Red Ear Slider Turtles as Pets
Red ears are found in fresh water. They are usually near the more shallow quiet parts of the water. They will eat vegetation and munch on small fish. Red ear sliders love to bask in the sun. You will often see them laying on a rock or logs. They stretch out as far as possible so as much skin as they can get out will be exposed to the sun.
Keeping a red ear in your home is quite simple. They will need Both warm and dry areas in their tank. Water needs to be kept between 75-86 f degrees. They will need a place to bask in. Which means something to get them out of the water with light on it, so they can dry off when wanted to.
My set up at home is very easy to follow. Does not require much time or effort. I have a filter so I don’t have to change water as often(they don’t do well in a dirty tank) . A heat lamp (not a regular lamp) is pointing toward a basking rock. A fake log with some fake plants make them very happy. They love to hide in the plants while sleeping. I have a heater to help me maintain correct temperature. A thermometer that gets checked on a daily basis.
As a pet red ears will eat different things. I feed mine frozen brine shrimp every other day. Also they have feeder fish that swim around freely in their tank. The feeder fish also help keep you tank clean as they will eat anything on the bottom. Some green leafy vegetable as a treat once In a while is good also. I have also herd corn kernels is good for them. Mine will not eat any human food except grapes every so often.
Males and females look similar. The males tend to be smaller then the females. Males have longer tails. If maintained at the proper temp, and they are kept healthy. Your new friend will out live you. Red ears can live to be over 100 years old. Keep this in consideration while choosing the right pet for you.
