Red-ear slider

[FireFightersFlame]

Good evening everyone. Does anyone have a red-ear slider turtle? I got one for xmas and I have a few questions.

Thanks.

Tara

[Karen]

Don't have one, but I used to have a painted turtle, Rudy!

[koxka]

Hi, I have one called Marianu, I'm not an expert on turtles, just the day to day care.

Here is a pictures of him.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid109/p9dde02b12d7201a0db812f06c3bc385b/f92aa0f8.jpg

You can pose as many question as you want, I will respond if I know. I think there are other members on PT that own turtles too.

:)

[CamCamPup33]

I have one! His name is squirt. :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/AmberLynn/squirt3.jpg

I'd be happy to answer any questions.

[CathyBogart]

I know some about them, I can help answer questions too!

[FireFightersFlame]

Thank you so much! Ya know before, I had no idea how anyone could really like reptiles. I mean I love all animals but you can't treat a turtle (for example) like a dog. I've always had 'fluffy' pets. Heehee! But this xmas I got Atticus and I just fell in love with him. He's my handsome man.

He and I have just bonded... so it seems. He's my first and really, I have no idea what I'm doing. Heehee! But I can talk him out of his shell and he comes to me when I approach the tank (usually). Oh and he LOVES Jessica Simpson. Yeah, figure that one out. People think I'm kidding but when I play one of her songs he pops his head out of the water. I play music for all my pets (1 dog and 1 cat) but Atticus really responds to Jessica.

The questions I have are just basic really. Is it normal for them not to eat every day? What are the best foods to give them? All the food I’ve given Atticus he’s lost interest in. I know I sound like a horrible owner but like I said he’s my first turtle. I want him to live a happy healthy life.

I really appreciate everyone’s advice. Thank you so much.

Tara

PS - Those pics are so cute! And the names are darling! Thank you for sharing them with me.

[CathyBogart]

It's perfectly OK if he's not interested in food every day. Are you feeding him live food or pellets? If you're feeding him pellets, I like RepCal pellets best. For live food, I recommend minnows(mosquitofish), or big guppies, but I really recommend against feeding goldfish too often, as they can carry some pretty nasty diseases.

You don't sound horrible, you sound like you're trying to do the best for your new buddy!

[FireFightersFlame]

I’ve given him crickets before (Full body shiver). He bit the heads off and left the bodies alone. If I didn’t know any better I’d swear that was a threat. Heehee! Now, when I put one in he just looks at it. I’ve got 2 kinds of dry food: Zoo Med’s Aquatic Turtle Food and Tetrafauna ReptoMin. I plan to get a couple of minnows soon. I can’t imagine giving him a gold fish. He’s my first pet that I’ve had to give ‘live’ food to. So that’s horribly new. Heehee! Is there a better time to feed them?

Another question I had was about their tanks... Is there anything I can do to spruce it up? Are there things that can and can’t go in there?

And this might be a crazy question but do they do anything for fun? I know they like to bask. I have a basking light - How often should that light be on? I just want the little guy to be happy.

Thanks again.

Tara

[CathyBogart]

Get a cheap aquatic plant....like a sprig of elodea...the ones I worked with liked to uproot them and push them around the water, plus nibble at them a little bit. It was adorable!

[QueenScoopalot]

Originally posted by koxka
Hi, I have one called Marianu, I'm not an expert on turtles, just the day to day care.

Here is a pictures of him.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid109/p9dde02b12d7201a0db812f06c3bc385b/f92aa0f8.jpg
:)
I have two red-eared sliders (a male & a female)..koxka...your turtle is a she! The way to tell is by those looongg nails that are used by the females to bury their eggs. ;) Tara, Is the temperature on the warm side in your turtles tank? I keep a submersible heater going all the time, and set to about 70 degrees. No appetite loss around here. :D I feed a variety of foods, they love krill, and earthworms when I can dig them up. Mealworms (yuck, but they like them) Reptomin, and small pieces of romaine lettuce which they'll nibble on once in a while. A good basking light is important as well. One that simulates the UVB/UVA rays are best, and try to situate it so there's no glass between the turtle, and the light. It cuts back on the beneficial effects. ;) Tutles should have a good flat spot to get out of the water and bask on as well. I have 3 turtles (the 3rd is a common musk turtle), and it's quite comical when they climb on top of each other to get close to the light. :D All three were rescues, and in various stages of growth due to poor nourishment, and swampy tanks. All look terrific now, but are outgrowing the tank. :rolleyes:

[CathyBogart]

It's the males that have the long nails, actually. :)

[QueenScoopalot]

Originally posted by WolfChan
It's the males that have the long nails, actually. :)
Well I stand corrected! ;)

[lute]

i use to have one when i was a little kid...i don't know anything about them though.lol

[FireFightersFlame]

Thanks for your advice. I have his tank at 70. I have a flat rock that he can get out of the water and bask on. I also have a UVB light...both proped up on top of the tank. Can you tell me how long I should have them on? And when is the best time for the light? I have the tank in a room that gets alot of sun during the day. Oh and I also have a heater in the water.
I'll take a pic soon so you all can see him.
Thanks again

Tara

[koxka]

Short nails? Long nails? I don't know. Marianu is for sure a "he" .He is a rescued and we got him all full grown.He went to the vets and the vet pushed his bottom and "something long"went out :p and she said :"It's a boy".Case closed ;)

[QueenScoopalot]

Tara, I usually turn on the lights when I get up in the morning (somewhere around 7 AM) and turn them off when the sun goes down to simulate natural cycles. Silly turtles never seem to think they are fed enough though...even when the light goes out, they're scrambling on the glass for more food. I've tried feeder guppies before, and the turtles never ate them...and the guppies multiplied out of control! It's not easy having filters, and small fish anyway! :rolleyes:

[FireFightersFlame]

Males have the long nails and big tails ;)

[FireFightersFlame]

QueenScoopalot
Thanks again for your help. Atticus still doesnt eat much at all. when you feed your turtles, do you have the food on a rock thats out of the water or do you plae the food in the water?

[CathyBogart]

It's normal for reptiles to slow down on feeding during the winter, even if their temps stay up. As long as he's nice and heavy and he does eat some food, I wouldn't be terribly alarmed. Wait until February or March, that's when the turtles I worked with always perked up and started devouring everything in sight! (Including one huge minnow that had lived with them all winter)