Red eared sliders are a kind of turtle that is desirable as a pet due to their stunning red color and quick ability to “slide” into their native ponds. However, keeping them happy can be difficult if you do not have any idea about red eared slider habitat so we have curated a complete guide to set up a great habitat for your pet turtle. Let’s dive into some details about the red eared slider habitat.
Red Eared Slider Natural Habitat
The red eared terrapin lives primarily in water. When maintained in captivity, red eared turtles have a reduced life expectancy. As a result, it is important to stress that their longevity and well-being are dependent on proper treatment. In nature, red eared slider species live in places with quiet, warm water, such as ponds, lakes, marshes, rivulets, streams, and rivers. They generally crawl out of the water on rocks or logs to warm themselves in the sunlight. Red-eared sliders rarely control their body temperatures on their own. As a result, they are fully reliant on the temperature of the external environment.
Red-eared slider turtles like to spend the majority of the day basking themselves on rocks that protrude from the water and hunting for food before retiring to the lake’s bottom for the night. Red Eared Sliders rarely survive from outside water for longer than a week. But, it might last for 6 months in some cases. It only occurs during winters, when the creature is ruminating.
How to Build a Low-Cost Red Eared Slider Outdoor Habitat?
The expense of housing red slider turtles can be extremely high. This is especially true if your turtle is large or if you have many turtles. As a general guideline, the habitat should hold 10 gallons of water for every inch of your turtle’s length. Some individuals choose to keep them in tiny habitats, primarily if your pet just needs a temporary home. Nevertheless, if you intend to create a lasting habitat for your turtle, you must ensure that it has adequate room to roam around. Here’s how to make a low-cost Red Eared Slider outdoor habitat.
Step By Step Guide to Set Up an Outdoor Habitat for Red Eared Slider Turtle
- Set up the tiny pool outside, preferably beneath a tree or shrub, so that it is not completely subjected to heat. A section of the pool needs to be covered, while another section must be properly lighted by the sun for the red eared terrapin to bask. Inspect the pool’s dimensions and ability to ensure that it can store the number of gallons necessary based on the length of your turtle.
- Fill the water with pebbles and stones to create sections for your turtle’s home. Fill the container halfway with pond water. For temporary red eared slider habitat, the pool must be one couple of feet, and multiple feet deep if you want to have the turtle outside for a whole year.
- Grab additional huge pebbles on the unprotected side of the tank till the rocks breach the water’s surface. It will give a place for the turtles to sunbathe. Ensure it doesn’t cover more than one-third of the water’s total area.
- Build a low-cost filtration system in an outdoor pool to ensure that the water remains clean and that your turtle is not infected by any germs that end up in the water.
- Fill the rest of the pool with wires to keep birds away from the area. The very same materials may also be used to construct a barrier around the red eared slider habitat.
Red Eared Slider Habitat Needs:
- Pool for babies
- Stones of Gravel of different sizes
- Dechlorinated water
- A low-cost filtration system
- Wire/Netting
What Red Eared Sliders prefer more?
Red eared sliders prefer areas of calm and warm water where they would potentially leave the water by attempting to climb onto layers of rock or tree trunks to warm up. Red eared slider turtle habitat also necessitates an abundance of aquatic plants, as these are one of the grown-ups’ primary source of food, despite the fact that they are meat-eaters. They, in the outdoors, always stay near water unless they are looking for a new home or females end up leaving the water to lay their eggs.
Essentials of a red eared slider tank
Red eared sliders are aquatic turtles that favor slow-moving water in their native environment while being good underwater swimmers. Red eared sliders are semi-aquatic turtles that live in the water. It implies they live the majority of their time in the sea as well as on land. These aquatic turtles require a large tank with lots of room, decor, and supports.
Include the following items when setting up a tank for the red-eared slider:
- A 20-gallon tank for young red eared sliders.
- Rocks, pebbles, or a plastic floating shelf can be used as basking habitat materials.
- UV light.
