Byron Joseph's blog

Secrets of Building a Good Red Eared Slider Tank

What The Turtle Needs In Its Red Eared Slider Tank

When making your red eared slider tank, you should know the right equipment that is required. Your turtle's tank, or aquarium, should be anywhere from 20 to 50 gallons to begin with, depending upon its size and needs. As a rule of thumb, it's actually best to have around ten gallons of water per inch of turtle. For instance, a six inch turtle should be in a sixty gallon tank. This is the ideal size for the optimum health of your red eared slider.You need to have both water and a land area. The water must be deep enough for your turtle to submerse itself completely. Keep in mind that red eared sliders are aquatic turtles, so they spend a great deal of time in the water. Also, do not put wood chips in the tank, as the turtle may eat them (very bad) or they may rot or grow fungus.

A filtering system is one option for keeping the tank clean. Keep in mind that excess turtle waste that remains in the tank can make your turtle ill. As a cautionary note, it is essential to remember that if you do have an automatic filtration system, it is not set to suck in water too hard.

Finding The Right Temperature For Your Red Eared Slider Tank

It is important to keep the right temperature inside your red eared slider tank. Ideally, their surroundings should be kept between 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit. You can lower the temperature 5-10 degrees at night. You should use a heat lamp to keep the tank at the right temperature.

This is normally the result of moving the turtle from indoor to outdoor, or vice versa. There is also other great information on the web to help you build the perfect red eared slider tank. Go to the link above for more information.

Tips on Caring for Turtles - Red Eared Slider Species

Feeding Your Turtles Red Eared Slider

Most pet turtles red eared sliders included, are for the most part herbivorous in the wild and can survive on vegetables including carrots, lettuce or cabbage and fruits such as berries. Some owners will also introduce earthworms or live insects such as crickets, beetles or spiders. You can also obtina commercial turtle food to ensure that your turtle is getting all of the nutrients it needs. Diet and regularity of feeding is also, in part, a function of your turtle's age. As they grow older, they tend to become more herbivorous, sticking to fruits and vegetables.

Choosing The Best Habitat For Your Turtles Red Eared Slider

The size of your turtle's aquarium will depend upon the size of your turtle. A rule of thumb is to have ten gallons of water for every inch of turtle. For example, a ten inch turtle may require a 100 gallon tank. Also, when housing your turtle, you need to be ceratin that there is plenty of water and try to make it as pure as possible. Turtles need sunlight for proper bone growth and vitamin synthesis. Lastly, you need to remove debris that could harm the turtle if they consume, as things like woods chips or other organic materials can be dangerous to your turtle's well-being.

Discovering the right temperature for your turtles, red eared slider turtles included, is criticial. Something that is important for your pet turtle is to attempt to keep it warm. Many turtles hibernate in the winter in the wild, but if you decide to keep your pet turtle inside, it will not hibernate and it is essential to make sure they are not exposed to very frigid temperatures. Ideally, their surroundings should be kept at about 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit. There are many other great resources that talk about caring for turtles red eared slider. Also, check out my other resources for more information about on turtles red eared slider, building a red eared slider tank and pond and caring for baby red eared sliders.

Byron Joseph

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