Red-Eared Slider Turtle: Appearance, Lifespan, Diet, Habitat, Breeding, Tank & Care Guide

The Red-Eared Slider Turtle is among the most popular pet turtles. They’re adorably cute, curious, and a lot of fun to watch. They’re a fantastic choice because of their tiny size, visual interest, and calm demeanor.

It’s nearly impossible to come across a turtle that’s both interesting and reasonably priced. Red-eared turtles are also among the most energetic and fascinating turtles.

They can be a fantastic place to call home that is inclined to put the time and effort. Like these extremely cute little hatchlings, on the other hand, rapidly mature into grownups and live for a long time. And to get the most out of one‘s life, turtles mean a lengthy career as well as a certain level of care.

It’s managed to be kept as a pet all over the world. This breed has been the most frequently traded Testudines of its kind, based on the overall number of ‘turtles and tortoises’ purchased and sold around the world.

Background

In 1865, “Trachemys scripta elegans (Wied-Neuwied)” was etched by “Karl Bodmer”, who supported the responsibility on his explorer. 

Scientific Classification

Scientific Name	Trachemys Scripta Elegans
Family	Emydidae
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Reptilia
Order	Testudines
Suborder	Cryptodira
Superfamily	Emydidae
Genus	Trachemys
Species	T. scripta
Subspecies	T.s.elegans

Habitat/Range

The Red-Eared Slider Turtle was first found near  the ‘Gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi River’ .  ‘Near the Rio Grande River’, individuals can also be commonly detected. These turtles are resident to the southeast states of ‘Virginia and Colorado’, but as aforementioned, they have circulate throughout the world as an introduced species.  

Appearance

Red-eared sliders are sluggish reptiles that can start out tiny but eventually grow to be ‘quite large’. They should be managed to keep by animal owners who can provide them with larger habitat types than those who grow. They can reach a ‘length of 12 inches’ when fully grown. The majority of the individuals in this group are women. Females have a slight advantage over males in terms of size. A mature male can reach a height of ‘9 inches’.

Size

Red-eared slider hatchlings are normally ‘about 1” long’. They are normally 5-9 inches (12.7-23 cm) at full adult size, However, they have been recognized to grow up to 12 inches in length – 31 cm). 

Color

The skin of the red-eared is mostly ‘’green with yellow stripes’’.

Eye

Each of their eyes has a ‘red patch’ behind it. Some people, however, may have a solitary red patch on their heads.

Teeth

Turtles don’t have teeth; instead, they have mouthparts made from a hard dominant source that sits on top of their mandibles to help them tear and rip food.

Weight

The shell of young sliders is a ‘bright green color’ that fades as the animal grows older. A fully grown red-eared turtle can weigh up to three kilograms.

Feet

The “prehensile feet” of the red-eared slider is equipped with powerful claws.

Shell

The carapace of a baby red-eared slider is defined with perfect styles of yellow-green to deep green markings on a bright green base.As the turtle grows older, its colour varies from green to olive or yellow.

The beautiful light changes darken, and components of the shell take on golden, white, or perhaps even red shades. All of the color schemes fade over time until the colouring is a solid green-brown or dark olive colour. Males of the breed can literally turn dark grey in some situations. 

Male sliders are generally smaller than females, have lengthier tails and nails, and have contoured plastrons for mating. The carapace is at the top of the container, and the plastron is at the bottom. Both are protected in keratin protein-coated bony called “scutes”.

Differences between Male and Female

The most obvious differences are the size of male and female slider fur and artillery rounds. Male rollers have extended claws, concave diffraction pattern points on their points, and a higher density, longer tail. Well before the age of five, children’s colours are more prone to fading and discoloration. Females are larger, and they do not have been through the same colour changes as males. 

