Thinking about getting a red eared slider as my next pet.

Crabber85 · Post by **Crabber85** » Tue Jul 29, 2014 8:51 am

I'm really struggling with this because one second I'm wanting one so bad I can't wait then the next I'm just trying to forget that I ever saw them at the pet store.lolI do know that they can be kept in large plastic totes or rubber maid style plastic boxes so thats what I'm looking at for the enclosure probably a fifty gallon tote to start which would only cost me about $20, I already have the heat lamp and the uvb repti-sun 5.0 bulb in its own reflective hood so I'm good there, I'm trying to think of what I could use as a cheap diy basking dock, I already have the filtration that I would need so again I'm good there.I'm also thinking of running a bare bottom instead of using a substrate like sand because the bare bottom just looks so much cleaner and is easier to maintain.Males of this species of turtle don't get very large about five to seven inches from tail to snout but the females get huge about twelve or so inches from tail to snout so I'm looking at getting a male just for the smaller size plus the males tend be a little less aggressive though if you get them as hatch-lings which I intend to do you can hand train them pretty easily and they are very tough easy to care for in terms of how much variation they can handle in water quality, diet and climate.I intend to keep the water at 78 degrees which is perfect and the air temp will be maintained by the basking lamp.A huge difference between turtles and hermitcrabs is that turtles are way more forgiving in the fact that they don't require a high level of humidity to thrive and they can live in almost any kind of setup that still provides them adequate space so thats a plus.I don't know what I'm going to do yet but I will by September.

Geranium · Post by **Geranium** » Tue Jul 29, 2014 10:12 am

We have a red eared slider, if only we lived closer you could adopt her. She is a lot more work to take care of than the hermit crabs. It is physically more demanding because her tank needs to be cleaned much more frequently. Even with the electric water pump, it is a great deal of bending and lifting and scrubbing of areas contaminated by her water. Salmonella is a big concern.On the plus side she eats twice a week, isn't sensitive to much, she is very sociable and moves very quickly when allowed outside for walks.We use largish river stones as substrate and an expensive floating dock for sunning but she needs it. You will want some way too keep her in. Ours tries to climb at every opportunity. She needs deep water, twice or better her length. Our is older and about the size of a dessert plate.

Crabber85 · Post by **Crabber85** » Tue Jul 29, 2014 12:42 pm

@Geranium, thanks for the consideration I would adopt her if I were closer but being that I can't drive due to vision issues theres no way I could even try to meet you half way between us and for her to be the size of desert plate means shes about half the size she could potentially reach.I've seen females of this species that were so large that they were literally bigger than a full size dinner plate and had to be housed in a 200+ gallon aquariums though the people that had them also had large fish like Koi and Dragon fish that were also three or four foot long so the turtles couldn't eat them.I'm still undecided I'm thinking it would be better if I just stuck to the crabs at this point because my room can't accommodate another tank which is a huge consideration as I have the 121 gallon hermitcrab tank, a twenty gallon fresh water aquarium, ten gallon iso for the hermitcrabs and two empty tanks a five and forty gallon breeder all sitting around unused at the moment.I want to find a use for the forty gallon but its a reptile specific enclosure so it won't hold much weight in water if any at all..I'd really like to get my hands on a pair of Russian torts they are so cool and people friendly though their care is phenomenally expensive and hard compared to the hermitcrabs.You have to have a special out of doors enclosure for the warmer months and a relatively large tank in the house for the winter season not to mention their heating requirements when they are in tank.Oh I can't decide I've got so many options rolling through my head that I'm literally getting overwhelmed.lolI had a friend who breeds Skinks and she was going to send me a pink or yellow one for my birthday a few years ago but that fell through because I didn't have a large enough tank at the time and I haven't been in contact with her in a couple of years now so I don't even know where she is or if she's even still keeping them anymore.

jenok · Post by **jenok** » Thu Jul 31, 2014 12:17 pm

I've seen them bigger than 12".If your getting a small one a 10g tank is ok to start. I kept mine (about 2-3") in a 10g with some natural colored aquarium gravel and a couple of bigger rocks. Had about 4-6" of water in it. They like places they can hide under too. I put a piece of drift wood in for basking. You could tie it to a rock so it would be more like a ramp. I got mine from the lake kept it for a few months and then returned it. We had a soft shelled turtle with it for awhile also. Very neat to have but we decided it was best for them to go back to the lake.

Crabber85 · Post by **Crabber85** » Fri Aug 01, 2014 7:21 am

@jenok, Yeah I'm getting a smaller RES the guy who sells them has hatchlings that are relatively small so I'm going to start out with a five gallon that I've already got going so that its fully cycled and then when Christmas comes I'm asking for a 20gallon long which is specifically designed for aquatic turtles, it comes with the mesh hood, light fixtures, food, substrate, turtle dock and the UV bulbs for the hoods and its only $50 for the whole thing and it would be perfect for me because it would be large enough to keep the hatchling in for the next four years or so.I'm gonna talk with my mom about today when we go into town and see if she'll agree to get it for me for my big Christmas gift which I'm sure she will.lolI'm so excited, I've had this little turtle on my mind for a week now and its about to drive me nuts I'm still trying to think of a name for it when I do get it.I'm thinking about Leo or Donny you know Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.lol

jenok · Post by **jenok** » Fri Aug 01, 2014 8:38 am

I think it was Leo that I always like he's the blue one right? It's been to long since I've watched them. I don't care for the previews of the new one coming out. They alwas seem to srew up any new versions of older shows. Scooby doo is still good but they almost screwed it up putting the love relationships in it.

Crabber85 · Post by **Crabber85** » Fri Aug 01, 2014 2:59 pm

Yeah Leonardo is the leader of the group and wears the Blue bandanna and carries the dual swords.lolTo tell the truth I'm kind of looking forward to the new TMNT movie I'm hoping they do the comic books justice but who knows nowadays.lol

Tongue Flicker · Post by **Tongue Flicker** » Fri Aug 01, 2014 4:13 pm

You could use corkbark or bamboo fixtures that readily float or can be easily hanged to tilt into the water and are totally water and turtle safe. Avoid those submersible rock/logs sold at pet stores that have underwater holes as there are cases of turtles getting stuck and drowning

Crabber85 · Post by **Crabber85** » Sat Aug 02, 2014 6:10 am

@Tongue Flicker, thanks for the input and yes I've been doing some serious reading up on these turtles and have read many stories of young-lings getting stuck in tank decor or submersible turtle docks and drowning as a result. I think I may do a natural river rock basking area when I get my new tank for Christmas make the tat as real life as possible for the little critter.I do know that males stay way smaller than the females and that the males are a little easier to care for in regards to tank size requirements so I plan on trying to setup my old forty gallon breeder in six months or so but I'm thinking I may need to re-do the silicone on the inside of the tank to make it water proof again but I'll know when I can get it outside and take it for a test fill.lol