personal favorites. they are relatively easy to take care of. a male reaches only 5 inches long. a female will get over 9 inches so i suggest getting a male. a male will do well in a 40 or 50 gallon tank. almost all of the tank should be dechlorinated water. their water should be about 80 degrees. they will need a water heater to maintain that temp. they like their water high also. they will need an area just big enough to hold them to completely dry off. over the dry dock should be a uv light. uv lights are vital to a turtles health. mississippi map turtles should be kept in clean water. their tank should be cleaned once a week. to keep their water as clean as possible feed them in a seperate container (filled with water) and invest in a filter. they eat live foods such as crickets and mealworms. they also need to be fed pellet foods high in calcium and vitamin a. juvenille turtles should be fed daily and adults should be fed every other day. mississippi map turtles can also be housed with other turtles. overall they make great pets.

if you dont choose to get a mississippi map turtle all of this info above and below can be used for a red eared slider.

with any turtle you get dont freak out if it doesnt want to eat the first week you get. changing environments is very stressful on turtles.

turtles may also require vet care if they get sick. turtles dont get over sickness very well unless they are treated immediantly so if you ever suspect that your turtle is sick call a vet immediantly.

mississippi maps-

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

http://www.turtlepuddle.org/american/map...

res-

http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/reptilest...

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?...

hope this helps

Answer 2

we have a little slider,and we keep him in a 20gal fish tank.i get him baby turtle sticks,water plants,fish food,fish,romaine lettus,little bugs,and stuff like that to eat.i also put bits of cuttle bone in the tank from time to time,for calcium...we get little turtle blocks that help keep disease down in the tank and help with shell stregnth.. i think he likes a variety of foods...i have a good filter on the tank and a light and a heater,and a lid...he has a little dock he can climb on to get out of the water.. i also have several fish in there to keep him happy.my guy likes aquatic snails also...he is so amazing and great to watch.we all love him.

i don't Ever hold him tho,and i don't let my kids hold him either.. he is an observe only pet.like the fish..they do feed him and we love to watch him eat.

sliders(like alot of reptiles) can carry salmonellaa and other stuff.plus its not good for him to be held either..he can get germs from our hands too.if you do ever hold one be sure to wash your hands with the warmest water you can stand and a ton of soap!!

if you have had an aquarium of fish its kinda like that only neater. ours knows when its feeding time and he pokes his little head up out of the water as if to say"feed me please".

you should def. get some books on turtle care and ask your local pet shop people.they are a great resource for info. check out all the care stuff before you decide to get a pet.it will help you be a better owner and help your little pet have a happier life..good luck.