Red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans) are popular pets known for their distinctive red markings and engaging personalities. Native to the Midwestern United States, these semi-aquatic turtles require specific care to thrive in captivity. This article provides a detailed guide to red-eared slider diet and care, covering habitat setup, nutritional needs, and health considerations.
Understanding Red-Eared Sliders
- Size: Red-eared sliders can grow up to 12 inches long. Adult males are slightly smaller, averaging 8-9 inches, while adult females average 10-12 inches.
- Lifespan: With proper care, red-eared sliders can live for over 25 years, with an average lifespan of about 20 years.
- Diet: These turtles are omnivores, consuming both insects and plants.
- Behavior: Red-eared sliders are intelligent and curious, often "begging" for food. They can also be escape artists, attempting to climb out of their enclosures.
- Temperament: While not fond of handling, they can recognize their owners and may swim over or beg for food. They can be housed together, but adequate space and hiding places are crucial to prevent aggression.
Note: All turtles can bite, so caution is advised when interacting with them, especially during feeding.
Setting Up Your Red-Eared Slider Turtle Habitat
Red-eared sliders are semi-aquatic, requiring both land and water within their habitat. They can be housed in a pond or aquarium alongside fish too large to be eaten.
Habitat Setup
- Choose and Set Up the Habitat: A large glass tank is ideal. For RES, create a basking dock above the waterline.
- Size Matters: Follow the general rule of 10 gallons per inch of shell length, increasing the tank size if housing multiple turtles. An adult turtle may need a 125-gallon tank.
- Substrate Options: Use sand or gravel larger than your turtle’s head to prevent ingestion. A substrate-free setup is easier to clean but limits natural digging behaviors. Substrate may also aid in maintaining water quality by providing a surface for beneficial bacteria to grow on.
- Décor and Enrichment: Add large rocks, sturdy plants, driftwood, or turtle-safe ornaments. Ensure plenty of hiding spots and places for the turtle to climb out of the water, as turtles need a place to leave the water and dry out at times.
- Lighting and Heating: Install a UVB bulb and basking bulb above the dry dock. Use a timer to automate a 12-hour day/night cycle. Two thermometers should be used: one in the basking area and another in a cooler above-water area. For UVB, we recommend installing a Zoo Med T5 HO ReptiSun 5.0 or Arcadia Forest 6% in a reflective T5 HO fluorescent fixture, long enough to span the land area plus some of the water area. So for a large Waterland tub, you will want a bulb about 34-36” long. The UVB lamp should be hung from the ceiling to be 13-14” above the basking spot to achieve a UVI of approximately 3.0-4.0 in the basking area. For daylight lighting, we recommend installing The Bio Dude Glow & Grow LED lamps or similar, spanning the length of the enclosure.
- Filtration and Temperature: Choose a filter rated for your turtle's tank size and use an aquarium heater to maintain the water at 75-86°F. Another thermometer should measure your water temperature.
- Cover Securely: Use a tight-fitting lid and leave at least 6" of vertical space between the tallest point in the tank and the top to prevent escapes.
Preparing the Tank
- Prepare Your Space: Place the aquarium on a flat, stable surface that can support its full weight (water weighs 8.3 pounds per gallon).
- Rinse and Place Décor: Rinse all substrate and decorations with tap water (never soap), then add them to the tank. Substrate must be either sand or gravel larger than your turtle’s head. If the gravel is too small, your turtle may accidentally eat the rocks and this can cause a gastrointestinal blockage, potentially requiring surgery to resolve. You can choose to have no substrate in your turtle tank and instead use turtle safe decorations that can be removed during cleaning.
- Add Water and Conditioner: Fill with tap water and use a water conditioner to remove chlorine and chloramines. If your home uses a water softener, use a tap source that bypasses it.