	Females	Males
Tail	It is thin and short	It is thick and long
color	Have yellow-bands and red-colored marks on ears	Dark and have no bands
Shell shape	No bending	Bends inwardly
Size	Eleven to thirteen inches in length	Seven inches in length
Claw Length	Short front-claws be around 0.8 cm	Long front-claws be around 1.52 cm

Male and female turtles differ in a variety of other aspects, the most noticeable of which is their behaviour. Males are more territorial than females and will chase away other males who approach too closely, particularly if they are in a food-scarce area.

Hostile turtles will ‘screech’, ‘bite’, and ‘hit’ each other with their shells until the weaker one retreats and relocates. Male sliders in captivation conditions are more prone to be aggressive toward their tankmates, especially during feeding times. Females are more concerned with community life than males. Male sliders should always be kept in their tank due to their tendencies. Both  have distinct breeding patterns.

Age

Most reptiles are known to lay eggs, and turtles are no-exception. The turtle’s egg is about 1.5 inches in diameter. The turtle’s growth will rapidly accelerate until it reaches the age of 3 to 4 years, after which it will drastically slow until it reaches the age of 4 years. During these four years, a turtle could have grown to be about 4 inches long. It may take another two years to grow another inch after that.

The diet is to blame for this. Baby turtles prefer to eat proteins that help them grow. As they grow older, their taste evolves to include a preference for vegetables and fruits. It is difficult to estimate a turtle’s age solely based on its size. Aside from age, diet is the most important factor in determining the size of a red-eared slider turtle.

Lifespan

70 years above –The lifespan of this turtle is fairly similar to most other reptile species. The typical lifespan in confinement is about 20 years with suitable services and care. In the animal world, they can live for approximately 70 years! 

Diet

Adult Diet

Red-eared sliders require a well-balanced diet to thrive. Adults eat aquatic-plants such as ‘elodea’, ‘duckweed’, ‘water lettuce’, and ‘water ferns’. Adults are classed as herbivores due to their extensive plant consumption. When there are no plants nearby, they will only eat meat if it is readily available. Adults eat ‘small fish’, ‘earthworms’, ‘redworms’, ‘insects’, ‘snails’, ‘slugs’, ‘tadpoles’, and ‘frogs’, among other things.

Adult red-eared sliders can be fed the following foods:

1. Feeder fish: 

• Goldfish
• Guppies 
• Minnows

1. Dark leafy greens: 

• Romaine lettuce
• Kale
• Dandelion greens
• Turnip greens
• Mustard greens
• Swiss chard

1. Vegetables: 

• Bell pepper 
• Carrots

1. Others:

• Insects 
• Earthworms 
• Slugs 
• Snails 
• Tadpoles

Baby Diet

Baby red-ears need to be fed more frequently than adults. They must also consume a high-protein diet. Babies must be fed on a daily basis since they need a huge amount of energy to develop appropriately.

Ensure you provide a red-eared slider diet that comprises of:

• Vegetables
• Commercial Turtle Pellets
• Feeder Insects
• Feeder Fish
• Aquatic Plants
• Dark Leafy Greens

For just a live baby slider, a balanced diet of nutrient foods, dark green leafy vegetables, and vegetables is perfect. One‘s diet consists of thirty percent plant-based foods and seventy percent meat.

Any vegetables you feed must be boiled first then chopped into small pieces that can fit into the turtle’s mouth. Allow a 15-minute feed intake session for your turtle. To keep water tidy after the eating periods, simply remove something that hasn’t been eaten.

Behavior and Temperament:

Red-eared slider turtles are energetic pets who like to swim and dive. Red-eared sliders born in captivity are more outgoing and friendly than those born in the wild.

When wild turtles hear or see something (or anyone) approaching, they will retreat into their shells or dive underwater, whereas captive-bred sliders may swim up to you expecting a treat. Stop purchasing wild turtles that have found their way into the pet industry, as the strain of the lifestyle change can cause serious health issues and even death.

Though you may find a red-eared slider that is eager to communicate with you when you pick it up, your pet is much more likely to become nervous and then either fade away into a shell or nip. In general, instead of having to handle your turtle, regard its space by actually observing it.

Care level: Easy to Moderate.

