Care Sheet: RES Turtles and Similar Species

[Sandy Bear]

Turtle Care Sheet
For Red Eared Sliders And Similar Turtles

Pet Shops usually sells Red Eared Slider Turtles (RES turtles). RES turtles are the most common "pet shop turtle" available.

There are two very important things to consider when getting a pet turtle, they need a large enclosure and really good filtration.


Turtles are a big commitment and will be a life long friend. Please think long and hard before making the decision to buy one. They can live 40 years with good care, and some will live double that.

Tank Size:

Turtles require 10 gallons per inch of shell. RES turtles get to be 10 to 13 inches long, so you need a tank that is at least 100 to 130 gallons for 1 turtle. Females grow larger then males do, but they will be hard to sex until they are at least 4" long. Turtles grow pretty fast, so it is a good idea to buy the right size tank right from the get go. That way you are not spending lots of money on constant upgrades.

For Example:
1 RES Turtle: 100-130 Gallons
2 RES Turtles: 200-260 Gallons
3 RES Turtles: 300-390 Gallons

Aside from the high mess part of owning turtles, turtles can be very aggressive and territorial to other turtles, even those they have lived with for years. It is very important to provide them with an adequate amount of space. Some animals are not even able to live in the same enclosure, so you may need several set ups if you want more then one turtle.

Filter:

Getting a high quality filter is really important too. Whatever the filter is rated for fish, you want double that for turtles. For example, if the filter says it will clean a 40 gallon tank for fish, it will only do 20 gallons for a turtle. I highly recommend getting the Fluval FX5 it is a canister filter and rated for 400 US gallons. I have one of these on my 125 gallon aquarium, and it does a really fantastic job. Don't waste your money on any of the internal filters or clip to the back of the tank type filters, you won't be happy with them. Go with a really big canister filter, it will make your job easier.
Turtles are a high mess pet, (stinky poo water), so you never want to skimp on either the tank size or the filter. One of the biggest complaints turtle owners have is that their turtle tank always smells. The reason for that is that they do not have adequate filtration, and the tank is too small.
The filter should be completely cleaned out every month. Be sure to use “Carbon” media in the filter. This will help cut down on the smell. Carbon needs to be replaced every month. Sponges need to be rinsed clean every month.

Tank Cleaning & Water Quality:

Because turtles require really large tanks, you will want to purchase an "aquarium python". This is a fantastic device that attaches from your sink to your aquarium, and allows you to empty and fill up the tank. Be sure to measure the distance from your tap to your aquarium. Pythons are usually sold in 25, 50 and 100 foot lengths. You won't regret buying one of these.
You should be cleaning 50-100% of the water every week, more often if you tank is under sized. If you normally do 50% water changes, you should make sure that all the water is changed at least once a month.
Remember, turtles (like all reptiles and amphibians) need really clean fresh water in order to be happy and healthy. If you think the water stinks, looks cloudy or just looks horrible in general, imagine how your turtle feels having to live in that. The water quality should be similar to what you would want to be drinking.
If you have algae growing on your tank, the best thing you can do, is to buy a razor blade and a glass scrubber and clean it off manually. This will do the best job. Don't be lazy and think a fish or a snail will do the work for you. Your turtle is likely to eat and/or badly injure any other animal you think can coexist with it. Razor blades and glass scrubbers are cheap, you can pick these up at pet shops, Walmart, Tool Town, Dollarama, etc...

Basking Spot:

Your turtle will need somewhere to emerge from the water, to dry off. Exo Terra and Zoo Med both make a "turtle dock" device, that attaches to the side of of the glass via suction cups or magnets. You will want to get the largest size available. Some people also make custom pieces to put in their tank.


Heating and Lighting!:

Your turtle will need a UVB bulb and light fixture. The tube florescent are better then the compact coil bulbs. Some exotic pet owners complain of eye problems in their pet from the compact coil bulbs. RES turtles require a 5.0 to a 10.0 UVB bulb. These bulbs need to be changed every 6 months, as the UVB coating starts to wear off. UVB is important because it helps them absorb calcium in their diet.

