Red Eared Sliders?

Question

I bought two Red-Eared Sliders last night, both approximately 1 1/2 inches in length. I have them both sharing a flat bottomed bowl at the moment. Its about four inches deep and eight inches across, I filled it with water and put in several rocks (which were thoroughly washed) for them to rest on. They seem comfortable enough, although I do plan on putting them in a larger tank within the next few days.

My question is, how can I get them to eat? I found a website that said they eat plants and recommended carrots and lettuce, among other things. I shredded some up for them and put it in their bowl, along with some food pellets I had gotten, but they haven't touched any of it.

Also, what sort of tank setup would they be most comfortable with? I noticed that they've managed to kick around the rocks I've put in there and thought maybe they didn't like how it was set up.

I know how large the turtles will grow to be and I don't mind at all, I've always wanted turtles. The turtles were purchased in New York City. If any of you have ever been to Chinatown, you've seen the little displays of baby turtles outside the shops. I felt bad for the little guys, they were out in the cold with no water, no food, nothing. I only really have room for two, so I bought two of them, and since they've been at my home they've been much more lively and very happy with swimming around in their bowl.

(I rescue animals a lot, so I just couldn't leave them there without feeling horrible about it. I would have taken more but I still live with my parents and even though they don't mind my 'missions' most of the time, I seriously doubted they would have been happy with my bringing home probably 200+ rescued baby turtles)

Answer 1

I have had several Red-Eared sliders. Yet they do like carrots and lettuce it is hard to get them to eat it and then it would do badly for them by getting the bowl dirty if they don't eat. I recommend that you get a 10 gallon aquarium with the following to put it in it. It will make the best habitat for your turtles.
- TetrafaunaTM Aquatic Reptile Heater (heats water)
- Zoomed Turtle Canister Filter (cleans water)
- Zoomed Turtle Dock (for turtle to bask in)
- Exo-Terra Biotize (to break down the turtle waste)
- ESU Reptile Heat and Light Dome with Clamp (you can get these at hardware stores, just buy a daylight light bulb)

All of this will help your turtles strive and live long you can also put fish in the tank with them i recommend a bottom feeder and some other hardy ones you could find.

The food i have used is Hatchling Aquatic Turtle Food by zoo med. You would be able to find all of this at Petsmart, or Petland.
With the problem with them not eating may be due to them not having sufficient lighting.

Answer 2

OK, some basic info:

1. It is illegal to sell turtles under 4" long. If you keep rescuing them, all you are doing is rewarding them for carrying them and for breaking the law. Whenever we see mistreated animals, we should report it, not buy them and enrich the seller.

2. The bowl is TERRIBLY too small. The rule of thumb i at least 10 gallons of water per inch of shell length. You have about 3" worth of turtle so need a pond of at least 30 gallons. The water should be filtered 2-3 times better than a fish tank, and heated to about 75-80F. You'll also need at least 2 basking sites, heated to 90F.

3. What site recommended that horrible diet? Baby Red-ears only eat meats. Try a mix of 25-50% good pellets and the rest live or frozen/thawed things like small fish, shrimp, beef heart, bugs, and worms. They really like bloodworms. Get the tank size and heating right before worrying about diet. NO TURTLE should eat head lettuce!

For good info try http://www.austinsturtlepage.com or http://www.redearslider.com for solid care ideas.

Answer 3

I had 2 red ear slider turtles and one got a respiratory infection and died Christmas Eve. Anyway not meaning to get off subject, my 1 is a hog and he eats well I got it 2 fish and ate 1 whole one and half of the other. I got it worms but it won't eat it. It takes them a few days to get used to the fish they are scared at first but in about 2-3 days they might be gone. Good luck.

Answer 4

You need to buy turtle sticks to feed them. Don't feed them vegetables. Put about a pinch of turtle sticks(about five or six) in the tank and leave the room or go somewhere they can't see you. You can buy feeder fish just make sure they aren't bigger than your turtle's head. My red ear slider didn't eat for the first three weeks after I got him.

Answer 5

I read on a few websites that it is not good to defrost frozen meats/fish and feed them to your turtle. When a meat/fish is frozen and then thawed out, they are deficient in thiamin and can cause a thiamin deficiency in your turtle. Thawed frozen or mixed vegetables can be used occasionally but you have to be sure that they have not developed thiaminase, which destroys the important vitamins.

Answer 6

If you just brought home your turtle, it may not eat for a few days due to stress. However, if you have a basking light, clean water, and a hide spot, and your turtle won’t eat after three or four days, it could be sick. Check at www.anapsid.com or with your local reptile club to see if there is a veterinarian in your area that will see turtles.

Where did you buy them? Are you aware that they could get up to 6-12" as adults? It's illegal to sell them under 4", although it's legal to own them that small.

If you're a new turtle owner, I'd recommend joining at www.turtleforum.com to chat with other keepers. The people there are caring and knowledgable.

For most aquatic turtles, a very, very good book to have on hand is The General Care and Maintenance of Red-Eared Sliders by Philippe de Vosjoli from Advanced Vivarium Systems, Santee, CA (1992), inexpensive and available in most pet stores. It is a little paperback, and might also go by the name Red-Eared Sliders. Just look for the author's name if in doubt.