Conservation Status: 

Red-eared sliders are resilient, personable, and interesting to care for. These turtles are easily identified by the rust-colored on either edge of their chiefs. Because of their appealing nature, cost, and availability, they are among the most well-known pets in the United States, if not the globe.

In fact, they are the most traded turtles on the planet. Only the “Mississippi River drainage”, “Florida”, the “Gulf of Mexico region”, and “Colorado to Virginia” are home to the them. They are also one of the many daring organisms on the planet, capable of destroying ecological-integrity, which is nothing new.  

Tank or Aquarium Conditions

Tank Set up for Red-Sea Sliders

Tank size  

A large tank is required for red-eared sliders. The rule of thumb for turtle tank size is 10 gallons per inch of carapace thickness (upper part of the shell).  A pond or a glass aquarium are both options, but glass aquariums are usually preferable because they take up less space.

Adult red-eared sliders require a 65 gallon or larger tank. Baby red-eared sliders can live in 20 to 40-gallon tanks. Make sure the turtle has enough room to turn around the tank.

A turtle cannot be kept in a standard 55-gallon or 65-gallon tank because it is too narrow. For most red-eared sliders, a 75-gallon tank is ideal. The Marineland Majesty 75 gallon tank is good. It is large and has a durable stand. Tanks with stands are useful because they allow you to store a large number of supplies as well as a canister filter. It’s critical to find the right sump for your turtle.

Filter

Turtles are the messiest reptiles on the planet. They produce a great deal of waste, which is why you should invest in a good filter. 

There are the nine types of filters as follows:

• Trickle
• HOB
• Under-Gravel
• Sponge
• Power
• Fluidized-Bed
• Canister
• Diatomic
• Box 

Some of these filtrations aren’t appropriate for red-eared sliders. ‘Canister filters’, ‘HOB filters’, and ‘sponge filters’ are the best for turtles. Red-eared sliders should use canister filters because they are the most powerful. The ’Fluval-canister filter’ is a long-lasting and ’Powerful-canister filter’.

It comes in a variety of models, so take a look at this one to see which is best for your red-eared slider tank. Because it will tidy the tank more effectively, you should choose a filter designed for tanks twice the size of yours. If you don’t want to use a canister filter, see “The Best Filtration For Turtles” for a list of other filter options.

Heater and Thermometer

The temperature of the water in a red-eared slider turtle equarium should be placed between 74-78℉ , as hatchlings managed to keep at eighty degrees Fahrenheit. Throughout the day, the tank’s ambient temperature should be between 75-80 ℉ , with a luxuriating spot over the tank’s land area between 90-95 ℉. The opulent spot lighting can be turned off at night, and the air temp can drop to as low as 60 °F. 

If required, a sub-mersible aquarium heater will be utilized to keep the water warm. Large turtles may destroy glass aquatic-heaters, resulting in a potentially lethal scenario if the water becomes too hot. Put the “hot water tank” behind something (like a slab) or build a shelter to keep the turtles from bumping it (A part of ‘PVC pipe’ is used instead). With an underwater digital-thermometer, you can keep track of only the temperature of the ocean.

Need for Heater

Although your turtle is still in the water, place a reptile heating source over it to keep the luxuriating region warm. This may be accomplished by utilising a reptile fluorescent lighting lamp in an introspective-lamp, but make certain that the turtle does not come into contact with the illumination/falls into the water. Check the exterior of a luxuriating location with a temperature sensor to check it is attempting to attain the optimal temperature. 

Tank Heater-Size

Gallons	5 – 10	20 – 25	40 – 50	65 – 75
Wattage	25 – 75	75 – 200	100 – 400	200 – 600

Lighting

For the enclosure, you can’t just use any light. A lamp that emits UVA or UVB light is required. UVA or UVB is required for reptiles to synthesize vitamin D, which is necessary for bone and shell advancement. The turtle will suffer from a variety of health problems if it does not get enough UVA/UVB, including metabolic bone disease. Uvb light-bulbs should be replaced every six months and tested. 

