Size: Red
Eared Slider: Average
adult is 5 - 8 inches; females are larger than males, generally.
Map:
Males are about 3.5"
to 5" and the females are anywhere from 6" to 10".
Painteds:
Eastern: males: 4-6", females: 6-8"
Southern: male:3-5", females: 5-7"
Western: males:4-7", females: 7-10"
Life span: 15 - 25
Years
General Appearance:
Young red-eared sliders
are bright green with yellow markings and a red stripe just
behind the eyes. Colors dull with age.
Housing Requirements:
Enclosure:
Should be mostly
aquatic. Minimum dimensions for tank are for babies (1-2
in.) are about 20-30 gallon tanks.. Minimum depth of the
water should be twice as deep as the shell is wide. (This is
so the turtle doesn't drown if it flips over and hasn't
worked up it's neck muscles completely) A basking area
is needed to allow the red-ear slider to get out of the
water to dry completely. Full spectrum UV lighting is a must
for a healthy, happy turtle..
Temperature
Range (F)
-
Air
Temperature: Low to mid 80s
-
Basking
Temperature:
High 80s to low 90s
(the basking platform should be large enough to allow a
range of temperatures).
-
Water Temperature: Low to mid 70s
for adults. Around 80 for hatchlings.
Substrate:
Substrate is not
recommended, as frequent water changes make it difficult to
clean. Also, some turtles may eat the tiny gravel at the
bottom.
Diet:
Feeding should be daily
with all they can eat in 15 minutes. (If it's a new turtle, it
may not eat due to it being nervous. This may take a few days to
resolve. During this time, just leave the room for it to eat)
You should feed in a sink so the tank doesn't get filled with
the remnants of food, thus less cleaning. But if you don't, then
remove all food remaining after that time, except for greens.
Just because they beg for food does not necessarily mean they're
hungry, this is a trained condition. Diet should be at least 65%
- 85% meat consisting of commercial turtle food, trout chow,
beef heart, cooked chicken, fish live or fresh caught
(not frozen). Meat should be dusted once a week with a good herp
vitamin containing D3. Dark green leafy vegetables can be used
to fill the rest of the diet. Babies are especially carnivorous,
and the best commercial food is "ReptoMin Baby."
Maintenance:
Water should be clean
and clear. Waste should be removed whenever it is found.
Filtration prolongs the time between water changes, but should
not be used as a substitute for water changes. Wastewater should
not be emptied into a sink that is used for food preparation or
personal hygiene. Hands and any other part of your body that
comes in contact with the water should be washed thoroughly with
anti-bacterial soap. For larger areas like the bathtub, use a
water and bleach mixture to a ratio of 20:1.