- Install and Test Equipment: Set up the heater, filter, and thermometer per manufacturer instructions. Add the hood and lighting and set lights on a 12-hour cycle using a timer for consistency. Turtles need a UV-B light and a heat source in addition to ambient lighting for your tank. To heat the basking area, you will need two 90-100w halogen flood heat bulbs and two narrow dome lamp fixtures rated for at least 100w. Hang the fixtures from the ceiling so it is the same distance from the basking area as the UVB lamp. If the bulbs get a little too warm, you can plug the lamps into lamp dimmers and reduce the heat that way. Heat the water with an aquarium water heater that is rated for the amount of water in the enclosure, such as the 600w Bulk Reef Supply Titanium Heater System.
- Let the Tank Stabilize: Run the system for at least 24 hours to ensure all equipment works and the water temperature is stable.
- Begin Cycling the Tank: Add a beneficial bacteria starter and follow a fishless cycling process to reduce stress.
- Monitor Water Quality Daily: During cycling, test water regularly. Perform a water change if ammonia or nitrite is above 0 ppm or if nitrate exceeds 20 ppm. Always add water conditioner after each change.
- Quarantine New Additions: To protect your turtle, quarantine new additions for 30 days in a separate, cycled setup.
Water Quality and Maintenance
- Red-Eared Slider turtles are avid swimmers in the wild and their water should be at least 2x the turtle’s shell length for safety and mobility.
- The minimum depth of water in your Red-Eared Slider habitat is twice the length of your turtle’s shell. So, if your turtle’s shell is 7” long, you need water at least 14” deep so they are able to turn and flip in the water. This ensures that your turtle is able to right themselves in the water reduces risk of drowning.
- Water depth should be 6-8 inches, mimicking the shallow habitats these turtles prefer in the wild.
- Change 30% of the water once every week, depending on your enclosure’s needs. This helps keep the water clear, and more importantly prevents certain waste products from building up to toxic levels. Use a siphon or water pump to facilitate the process.
- Change 50% of the water weekly; larger changes (75-90%) may be needed to maintain adequate water quality.
- Ideal levels for water quality parameters:
- Ammonia and Nitrite: 0 ppm
- Nitrate: Less than 20 ppm
- Use a water conditioner with every change.
Temperature Guidelines
- DAY TEMPERATURE: (Cool Side) 75-85° F (24-29° C)
- DAY TEMPERATURE: (Basking Spot) 90-95° F (32-35° C)
- NIGHT TEMPERATURE: 65-75° F (18-24° C)
- WATER TEMPERATURE: 75-86° F (24-30° C)
What Do Red-Eared Slider Turtles Eat?
Red-Eared Slider turtles are omnivorous (meaning they eat both plant material and animal/insect protein). Juvenile turtle diets tend to lean more carnivorous (meat/insect focused). As they mature, their diet shifts to a more balanced mix of plant matter and animal or insect protein. Red-Eared Sliders are notoriously messy eaters, so you may want to consider setting up a feeding area or even a separate feeding tank to help minimize the mess.
Feeding Schedule and Ratios
- Red-eared sliders younger than 1 year:
- 50% protein / 50% vegetables
- protein food daily
- vegetable food daily
- turtle pellets every other day
- It is not unusual for young turtles to be reluctant to eat vegetables, but you will still need to offer them.
- Red-eared sliders older than 1 year:
- 25% protein / 75% vegetables
- protein food 1-2x/week
- vegetable food daily
- turtle pellets 2-3x/week
- Pond sliders don’t have salivary glands, so they can only eat in the water, not on land. So, you will need to sprinkle or drop the food into the water when it’s mealtime.
- A single portion of protein should be as much as your turtle can eat in 5-10 minutes, depending on how quickly they eat.
- A single portion of vegetables should be roughly the same size as the turtle’s shell.
- A single portion of pellets should be about the same size as your turtle’s head.
- Some people recommend feeding red-eared sliders in a separate container full of water to reduce mess, but as with other reptiles, moving to feed is stressful for the turtle and generally not a good idea. Just because it’s convenient for the human doesn’t mean it’s a good idea for the turtle.