Best UVB-light

The best UVB-lights for reptiles, including the red-eared slider, are the “Reptisun 10 bulb” and the “ReptiSun 10 UVB T5 HO Lamp”. Mercury vapor-bulbs that produce heat can also be used. Just keep an eye on how much heat mercury vapor bulbs emit to avoid overheating the enclosure.

Most freshwater turtle tanks include pre-installed lamp fixtures that house the heat lamp and UVB lamp. If the tank does not have a lamp fixture, ‘’the Zoo Med Aquatic Turtle UVB Heat-Illumination Kit’’ and the ‘’REPTI ZOO 8.5” Reptile Lamp Fixture’’ are both useful options.

The UVB LEDs in the turtle’s shell must be switched off at nighttime. The lights in the area in which the tanks are housed must also be turned off. The lighting should be switched off for ten to forteen hours every night to simulate day and night. 

Substrate

Regrettably, many pet-stores recommend gravel as an aquarium substrate. Even if you’re keeping fish with tiny mouths, gravel is never a smart idea. Chippings tanks are a formula for disaster since these rollers will nibble and also consume anything they can get their paws on.

If swallowed by such a slider, sand might cause internal injury or hinder digestion, ultimately leading to death. A turtle in a sand tank with the stones it threw up after being taken out of the tank. 

Having said that, there are two widely accepted substrate options:

• Nude-Bottom Tank: It is by far the easiest to clean.Heavy waste remains in situ for simple removal, and rollers can freely travel on the pane.If you want something reduced, this is the way to go.
• Sand Bottomed Tank: If a slider consumes sand, it will travel through its digestive system. It’s visually beautiful and allows your turtles to explore and leave imprints. Squander frequently accumulates on top of the dirt and can be vacuumed away. Sand should never be piled and should never be more than one to two inches thick, and it should be mixed once a week to prevent methane/anaerobic bacteria growth.  

Accessories & Decorations

Accessories and decorations aren’t needed for survival, but they do add to the turtle tank’s peaceful environment. Individuals can also provide turtles with hiding-places, making them feel more at ease.

When acquiring decorations and accessories for the tank, keep the following in mind.

• Plants are lovely and add a natural aesthetic to the space, but the turtles will most likely eat them. As a result, check to see if the plants are edible. Fake plants can also be uprooted.
• Make sure there are no rough edges on the decorations because you don’t want them to hurt the turtle. 
• Objects brought in from the outside, such as rocks and stones, must be sterilized. Sterilization is not required for store-bought decorations.
•  Other than food and treats, don’t put anything small enough for the turtle to eat.
• Driftwood and large rocks are ideal decorations and accessories for a red-eared slider enclosure.

Lid

For your red-eared slider tank, you will get a mesh lid. Because UVB and heat from the lights cannot pass through the glass, crystal lids will not work. Any grid lid will do; just make sure it is durable. Because they are made of strong metal, Zilla and Fluker’s screen lids are excellent. You may need to cut the cap to allow the cylinder filtration tubing to enter the tank.

Basking Platform

To avoid shell-rot and pneumonia, red-eared sliders need a basking platform. There are other varieties of basking platforms, but a floating basking platform is ideal for the tank configuration described in this article. Floating luxuriating-platforms are foam platforms that are attached to the glass of a turtle tank by bumpers.

The Zoo Med Turtle Dock makes an excellent floating basking platform. You may need to make some changes for larger turtles to avoid sinking. To protect it from sinking, construct a shelf or support post out of ‘PVC pipes’. If you prefer not to use a floating basking platform.

Water Care

Red-eared sliders, like other sea organisms, require dechlorination of their water. You’ll need a water dechlorinator for this. The water dechlorinator removes the harmful chlorine from tap water, making it safe for your turtle to drink. Turtles can live without it, but it should be used to avoid mineral deposits on your turtle. API TAP Water Compressor is a good water dechlorinator. After each water change, this should be added.