- Extremely good tank water filter.
How to Setup of an Indoor Red Eared Slider Habitat?
- Tank Selection
First, get a tank or aquarium with a capacity of 20 gallons for the young ones. If your red-eared slider is mature or if you have more than one turtle, the tank should be 50 gallons.
- Add Freshwater
Fill the tank with freshwater after that, as the red eared slider habitat needs a sufficient amount of water. The water depth should be twice as deep as the turtle’s length, which should be 6-8 inches.
- Make some room for Basking
When you’re finished using it, you’ll need to make some room for basking. A basking area with gravels, smooth rocks, and pebbles is required for a red eared slider turtle habitat. All of these things should be small enough for the turtle to climb on.
- Add Decore Pieces
You may also add some side decor pieces, like plants, to make it appear more natural. Before you plant anything, be sure it’s not poisonous. Avoid using fake or synthetic plants and only use natural plants. Stones and driftwood are two more necessary design components. If you use gravel in your tank, it will be more difficult to clean.
- Install a UV lamp
For the basking heat, install a UV lamp (ultraviolet light). If your turtle is solely kept indoors, UVA/UVB are the greatest options. It has some valuable benefits on the health of turtles.
- Regularly clean the tank.
Make it a habit to clean the tank on a weekly basis. A proper filtration system aids in the health and activity of the red eared slider turtle. Feed your turtle in a separate container to help lessen the burden on the filtering system.
What else do turtles enjoy having in their tanks?
Usually red eared sliders like sand and stones as they enjoy excavating. You need to provide them with a digging place in their aquarium. Natural rocks or caverns, like plants, might provide a secure haven for your turtle. They are very simple to rearrange for an instant habitat makeover.
What does the Red Eared Slider Turtle Habitat look like?
In the wild, these species enjoy natural freshwater settings. When you install their aquarium, you should try to replicate this as closely as possible. Park ponds and lakes, as well as canals, are examples of man-made habitats for red eared slider turtles.
Filter for the Red Eared Slider Turtle Tank Setup
The filter is an important part of the red eared slider tank setup. A quality filter keeps the water tank as clean as possible. Because turtles create more waste than fish, it’s critical that the filter is suitable for a larger tank. For a 50-gallon aquarium, the filter should be rated for a 100-gallon tank.
There are several varieties of filtration commercially available. Some can be placed inside the tank, while others are positioned outside of the tank or dangle from the aquarium’s rear wall.
Do Baby Turtles Require a Special Environment?
If it concerns newborns, you’ll need something a little different. Because babies are considerably smaller than grownups and consume less heat, the very first thing you should do is ensure that your baby turtle aquarium has minimal levels of water on both ends of the cage. This will hold them on the ground while letting them swim and breathe.
You should also keep a close eye on the temperature of your baby turtle’s environment, as red-eared sliders develop quicker than bigger turtles. They can soon become at danger for burning or infections if the cage becomes too hot, so regularly check on your thermometer and reduce the heat as needed.
You should also look for draughts and ensure your baby turtle habitat isn’t too chilly. To do this, place a mound of linens on the bottom of the container and let them absorb most of the chilly air surrounding your pet before placing him inside. This will keep him warm and protected in those early stages.
Conclusion
The red eared slider habitat necessitates a healthy and optimal atmosphere in which the slider may breathe comfortably. The tank should be between 50 and 100 gallons in capacity, depending on the size of the turtle. There should be plenty of space for the turtle to roam around and bask.
The habitat for newborn red eared sliders should be created properly. Because they are so little, the habitat must have low water levels on both ends of the cage. A good filter is required for a healthy red eared slider. Stones, natural rocks, or caverns, as well as flora, are other items that add to the attraction of the red eared slider turtle habitat.
The lifespan of a red eared slider is determined by the care given to them and the habitat provided to them since they have less time when held in captivity. As a result, it is important to give red eared slider turtles a calm and serene environment in which they may climb and explore.