You can also look into getting a Mercury Vapor Bulb (MVB). They are a bit more expensive, but they last a year. They provide the UVB that the turtle needs, and they also provide a heat source. You will need a Large Clamp Lamp with a ceramic top to use one of these bulbs in. All of the clamp lamps that are sold at the pet shops have ceramic tops on them.

If you go with the UVB tube florescent, you will also need a basking spot light for them. There are two kinds you can buy, one is a spot light, the other is a Ceramic Heat Emitter (CHE). I like the CHE bulbs best as they last a really really long time. They do not give off any light though.

You will also need a Submersible Heater for in the water. This will make sure that the turtle stays nice and warm when he is swimming around. You may want to invest in getting a guard for the heater, just in case the turtle bumps it, and it could shatter. The pet shop may not have any guards in stock, but they will be able to order one in for you.



Supplements!:

You will need some good quality supplements as well. You should have a "Vitamin and Minerals", a "Calcium" and a "Calcium with D3" supplements for your turtle. Just alternate each feeding with a different one. Not all supplements are created equal, the cheaper ones will have less vitamins and more filler then the more expensive ones. Also, some supplements have an expiry date on them, and should be discarded after that date. If there is no date on the bottle, then they should be discarded 6 months after being open.
"Rep Cal" is a good brand of supplements. "Repashy" also has some amazing supplements available.


FOOD!:

Commercial Diets: This should only make up to 25% of your turtles diet, no more then that. This would be products like ReptoMin, turtles sticks, etc....
Also a Cuttle Bone should be in the tank for them to chew on. They sell these in the reptile section of the pet shop, also in the bird section. Be sure to chip away the hard backing off of the cuttle bone before serving it to your pet.


Protein: This should only make up to 25% of your turtles diet. This would be food items like:
Crickets and Earthworms - both should be captive bred, and not from outside in the yard as they may have parasites, or have come into contact with toxic chemicals such as herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers.
Feeder Fish - should be captive bred. Fish like Mollies, Guppies, and Platies make the best feeder fish. Comet goldfish and Rosy Red Minnows are not very good feeder fish, they are usually sick from overcrowded, unsanitary conditions.

Plant Matter: This should make up 50% of the diet. Fresh is always better then frozen. Dark leafy vegetables are the best, like Collard, Mustard and Dandelion Greens. (Walmart sells Collard and Dandelion Greens for $2.50 a bunch). You can also offer shredded carrots, squash and green beans. Fruits such as apples, melons, berries can be offered as well, just be sure to offer them in bit sized pieces.

You can also buy aquarium plants from the pet shop, which they will devour. Plants like Water Lettuce, and Duckweed are good choices. This will be a bit expensive though.


Dechlorinator!:
Two of the best water dechlorinators on the market are Prime by Seachem, and AmQuel by Kordon. Most pet shops sell Prime, and that's what I use at home on my exotic pets. It may seem a bit expensive, but it goes a really long way, and there aren't any undesirable additives or gimmicky additives in it, and they aren't watered down like some other products on the market. This will get rid of the Chlorine, Chloramines and Ammonia that is present in the water.



The Tank:
The pet shops should be able to get you a tank that is 200 gallons or less. I don't think they can get in anything bigger then 200 gallons. If they are too pricey for you, then keep an eye out on Kijiji, Craig's List and in the Classifieds of our local newspaper. I bought my 125 gallon tank from an ad I saw in the newspaper.

Some people also set up really large Rubbermaid tubs, kiddy pools or build ponds in their home to house turtles.
Some people also like getting custom pieces done, sort of like a "show tank". The aquarium would be designed to your specifications, and made to fit your home.
Here are 2 places that do custom built tanks:
http://www.miraclesaquariums.com/
http://www.glasscages.com/?sAction=ViewCat&lCatID=2


Different species of turtles:
You are not limited to the type of turtles that are available at the pet shop. You can ask them about other species of turtles or tortoises that are on their order list if you want something different, or something that doesn't get as big. You can also research different types of pet turtles, and ask if they can get any of those in for you. Just be sure to write down the scientific name of the turtle you want ordered. The animals aren't always available all the time, so you may have to wait for a period of time before they become available again. Also, not all species of turtles are available to be pets as some are protected species and it may be illegal to own them.