Red ear slider newbie

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desmondband

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Hi i'm new here! i adpot 2 Red ear slider few days back! :)

have some question to ask.. how deep my tank should be? currently is 4 cm deep, enough for them to lift up his head for some air..

seems like my turtle doesn't eat.. i feeding them sticks food.. it is ok? normal?

what other things i need to take care of?
 

Yvonne G

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Hi Desmond:

Are you in Australia? Welcome to the forum! I have a few red ears, but they live outdoors in a pond. I'm not really an expert on keeping them indoors, but I'll try to help you.

Red ear sliders are called semi-aquatic turtles. They swim very well, and should be kept in enough water to allow them to swim. Also, if they are in shallow water, should they get tipped over on their back, they might not be able to get themselves turned over. So, with two of them, you would need a larger tank to allow for this.

I don't know how big your turtles are, but if they have any size to them, a 50 gallon tank might not be big enough. If they are babies still, you can get by with maybe a 20 gallon. Then you want to fill it halfway full and provide a dock or landing area where they can climb out of the water and dry off completely. You provide a lamp that shines on the dock and simulates the sun. They sit there and warm up so they can digest their food.

Water turtles have to be submerged in order to swallow their food. If they won't eat pellets, then try offering some live food...worms, bugs, grasshoppers, etc. Red ears will also eat water plants and vegetables. I've even seen one eat banana once.

Good luck with your little turtles. Hope I've given you some help.

Yvonne
 

Rhyno47

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I have a painted baby. Most water turtles can float quite easily and wont get tired out by swimming. So the water should be at least two body lengths deep at its deepest point. You should also have a few spots where the little guys can get completely out of the water to rest and bask. Stick food is good. It contains all the vitamins and calcium they need. But the occasional treat is good. I give mine some bugs and some fish in his tank. He cant catch the fish yet but its cute to see him swim around chasing them. He will get the hang of it.
 

Crazy1

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Desmond,
Here are the temps you should maintain:
• Air Temperature: mid 70's - 80's
• Basking Temperature: High 80's to low 90's
• Water Temperature: ~ 72 to 76 degrees for sub-adults & adults, 78 to 80 degrees for hatchlings & smaller juveniles.

http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/caresheet-red_ear_slider.htm

http://www.chelonia.org/Articles/trachemyscare.htm
Sliders will consume vegetables, greens such as mustard greens, turnip greens, dandelion, spinach, carrots, zucchini and any aquatic vegetation, i.e. duckweed, water lettuce, water hyacinth, etc. They will also consume insects, worms and fish. Many of the commercially prepared turtle diets that exist on the market today are excellent Slider food.

Additional calcium supplementation is essential. Powdered calcium can be sprinkled on all foods. It is suggested that one use calcium supplemented with vitamin D3 if the animal is being maintained indoors and no UVB light is provided and calcium without D3 if it is outdoors or UVB light is provided. Provision of a cuttlefish bone, which can be gnawed if desired, is also recommended.
 

desmondband

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thanks alot for the information guys! i'm from Singapore..

My turtle is just about 5cm long very very small.

last year i had 1, and i put lots of water. but ending up die after a few days. So i thought it might had drown him. as long i put a landing dock should be fine?

and also, how much do i have to feed them?
 

desmondband

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can someone help me?? my turtle seems like to eat alot! and i mean ALOT! can eat up to 20 over sticks of food.. is it alright??

i did put some vitamins to help them improve their appetite.
 

Yvonne G

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Once a RES realizes that YOU are the food god, they are very good at training you to think they are very hungry. Besides the turtle sticks, you can try feeding your turtle a chunk of zucchini one day, a leaf of romaine another day, a couple night crawlers on a different day, some chunks of cooked chicken on another day. There are many, many foods you can offer to a RES. And even though they may have just finished off a huge meal, they will still come to the side of their tank begging like they're starving to death!

Yvonne
 

desmondband

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haha.. so actually they can eat alot? cause i'm afraid that they do not know how to control and being 'over-eaten' and die. haha.. will it happen?
 

Shelly

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emysemys said:
Once a RES realizes that YOU are the food god, they are very good at training you to think they are very hungry.

I wish I never started feeding the Sliders in my pond. I used to enjoy watching them swim around lazily... Now they practically chase me around the yard whenever I come out my back door!
 

Yvonne G

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In my experience, over feeding doesn't cause obesity, it just makes them grow big faster. I once saw a little 3 year old RES that should have been about 4" from front to back, however it was 8" front to back because of over feeding.

Yvonne
 
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