Pet Care | Small Animals
TIPS & TRICKS
Check out some handy tips and tricks for all your pets. If you have any other questions, feel free to contact us online or pass by our store on the Union road 110 in Cole Bay, Sint Maarten, we will be happy to assist!
Red Eared Sliders
Red Eared Sliders can be found practically all over the world. This is because a lot of people keep them as pets. However, they can be found in the wild from the area around the Mississippi River, from Virginia to the gulf of Mexico. They can also be found in New Mexico to Brazil.
Their Habitat consists of calm freshwater, preferably in ponds, marshes, and lakes with soft muddy bottoms. Although RES can swim, they are only semi-aquatic. That means that they need to come out of the water to breath. So when you are thinking about purchasing an RES as a pet, you should make sure you have planned out your aquarium properly. That is making sure there is enough flat surfaces for them to climb out of the water on.
Food
Making sure you give your turtle proper nutrition is also key in keeping your Red Eared Slider in good health.
Generally the young, or juvenile turtles are carnivores, eating only meat. However, when the turtle mature they become herbivores. So giving your turtle a mixed diet can be beneficial.
The foods Red Eared Sliders generally eat, include a wide variety of items from different food groups.
Foods include:
- Earthworms
- Crayfish
- Fish
- Insects
- Shrimp
- Plants
- Romaine Lettuce
- Veggies
**Remember** Always Vary Your Turtle's Diet!
To preserve the health of your Red Eared Slider, the best method is PREVENTION! This can be done by making sure the water is clean and that the temperature is not too high or too low.
When setting up your aquarium, you should also make sure that there are no dangers of drowning or dehydration for your Red Eared Slider. This can be done by proper planning and layout of your aquarium. Water should be as deep as your turtle's shell is long and there should be a flat surface out of the water for them to bask upon. Your tank should also have access to direct sunlight in order to help strengthen your turtle's shell.
How big do they grow?
Captive Red Eared Sliders can grow between 5-12 inches in length. Red Eared Sliders growing in captivity grow faster than Red Eared Sliders found in the wild.
How do you tell if it's a boy or girl?
The small baby Red Eared Slider you find in the pet shops can be too small to be able to tell. You can usually determine which sex they are at about 1 year.
Female: Generally Larger with a smaller tail.
Males: Smaller than females and have a larger, thicker tail. The shell often curves under.
Do Turtle's have senses?
Yes they do. They can see in color, in water and above. They have a very keen sense of smell and can taste. The shell is sensitive to touch too, and they can hear very low frequencies.
Before purchasing your turtle, it is best to make sure you have an adequate set up.
Water should be filtered; however, if filtering is not an option, the water in the tank should be changed every few days to ensure uneaten food and waste does not build up to toxic levels.
Besides clean water, the pH can have an adverse affect on your turtle's well being. Generally, regular tap water is in the perfect range (6-8), but again if proper cleaning and maintenance are not followed, the pH can be altered drastically.
The temperature of the water is also key for your turtle. A temperature of around 78-80 degrees F is a good range.
The red stripe on a Red Eared Slider turtle isn't actually on it's ear in fact it's ears are just slits on it's head!
Because of predators and water tempreature in the wild a RES (Red Eared Slider) can only live for about 20 years.
Red eared sliders are omnivores.
Adult red eared sliders can spend up to 10 days with out food and can stay on land for 4 days!
Red Eared Sliders need water to swallow
A Red Eared Slider turtle can kill goldfish and even a small cat or dog!
A Red Eared Slider turtle has no gills but can holds it's breath for a good hour while awake, and for about 5 hours when sleeping.
