RED-EARED SLIDERS

Trachemys scripta elegans

Red-eared Sliders are the kind of aquatic Turtles you would have seen everywhere as a kid since they are commonly found in shops. Just like ninja Turtles, you can easily identify them because of the red band around their eyes that look like a mask.

BASIC CARE

DIET

As omnivores, they need quality pellets that provide vitamins, protein and calcium. They also need Fishes, veggies, and fruits given in variety.

ENCLOSURE

Provide clean water for them to swim in. The container or pond is ideally around twice as deep as the length of the turtle. Provide a docking area where they can dry off as well.

They also need adequate space to move around. An adult will need a 75-gallon tank. Do not house multiple Turtles in a small enclosure as they can become territorial and may eat or kill each other.

Not many people know this, but an adult Red-eared Slider can grow up to 10 to 12 inches! Be ready to adjust the size of their enclosure accordingly.

Never release them into the wild as they can disrupt the natural ecosystem. This is a common scenario around the world due to irresponsible people getting rid of the Turtles once they get bored taking care of them.

Please be sure to properly care for them throughout their whole life cycle.

TEMPERATURE

Lastly, they need a basking spot — usually above the docking area. This may require either a heat bulb or direct exposure to sunlight for them to bask in.

They don’t need much attention as they are perfectly happy swimming and basking all day, but one should still perform maintenance on them once in a while. With proper maintenance, they should be able to shed their shells without much of a problem or experience shell rot.

Brush off piled-up algae with a soft toothbrush and regularly change their water, as these Turtles tend to dirty up their enclosures frequently.