You can also use a waste remover if you want. Waste removers aid in the breakdown of turtle waste, allowing your filter to function more efficiently. There are a variety of waste removers available, but Fluker’s Eco Clean is the most effective. A red-eared slider tank setup is incomplete without good water.

Cleaning the Tank

When it comes to continuing to support and defecate, turtles are a sloppy bunch. A good-filtration system, such as a power filter/cylinder filter, should be in place to allow clean water to drain via your turtle tank.

Despite the fact that turtles are notoriously dirty pets, choose a filtration system that can absorb at least double the volume of water you’ll be cleaning. Despite the fact that filtering minimises the amount of water changes needed, your turtle will still require weekly twenty-five percent moisture shifts and a full cleaning once a month. 

List of Equipment

Water Conditioner	API TAP Water Conditioner
Lighting	Zoo Med Aquatic Turtle UVB Heat Lighting Kit
Screen Lid	Fluker Labs Metal Screen Cover, 18 by 48-inch
Heater	Aqueon Pro Adjustable Heater 100w
Water Remover	Fluker’s Eco Clean
Filter	Fluval 307 Performance Canister Filter
Basking Platform	Zoo Med Turtle Dock
Suction Cup	Sawfly twelve pieces Aquarium Thermometer
Tank	Marineland Majesty seventy-five gallons tank
Thermometer	Top Fin Digital Aquarium Thermometer

How to Setup a Red-Eared Slider Tank?

After you’ve gathered all of your supplies, it’s time to set up the tank. Place the tank in an area where you will be spending a lot of time, so the turtle will get plenty of attention. Fill the tank with water until the water level reaches the height of your turtle’s carapace.

Place the basking platform where you want it (towards the rear of the tank if it’s a tortoise dock, on top of the tank if it’s an above-tank basking platform, or anywhere if it’s stones). Install your filter according to the manufacturers ’ instructions. When canister filters are placed below the water level, they work best. If you have a canister filter, you can place it beneath the stand to improve its appearance.

Before trying to plug in the heater, place it in the tank and let it sit for 20 minutes. Turn the knob to 77 degrees Fahrenheit after plugging it in (25 degrees Celsius).  In the tank, place the thermometer (you can use electrical tape to secure it if the suction cup is not working).

On top of the water, place the screen lid (you can use screen clips to hold it in place if it keeps coming off).  Install the UVB bulbs in the fixture and place them above the basking platform (or above-tank basking platform). Fill the tank with the appropriate amount of water conditioner. Allow a week for the tank to cycle before adding the turtle.

Preventing Problems during Tank Setup 

Keeping your turtle healthy and preventing future difficulties starts with avoiding basic concerns during tank installation. 

• Please keep in mind that putting sand in your tank will make cleaning it more difficult. Additionally, the speck must be huge enough just to escape being sucked down by your red-eared slider. 
• Whenever it comes to creating a turtle environment, the most typical error is picking a tank that is too small. Make absolutely sure your turtle’s dimensions are proper and that the aquarium has enough area for them. If you’re not certain what kind of tank to acquire, go for a bigger one to give the pet more space. 
• To reduce the amount of work the filtration must do, serve your turtle in a closed container.
• Please note that driftwood might turn the water brown if you’re using it to decorate. To prevent discoloration, soak your driftwood for several days in a different bucket before placing it in your turtle’s tank. Adding carbon media to your filtration system will also help keep the temperature clear, so you’ll have to replace it once a month. 

Red-Eared Sliders Turtle Feeding Guide

The diet of red-eared sliders must include both “animal and plant materials”. Because young red-eared sliders consume more animal protein, babies should begin with a carnivorous diet.

Even if they don’t start eating it until they’re a little older, offering vegetation to young turtles is still a good idea. It’s possible that if you offer it early on, your slider will be less hesitant to try vegetation as it gets older. This is advantageous because vegetation should account for a significant portion of the diet of an adult turtle.

