Welcome to the RED EARED SLIDER care guide

key facts

Red-eared slider turtle

Trachemys scripta

  • Lifespan: 30-50 years
  • Puberty: 3-5 years
  • Males have long nails and longer, thicker tails and females
  • Males smaller than females
  • By-laws in Auckland that state RES cannot be “sold, distributed, released or allowed to breed in the Auckland region” (please see council website for further information- Red-eared slider turtles: New Zealand animal pests and threats)

enclosure

  • Semi-aquatic set up with freshwater
  • Water
    • Volume 40L per inch straight carapacial length of the largest in the tank + 20L extra per RES
    • Powerful filtration is essential
      • External filtration with 2-3x the amount of water of the tank per hour is best as turtles produce a lot of waste
      • This should be cleaned around once a month
      • At this time other permanent fixtures can be removed and cleaned (a 1:250 mixture of F10 is ideal for this)
    • Water temp 24-30°C which should be measured daily at the top and bottom of the tank
      • If water is going to drop below 15°C then a water heater will be needed
    • Check water quality weekly
      • Ideally BEFORE a water change rather than after it
      • The recommended water testing kit in New Zealand is the API Freshwater Master Test Kit
      • Water should be:
        • PH: 7.4-7.6
        • Ammonia: 0 ppm
        • Nitrite 0 ppm
        • Nitrate <25 ppm
      • If you are having water quality issues please contact your turtle savvy veterinarian.
    • 20-25% water change every 1-2 weeks
      • Do not change 100% of the water at once as this can lead to water quality issues
      • A syphon can be useful to aid in water changes but DO NOT use your mouth to start this
        • Turtles carry salmonella and their water is also contaminated with this bacteria
        • Do not tip turtle water into a sink that is used for dishes, bathing, face washing or dental hygiene
        • Turtle water is great for the garden!
  • Enclosure enrichment
    • Avoid gravel on the floor as hard to clean
      • Aquarium sand or large river pebbles are idea as easier to clean and less likely to result in impaction
    • Can use ornamental or live edible plants in the water
      • Edible plants provide food, enrichment and can aid in the water quality
    • Ceramic pots can be used for hiding and other ornaments that do not have sharp edges
      • Should be removed and cleaned once a month (a 1:250 mixture of F10 is ideal for this)
    • Air stones can be fun as they love the bubbles
  • Dry docks useful for them to get out but often don’t enable them to get 100% dry
    • They need to be able to get 100% out of the water and dry in a basking area so need more than just a dry dock.
    • 30-35°C basking area
      • A radiant heat source is ideal for this such as a halogen bulb
      • The heat source is separate to the UV bulb
      • This should be turned off every 12-14 hrs (along with the UV source)
      • Monitor temperature in the basking zone daily with a thermometer at the level of the turtle as well as a temperature gun
    • Also nice to have an area to dig/lay eggs in the land portion
      • Sterile sand-soil is a great option
      • This aids enrichment and also helps prevent reproductive problems in females as they are able to lay eggs without a male present.
  • UV light
    • Minimum 10% bulb
    • Arcadia proT5 is ideal
    • Should be at a height specified by the manufacturer from the turtle
    • Make sure no glass or plastic is between bulb and turtle
    • Needs to be changed every 6 months or tested by a solarmeter every 6 months to ensure correct UV output (the UV output fades with time)
    • Turn off every 12-14 hours along with the basking light to mimic night-time
    • Having 30 minutes of supervised outside time is also great for enrichment and aids in the turtles requirement

Diet

  • RES are omnivores meaning they require animal protein and vegetables in their diet.
  • The amount of animal protein required differs depending on how old the RES is.
  • <1 year old
    • 50% protein
      • Protein sources can be offered every 2 days
    • 50% vege (aquatic plants, green leaf lettuce)
  • >1yr old
    • 25% protein
      • Can be offered every 3 days
    • 75% veges (pellets every other day)
  • Protein sources
    • Feeder fish (e.g. guppies), crickets, earthworms, snails
    • Turtle pellets can also be fed as part of protein source
      • Recommended pellets are Fluker's Aquatic Turtle Buffet or Reptomin Turtle Sticks
    • Gut load live insects 12-24 hours before feeding with Arcadia Superload or Repashy Superload
    • The portion size should be similar to the size of the turtle head
  • Vegetables
    • Feed more: Green leaf lettuce, red leaf lettuce, aquatic plants, dandelion leaves
    • Feed in moderation: courgette, kale, pumpkin, carrots, broccoli, mango, papaya
  • Supplements
    • RES require supplements to maintain their health but too much can cause issues.
    • Calcium is very important to supply
      • Cuttlefish bone is a good calcium source
      • Dissolvable turtle blocks in water (these should be replaced when dissolved)
      • Calgrit at a rate of 20g per litre of water (topped up once dissolved)
      • Gut loading insects to make sure they have more calcium
  • Multivitamin
    • An appropriate multivitamin is recommended once a fortnight
    • The recommended multivitamins available in NZ are Flukers Reptile Multivitamin or Repashy Calcium Plus