Does a red-eared slider turtle make a good pet?

Answer 1

I have two. If you want a pet that you can pet and hold and all that then no(they can be mean, my larger turtles will bite and hiss if you pick her up). Aquatic turtles are not good pets for anyone who doesn't want a lot of responsibilities. You have to keep the water clean (or they will really and I mean really stink, turtles thrive in dirty water and they want it that way) and a good set up is expensive. (initially when I got my turtle I spent nearly $250, and the actual turtle was the cheapest part at $15 dollars) They should not be given to children due to high amounts of bacteria and kids tend to put there fingers in there mouths.
I like my turtles because they are pretty and they are fun to watch. But they are expensive and can be a hassle. People usually buy a turtle thinking it will entertain them and that their kids will love it. Well when the turtle turns out to be just a turtle and not some exciting ninja turtle then many people lose interest and the poor turtles end up in a pond or lake. You should never release a captive turtle in to the wild!!!! EVER.

Answer 2

NO! Red earred sliders are messy and destructive pets. If you enjoy cloudly water, doing 50% water changes weekly and maintaining a filtration system then this might be the pet for you.
As an employee at a pet shop the sliders is the most commonly complained reptile.

Answer 3

In all honesty no (though I have 1 and love him to death). They are VERY high maintenence in order to keep them PROPERLY (sadly very few people do). They are cute as little hatchlings, but they require VERY large tanks as adults (I've heard they need 10 gallons of water per inch of turtle, so a half filled 20 gallon tank would suffice only for an inch long turtle. Females can be the size of dinner plates-You do the math.). They also require properly balanced diets. Commercial turtle food or feeder fish alone isn't going to cut it. They also need a powerful filter and can foul up water like you wouldn't believe. They are fairly skittish animals and don't enjoy interaction. Mine bites whenever he can.

-However, if you have the room, time, and $$$ to properly care for one, they are fascinating animals and can make very rewarding pets.

Answer 4

That depends on what you like in a pet. Research their care as it takes more than one might think, water temp, mid 80 degrees f., lighting a UV Light mostly UVB, large enclosure or tank, with a basking area. Proper diet, shrimp, earthworms, pieces of fish. They are messy, you will need a large capacity canister filter. They must be under water to swallow. there are several pellets for feeding that work well..

Answer 5

I just read something that warned parents not to give turtles as pets since they carry some sort of bacteria that can be dangerous.

Answer 6

YES they do, i used to have 2 like 5 days ago but me being so careless one night my cage tiped over and let them run away but they are great pets its fun to play with them, and they run pretty fast for turtles...but they get smelly when you don't clean there cage

Answer 7

well i have two. their really cute but it does take alot of maintenance,you should research them alittle more before getting one. specially if you have kids, some may carry diseases, well i kinda depends on the way you take care of them. if you give them the proper care like clean water they can get some pretty bad health issues that can be pasted on to other pets. basically if you take good care of them your gona have a great pet!!!!

Answer 8

This may be a dumb question, but is the tank warm enough? If not he could be trying to hibernate, which could be fatal under the wrong circumstances. The water needs to be at least 70 degrees (F)

Answer 9

i thought they were pretty kool but come to find out everyone has one so I agree with the first girl

Answer 10

no theyre boring