PRO TIP! Use an aquarium fish net to remove debris from the water after feeding time is over. This helps keep your tank clean and helps keep your turtle healthy.
Read also: Diet of the Bat-Eared Fox
Variety of Food
Variety is the key to good nutrition, so make sure to offer as many different types of foods in your turtle’s diet as possible! In the wild, red-eared sliders and other pond sliders are known to eat a variety of invertebrates, crustaceans, small fish, tadpoles, frogs, and birds. They even have been observed scavenging on dead carcasses! For pet pond sliders, however, here is a good list of appropriate animal-based foods to reference. It is best to provide whole feeders rather than pieces of meat, as animal parts are not nutritionally complete.
- chicks (frozen) (treat only) (very messy)
- crayfish (pre-killed only)
- crickets
- earthworms
- discoid roaches
- dubia roaches
- freeze-dried shrimp or krill
- fresh shrimp
- frogs (captive bred only)
- frozen bloodworms
- mealworms
- nightcrawlers
- pinky or hopper mice (frozen) (treat only)
- quail (frozen) (treat only) (very messy)
- silkworms
- snails (canned or captive-bred only)
- superworms
- tadpoles (captive bred only)
- tubifex worms
Good places to purchase high-quality feeders for your turtle include Dubia.com, Ovipost, Layne Labs, Reptilinks, and Anderson Minnow Farm.
Avoid feeding wild insects to your turtle, unless they were caught in a chemical-free area and you know exactly what it is and whether it is safe to feed. DO NOT FEED processed meats or fireflies to your turtle!
Safe and Unsafe Feeder Fish
You can also give live fish to your red-eared slider. However, some are safer to feed than others:
- Safe feeder fish
- endlers
- guppies
- mollies
- mosquito fish
- platies
- swordtail
- Generally speaking, livebearing types of fish are going to be a safe bet. Avoid offering pieces of fish rather than the whole fish, as pieces are not nutritionally complete.
- Unsafe feeder fish
- goldfish
- spottail shiner
- rosy red minnow
- emerald shiner
- white suckers
- These fish contain thiaminase, which breaks down and inactivates vitamin B1. If fed in large doses or over a prolonged period of time, it can cause severe vitamin B1 deficiency, which can be fatal if untreated.
Plant-Based Foods
In the wild, red-eared sliders and other pond sliders are known to eat algae and the leaves, stems, roots, fruits, and seeds of both aquatic and terrestrial plants. In fact, they eat so much vegetation as adults that they are considered primarily herbivorous!
Read also: Comprehensive Diet Guide
As pets, you probably don’t want them mowing down the live plants in your tank, so here are some alternatives to keep them satisfied. Make sure to bookmark this page on your phone or screenshot so you can reference it while at the grocery store. The key to balanced nutrition is VARIETY, so make sure not to use the same old thing every time!
- chickweed
- cilantro
- collard greens (“spring greens” in the UK)
- dandelion greens + flowers
- endive
- escarole/frisée
- green beans
- green leaf lettuce
- hibiscus greens + flowers
- kale
- red leaf lettuce
- romaine lettuce
- spinach
- spotted deadnettle
- swiss chard
- turnip greens
- white clover
Fruits
Fruit can be offered as an occasional treat:
- apple (skinned)
- berries
- figs
- grapes
- mango
- melon
- papaya
- pear
Foods to Avoid
DO NOT FEED THE FOLLOWING FOODS!
- avocado
- bean sprouts
- citrus
- currants
- eggplant
- hot peppers
- gooseberries
- mushrooms
- onion
- parsnip
- pomegranate
- rhubarb
- tomatoes
If you want to feed your turtle plants gathered from outside, wash them and make sure they weren’t exposed to herbicide or pesticide. For more information about safe plants, vegetables, and fruits for your turtle, refer to The Tortoise Table and Beautiful Dragons for information about safe plants.
