Red eared Sliders ( Florida Turtle)
(Trachemys Scripta Elegans)
General Facts -
Can reach 10 -12 inces in length during their life, which in the wild is around 20 years and in captivity has been up to 40 years.
Housing -
For an adult turtle of 5 inches a 30 gallon tank will be the minimal size recomended. Have the water deep enough that the turtle can right itself if it falls on to its back, at least 3/4 the length of the turtle, deep.
A good filtration device is reccomended as well. If you don't use filtration, then small turtles tanks should be cleaned every 2 days and adults at least once a week.
Remember, turtles do the majority of their activites in the same water they live in. Good cleanliness is vital to their health.
Keep the temperature between around 75 degrees farenheit to ensure an active immune system along with proper digestion.
A basking area that allows the turtle to get completely dry is a must. This area will usually stay warm with the heat from the tank but can be warmed with a low wattage, dark heat bulb. Don't put the bulb too close to the basking area as the heat from the lamp can cause eye problems such as blindness from the dehydration of the eyes and from the intensity of a too bright bulb.
Turtles also NEED UV lighting to help process and absorb vitamin A. Real sunlight is the best, but be careful of placing the tank in direct sunlight, as the glass can magnify the effects of the light and heat from the sun.
UV lighting can also be supplied by the proper lamps, for turtles, found in most pet stores. ( reptisun 5.0, for example.)
Feeding -
You can feed sliders a variety of foods, crickets, earthworms, aquatic snails, mosquito fish,, fruits and vegetables, commercial food, and vitamin supplements.
The best commercial foods for the turtle are those that have both calcium and vitamin A that have less than 35% protein.
You can feed it veggies with high vitamin A content such as carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, papaya, cantaloupe or bananas. Do not feed spinach or collard greens since they may cause digestive complications.
Turtles will eat aquatic plants, if you want to decorate your tank with them, make sure that those plants are not poisonous! Some of the plants that turtles will eat are water hyacinth, water lilies, elodia, duckweed. Feeding your turtles with aquatic plants is an excellent idea because they have a high content of vitamin A.
Cuttle bones ( same as birds) are a good source of calcium for the turtle and it helps it sharpen its beak. Cuttle bones can be attached to the aquarium or left floating to let the turtle chase after them while they chew. ( good exercise)
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