A baby turtle’s diet should consist of roughly seventy percent meat and thirty percent plants. Adults should consume a diet that is fifty percent meat and fifty percent vegetables.

The diet of an adult red-eared slider is so high in plant matter that it is classified as primarily herbivorous. This makes it simple to provide a varied and enriching diet for red-eared sliders. Vegetables and aquatic plants should make up the majority of the plant portion of the diet.

Stocking a slider’s tank with aquatic plants that they can eat if they get hungry after feeding, as well as a few freshwater fish or shrimp, is a good idea for any age slider. Invertebrates, worms, or commercial fish food should make up the animal portion of the diet. Feeder fish are useful for giving activity to your turtle, yet they are regularly high in saturated fat and can bring microscopic organisms or parasites.

List of Food items

The following is a complete list of foods that are safe to eat by red-eared sliders:

• Mealworms
• Minnows
• Tadpoles
• Frogs
• Earthworms
• Redworms
• Feeder goldfish
• Kale
• Mustard greens
• Turnip greens
• Swiss chard
• Celery
• Green beans
• Bell pepper
• Carrots
• Carrot tops
• Zucchini
• Cactus
• Cucumber
• Crickets
• Squash
• Corn
• Okra
• Commercial fish food
• Commercial turtle food

Vegetables

A red-eared slider’s diet is rich in vegetables. As adults, they consume large amounts of veggies, so a repetitive diet bores them. Feeding your turtle with a variety of vegetables will keep him/her interested in eating. The following veggies are safe to consume with them:

• Bell peppers
• Carrots
• Cucumbers
• Zucchini
• Celery
• Squash
• Green beans
• Corn
• Okra
• Cactus

Some vegetables, such as broccoli, peas, cabbage, and brussels sprouts, should be avoided because they can all cause gout.

Fruits

Fruit should not be fed as a primary source of nutrition to red-eared or yellow-bellied sliders, but it is acceptable to give them fruit as a treat on occasion. Because wild sliders don’t eat fruit regularly, their bodies are unable to digest the high levels of sugar it contains. Too much fruit can cause diarrhea in red-eared sliders. They should only be given one or two pieces per week. A list of fruits that can be fed as a treat is as follows:

• Watermelon
• Strawberries
• Bananas
• Pears
• Mangos
• Grapes
• Tomatoes
• Apples
• Blueberries
• Blackberries
• Raspberries
• Plums
• Star fruit
• Cantaloupe
• Kiwi

Food that you should not feed to Red Eared Slider Turtle

A red-eared slider’s food should be diverse, however, there are a few things that should be avoided. Any member of the Brassica family should be avoided at all costs. Broccoli, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, and Bok Choy are examples of this. These foods can cause renal difficulties and interfere with calcium absorption if consumed in excess.

Foods like radishes (which contain goitrogens), soybeans, avocado, dairy, high-fat foods, and human food should all be avoided. All of these foods can cause diarrhea in your pet turtle. The following is a complete list of items to avoid giving a slider turtle:

• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Brussel
• Bok Choy
• Radishes
• Soybeans
• Avocado
• Dairy
• Food high in fat
• Human food
• Wild-caught prey

Red-Eared Sliders Turtle Tankmates

They have specific and stringent standards. One of the most difficult aspects of raising these turtles is finding acceptable tank mates. Turtles aren’t the best tank mates due to their high bioload and tendency to digest their tank mates. It may be tough, but not impossible, to supply your red-eared slider tank-mates. Continue reading to learn about tank-mates for your red-eared slider. There are eight Best Tank Mates for Red- Eared Slider Turtle:

• Pictus Catfish
• Guppies
• Striped Raphael Catfish
• Goldfish
• Rosy-Red Minnows
• Koi Fish
• Common Plecostomus (Best for large set-ups)
• Mystery Snails

How to Breed Red Ear Sliders?

Step 1: Maturity age

Red-Eared sliders are ready to breed when they are around five years old, when the female shell size is around fifteen centimeter (about 6 inches). 