WARNING: Any reptile has the potential to carry salmonella. Always wash hands after handling a turtle or touching any equipment that comes into contact with the turtle or the enclosure.

Aquatic turtles, such as sliders, painteds, redbellies, cooters, chicken turtles, map turtles, and terrapins all need the same basic supplies: Large tank, basking spot, basking light (heat light), UVB light, filter, food, siphon, and hiding spots.

Tank/Pond: For adult aquatic turtles, a 40 gallon breeder aquarium or larger is preferred, with outdoor ponds in enclosed yards being ideal. Female aquatics in particular need ponds in yards due to their large adult size. An adult female needs at least a 75 gallon tank, and an adult male needs from a 40 gallon to a 75 gallon tank, depending on his size.

For juvenile aquatic turtles, a ten gallon to forty gallon tank is needed, a ten gallon being acceptable for new hatchlings, depending on the individual animal (but NO turtle should live permanently in a ten gallon aquarium or even a 20 gallon aquarium). A 20 gallon tank should last about a year before the turtle outgrows it.

Water depth should be AT LEAST as deep as the shell is long, although it CAN be much deeper. Indoor ponds and aquariums require a haul-out spot (also called a basking spot), a heat light over a basking spot, a UVB light (such as Reptisun 5.0) over the basking spot, a high-powered filter, and occasionally a water heater (depending on how cold your room is). Most households do not need a tank heater so long as the turtle can get under a basking spot whenever they choose. A heat light – at one end only - is a MUST indoors! You don’t want to overheat a hatchling or small turtle, but there should be a light over the basking spot to provide a thermogradient. Outdoor ponds must be in an escape-proof yard or the pond itself must be escape-proof. Outdoor winter hibernation is allowed depending on the size of the pond, the species involved, and your winter temperatures.

Filter: Canister filters are more expensive than over-the-tank filters, but do a better job, and are worth the money in the long run. Small submersible filters will work for very small juvenile turtles, but the turtle will quickly outgrow those. A filter is a must for indoor turtles!

Basking Spot: An aquatic turtle needs a place where he can climb out of the water completely to dry off and warm up under a heat lamp and UVB light. I do not recommend stacking rocks or piling up gravel for a basking spot. This takes up too much room in the water, and rocks can lead to abrasions on the shell, which can then lead to infection. Floating cork bark is one alternative, and can be purchased on-line or at specialty aquarium stores. “Turtle Docks” are pre-formed floating basking sites that attach to the aquarium glass with suction cups. These can be purchased in pet stores or on-line. For large adult sliders, you might want to consider a home-made basking spot made of cork bark attached to a PVC frame, or Plexiglass attached to a frame.

Recommended foods: NOTE: AQUATIC TURTLES ONLY EAT IN THE WATER
Feed hatchlings daily. Turtles that are roughly 4-6 inches can be fed every other day. Very large adults can be fed three times a week. Offer an amount roughly the size of the turtle's head. Turtles are great at begging, so they may always seem hungry.

- Reptomin Pellets (in most pet stores), or Turtle Brittle from http://www.enasco.com/prod/Home. Reptomin is found in almost any pet store, and it’s a great food for hatchlings.
- Greens should be offered occasionally (Romaine or leaf lettuces, collards, dandelion, ect., but no iceberg lettuce)
- Earthworms, insects, and occasional treats of pieces of plain COOKED meat such as shrimp, chicken or fish are acceptable as part of the diet. Never offer raw meat.
- For juvenile turtles that won’t eat, try frozen “blood worms” (mosquito larvae) sold in little packs in the fish food section of most pet stores. Small crickets and pieces of earthworms are often readily accepted by stressed-out, newly acquired turtles.

Siphons: You'll need a siphon to change the water, usually every other week. I recommend Python siphons, available in most pet stores or from Drs. Smith and Foster. It hooks up to the bathroom sink and drains and fills the tank without you ever having to touch the water or needing a bucket. Again, these are a bit expensive, but they last for years and make cleaning a large tank much, much easier.

Hiding Spots: Turtles enjoy having an area where they can feel safe from predators. Artificial silk plants, from the dollar store, Wal-Mart, or a craft store, can be put into the water to act as hiding spots and to add color to the tank. A dollar store silk plant works just as well, if not better, as a hiding spot than an expensive plastic plant from a pet store. Rinse the plant well and let it soak in water over night before adding it to the tank.

Many supplies, such as a "Turtle Dock" for basking (attaches to the sides of the cage with suction cups), Reptisun 5.0 UVB lights, food, and a siphon can be order on the Internet. Websites include Drs. Foster and Smith http://www.drsfostersmith.com (or call 1-800-381-7179 to request a catalog).

Recommended Websites:

http://members.tripod.com/~Draybar/draybarturtles.html has some great
ideas for aquariums.

http://www.turtleforum.com
http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/
http://www.chelonia.org/Articles/basiccarebasking.htm
http://www.chelonia.org/Articles/chrysemyscare.htm
http://www.turtlepuddle.org/
http://www.matts-turtles.org Mid-Atlantic Turtle and Tortoise Society
http://www.angelfire.com/il3/janice/pondconstruction/construction.html
shows how to build a pond and has links to ponding sites.

Compliments of K. Smith