If you are unsure about the identity of a potentially edible plant from outside, DON’T give it to your turtle - it could be poisonous!
Cuttlebones
“Cuttlebones” aren’t actually bones at all - they’re a block of calcium carbonate made to resemble the flattened oval skeleton of a cuttlefish. Real cuttlefish bones used to be used in the hobby, but these are no longer available due to concerns about parasites.
Read also: Feeding Your Cumberland Slider
Turtles seem to have an instinct that drives them to start biting hard objects when their bodies need calcium. Providing a cuttlebone in their enclosure fulfills that need and helps prevent calcium deficiency problems such as MBD. Chewing on cuttlebones also helps keep your turtle’s beak trimmed!
Depending on the size of your turtle, it may be best to put the cuttlebone into your turtle’s tank whole or to chop it into chunks. But don’t just toss the cuttlebone into your red-eared slider’s enclosure without properly preparing it first:
Storebought cuttlebones have a hard plastic backing that can make your turtle very sick if it gets accidentally ingested. So you need to remove that plastic. You can do this by sawing it off with a serrated knife (be careful!), prying it off with a butter knife, or peeling it off with a vegetable peeler after soaking it in hot water.
Feeding Outside of the Enclosure
Many people recommend using a separate, designated feeding container as a method of keeping their turtles’ water cleaner. But is this actually good practice?
Answer: it depends on your turtle.
If your turtle doesn’t seem bothered by it, this can be a good way to keep your turtle’s water a bit cleaner, clearer, and less likely to accumulate waste. It is more labor-intensive, though, and completely optional.
However, if your turtle is significantly stressed by handling, it’s best to simply feed them inside their “home” enclosure.
How to feed your turtle outside of its enclosure: You will need to a plastic tub (preferably opaque), fill it with enough water to cover your turtle’s back, then add your turtle to feed. Water is required - red-eared sliders can’t swallow properly without it! When your turtle is done eating, place your turtle back in its enclosure, empty the feeding tub, and disinfect it with F10SC, Rescue, or Clean Break veterinary disinfectant.
SUMMARY
- Red-eared sliders <1 year old need a diet of 50% protein / 50% vegetables. They should receive protein and vegetable foods daily, and turtle pellets every other day.
- Red-eared sliders >1 year old need a diet of 25% protein / 75% vegetables.
Health Considerations
In addition to regularly scheduled appointments, contact your reptile veterinarian if you notice the following signs:
- Runny droppings for more than two days
- Eating or drinking less; weight loss
- Swollen joints or reluctance to move
- Discharge from the eyes, nose or mouth
- Shell abnormalities or defects
- Avoidance of the basking area; more time spent hiding
- Decreased frequency of droppings
- Abnormal swimming or swimming on side
If your turtle shows any of the signs above, we recommend using the “Find a Vet” tool at arav.org to locate a qualified veterinarian in your area.
Water Quality and Health
- When should I test my water quality?
- Turtle is sluggish, near the bottom of the tank
- Turtle is at the top or spending a lot of time out of the water
- Sudden behavior changes in your turtle
- PetSmart offers free water quality testing and one of our knowledgeable associates can help you get your system balanced.
Salmonella Risk
NOTE: Most, if not all, reptiles carry Salmonella bacteria in their intestinal tract and intermittently or continuously shed these bacteria in their feces, so they are unsuitable pets for very young children and those with compromised immune systems. Our vendors meet a highstandard in caring for pets and screening them for common illnesses. This program also includes specific standards for in-store pet care.
Safety Tips
Safety tips for you and your pet:
- ALL ANIMALS can potentially carry viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic diseases contagious to humans.
- Thoroughly wash your hands with warm, soapy water before and after contact with any pet or its habitat.
- Adults should assist children with hand washing after contact with a pet, its habitat or aquarium water.
- Always add a dechlorinator or water conditioner and bacteria starter to tap water before adding it to the aquarium.
- Do not use soaps or detergents to clean aquarium or decor, since they are toxic to fish.