Step 2: Mating dance

The mating ritual of this species is amazingly complicated and intriguing to observe. The male goes swimming towards the female and starts fondling her face with his long front claws. He was also capable of swimming in circles around her. He may use his claws to gently attack her front shell (this looks as if his front legs are trembling). 

If she is responsive, she will accept him; otherwise, a struggle may ensue. Remove the male from the tank and try again in two days if the female does not respond to the male’s dance moves after 45 minutes. The mating process takes approximately fifteen minutes. 

Step 3: Mating tank size

Make use of such a 30 gallons aquarium. Maintain a warm temperature but a shallow depth (about 5 inches) because the male could become so centred on mating that he keeps forgetting the female needs to inhale! 

After mating

It’s indeed important to keep the female independent from the male all through the pregnancy. Only deal with her if it’s absolutely necessary. Keep water clean and leave plenty of space for her.

Those who may spend lots of time basking in order to keep themselves and the eggs warm, so heat is also important. Users might notice a change in the female’s appetite, or she might refuse to eat altogether. This is completely normal. Keep feeding her while considering a diet change; she may feel inclined to eat only certain foods. 

Step 4: Nesting quarters

Fill a 20 gallons aquarium halfway with potting soil or a soil/vermiculite mixture.

Step 5: Laying eggs

Although she may maintain her eggs if she can’t find a suitable location to lay them, the normal gestation period is two months. In the last two weeks, you’ll notice that she’s spent much more time on land, sniffing and burrowing for an appropriate place to lay her legs.

The female must be positioned in the laying eggs quarters at this time. Keep a keen watch on her and see where the eggs are laid. She has the ability to lay anything between two and twenty eggs. 

Removing the eggs or not?

Numerous keepers prefer keeping their nests full of eggs. Those who won’t have to handle the eggs, which is a good thing because digging them up could harm them. One drawback is that it may be hard to keep track of entombed eggs. The worst-case situation is that one of the eggs becomes infected, spreading the fungus to the other eggs… or that most of the fledglings have trouble excavating one‘s path out. 

Incubation box

If you want to flocculate the eggs, you ought to start preparing a business incubation container. A big plastic sweater/shoebox can be used. (Plastic boxes are ideal because they can be thoroughly cleaned and effectively hold moisture.) Make a few small exhaust vents in the lid with a drill. (Drill twelve openings about a quarter-inch in distance across.) Make a sheet material of around 2 crawls of vermiculite in the container. Use the massive wheat rather than the fine grain. 

Removing the eggs:

This process needs to be done with great caution. Slowly and cautiously scoop back small portions of the material around the next, while wanting to feel the eggs with one’s fingertips. Make a small mark on the top of an egg’s shell with a water-based felt-tipped marker before removing it from its shell. Because the eggs must be positioned in the same role as when the turtle set them, this is critical.

Once you’ve transmitted all of the eggs to the culturing box, place it somewhere where it won’t be troubled. Review the eggs after a few days by simply removing the lid, but don’t manage them! 

Hatching:

Individuals should start paying more attention to the eggs around 80 to 85 days after they are placed. The eggs are almost ready to hatch! Whenever the time comes, the hatchlings will cut the egg shell with an egg tooth, which will fall out an hour longer but never regrow.

If they do not feel safe, they will retreat into their shells. Wait until they emerge on their own before attempting to remove them. (It’s possible they won’t be released until the next day.) When they emerge, you’ll notice a small sack hanging from their stomachs. This is the yolk sac that kept them alive while they were incubating. 

Care of the hatchlings

Inside a 20 gallon tank, put twelve of them. Enable them to play across both dry land and in intertidal zones. Newborn babies must learn how to swim and stay submerged for long periods of time.

They won’t be able to survive solely on water. They could drown if you do not provide a parched land area for newborn red-eared sliders. It’s crucial to get them to eat, So, start feeding them after they’ve been established in their aquarium. Begin by presenting them with each item on the appropriate sliding menu one at a time. You may have to ‘cut’ all of the food you serve them since they are newborns. This can be seen in earthworms, mealworms, and crickets. 

