How to Care for a Red-Eared Slider: Providing the Best Domestic Life

ByLinda Corley Updated

Red-eared slider turtles are hardy and relatively easy to care for, as long as you feed them the right food and provide them with the right environment. Please make sure the enclosure in which they live is large enough. They require mostly water but should also be given fresh vegetables and fruits as treats. 

Tips on Taking Care of a Red-Eared Slider Turtle

Here are some tips to help keep them cool and healthy: 

  • Make sure plenty of water is available at all times, as sliders are good swimmers! 
  • Do not overcrowd your slider – they like to be on their own! 
  • Keep the slider in an area with indirect sunlight – this will help to keep their skin healthy and free from blemishes. 
  • Sliders need a tropical environment – the higher the humidity, the better.
  • Regular baths help to wash the animal off and remove any dirt or debris, keeping them in good health overall. 
  • Providing them with a balanced diet, including fresh vegetables and fruit, is essential for their long-term well-being. (Some slider species are prone to certain skin disorders such as fungal overgrowths and bacterial infections – so it’s essential to make sure they get the right food to prevent these problems from happening in the first place!)

Identifying Turtle Type

Semi-aquatic or aquatic turtles need a water dish and a basking area to regulate their body temperature. In addition, they need food regularly and space to move around. Please ensure the water dish is clean and well-fertilized, and offer them food regularly. Red-eared sliders are easy keepers – ensure they have enough space to move around!

Providing a Healthy Diet

A red-eared slider turtle’s diet should consist of small live prey like crickets, worms, or spiders every other day to prevent obesity and keep their teeth sharpened at all times. You can feed these lizards a mix of vegetables, fruit, and insects. Make sure to give it various food items, including bugs, fruit, and vegetables. Never give your slider plant insects or live prey, as this could be dangerous for you and the animal. 

Requirement for Your Red-Eared Slider Turtle’s Habitat

Red-eared slider turtles need a place to hide and plenty of foliage and soft bedding material to sleep on. Ensure their enclosure is regularly cleaned and they have access to water and a diet that includes crickets or locust eggs. They need indirect sunlight, so position them in the southern half of your home during the day. 

Habitat Size

Providing slider turtles enough space (30-50 gallons is ideal) will allow them to move around freely and display their natural behavior traits – such as basking on warm surfaces or nesting inside logs or rocks. 

The habitat should be made of plastic or glass and have plenty of hiding spaces, climbing areas, and freshwater provisions. Clean the habitat regularly using a diluted bleach solution to clean the walls and floors.

Maintaining the Habitat

Here are four tips to help maintain your red-eared slider habitat: 

  • Fertilize every week with a water-soluble fertilizer and give them a diet of insects every other day 
  • Introduce new sliders slowly into an established habitat – this will prevent any stress from occurring. 
  • Setup and care for your slider habitat the right way – make sure the tank is large enough, clean regularly, and add substrate gradually over time so as not to shock or overload the amphibians (you should add sand/gravel in small amounts at a time) 
  • Clean the tank regularly using warm soapy water and a scrubbing brush, rinse well and dry off completely before adding new amphibians or substrate

Substrate 

As for substrate, you can ensure the substrate is made of sand, peat moss, and bark chips mixed to suit their needs for exercise and digestion.

PH Levels 

Red-eared slider turtles need a water dish with a pH level of 6.0-8.0 to ensure they get the right amount of acidity and alkalinity. Change the water dish every two days or when it looks dirty – whichever is sooner.

Lighting

It is essential to ensure that your slider’s enclosure receives the right amount of light, so you should adjust the fluorescent tube accordingly. 

In addition, you should clean the lamp every week to keep it healthy and running at its best. For reptiles that require a lot of heat in their environment, use a reptile lamp instead of regular bulbs. Place this bulb near the top of your slider’s enclosure for optimum lighting effects!

Décor 

Provide your red-eared slider turtle with various live plants and keep the décor clutter-free.

Tank Mates

Red-eared slider turtles tolerate other turtle species, making them the perfect reptile for a mixed-species tank. Sliders like to be kept in groups, so adding another slider is a good idea.

Are Red-Eared Sliders Good Pets?

Red-eared slider turtles make great family pets – they get along well with other animals and are very easy to care for. Provided their cages are kept clean, and they have plenty of food and water, red-eared sliders can live in captivity for many years. 

Although red-eared sliders may seem like a bit of an investment at first, the pet will eventually pay off in terms of quality time spent together as a family unit and providing enjoyment during turtle shell races or reptile shows!

Lifespan of a Red-Eared Slider Turtle

Red-eared slider turtles can live for up to 20 years in captivity, so it is essential to make sure you find an experienced turtle keeper who will care for them properly. They need water regularly and should be kept in a tank or enclosure with plenty of vegetation. 

As they get older red-eared sliders may require retirement into a smaller enclosure as they get too heavy to move around quickly. Sliders are gentle, and loving turtles that thrive best in warm, humid environments.