Handling and Acclimatizing Your Red-Eared Slider

Once you get your red-eared turtle home, put it in an existing tank and give it a couple of days to adjust to its new surroundings. When your newborn turtle sees you approaching the closure or peering in at it for the first few days, it may close securely in its shell or withdraw immediately.

Place healthy produce in the turtle’s water every day of the acclimatization period, and make water always clean and warm. The turtles will gain the courage to investigate its tank surrounding logs once it is ready, and may begin to observe what is going on around it.

If you must pick up your turtle, make careful to do it with both hands and with the turtle’s body supported. They feel much safer when they can feel something beneath their feet, and therefore find “

swimming in mid-air” to be quite unpleasant. Make sure they can feel your hands or fingers under their feet, not only beneath their rocket’s bottom. Using two hands to support and transport your red ear slider turtle will help to avoid them from falling and suffering permanent injuries.

The Red-Eared Slider Turtle’s Health and Diseases 

Even though most turtle health issues may be avoided with appropriate nutrition and husbandry, it is almost unavoidable that your turtle will fall ill at some point. As a result, pay careful attention to places like the shell, face, and eyes, which are often where early indicators of illness can be found. 

Red-eared sliders are prone to a variety of diseases that necessitate veterinary treatment due to their environmental requirements. Because reptiles are masters at concealing disease, you should act as soon as you discover any symptoms. Diseases can spread quickly.

The temperature has a profound impact on reptile immune systems, as scientific investigations have shown. Maintaining optimum temperature, in addition to diet and tank cleaning, will help keep your pet turtle healthy.

The following are probably the most widely recognized medical problems of these turtles (and their proprietors!) can experience…

• Abscesses
• Algae Buildup
• Brumation
• Dry Docking
• Eggs
• Fungal Infection
• Hard Water Buildup
• Metabolic-Bone Disease 
• Obesity
• Overgrown Beak
• Parasites
• Prolapse
• Pyramiding
• Respiratory Infection
• Salmonella
• Shell Rot
• Shell Injury
• Swollen Eyes
• Vitamin B1/Thiamine Deficiency

These turtles can rapidly contract common to serious infections if kept unclean or neglected, including salmonella-related diseases, which could be a reason for concern, particularly if there are kids in the house.Many different diseases and disorders that these turtles may acquire are described below:

Diseases/Symptoms	Probable causes
Puffy/swollen eyes, most of the times remain closed, with or without white-discharge	Bacterial-infection of eyes
Wounds/furry build-up of dying tissue in the mouth. No hunger, Swollen-eyes	Bacterial-infection of the mouth
Lethargic/lazy, head keep up, weak limbs	Bacterial-infection of the tacheobronchial tree
Carapace/plastron rot, turned soft/peeling, hemorrhage	Bacterial-infection of the tissues
Red-flush on limbs, lazy	Generalized septicemia – blood poisoning
Difficulty in feeding, soft-carapace with distortion, weak-legs	Calcium deficiency
Fresh wound	Corrosion on rocks/hard surface, battling
Inflammation/swelling on the side of the head	Ear abscess (frequently because of unhygienic-water)

If any of the following health concerns or illnesses are discovered, your turtle should be taken to a veterinarian right away to begin medication and therapy.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Conclusion

If given sufficient attention and care, red-eared slider turtles can survive for up to 50 years. Those kept in captivity can expect to live for up to 30 years. Due to variously their imbalanced diet and susceptibility to predators, wild red-eared sliders have a shorter lifetime.

Red-eared sliders need a good diet, a clean tank and drinking water, a consistent feeding schedule, and regular check-ups to live a long life. A suitable baking place, a stress-free environment, and physical activity are also essential. If properly cared for, a red-eared slider can be a long-term friend. Pets can grow healthy, live longer, and give you company for many years if you follow the above guidelines for extending their lives.