Red Eared Slider?

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Avarice29

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I'm still fairly new to the reptilian world and a few days ago I found that out that a neighbor of mine owns turtles....
I think they're red Eared sliders... Because of the red lines on both sides of the neck..
Anyways when I asked him how they were doing, he picked one up and it had nail polish on its shell. They told me the two of them always ran around in his yard and they would get lost in the grass that way they would be easier to spot..
The other turtle was in a VERY small cage and dirty water.
I don't know much about turtles but I'm pretty sure that's wrong how they're living..
One turtle is so big it can't turn around to get food... The other one is smaller but has to go ontop of the the bigger one to get food...
I already asked the owner if I could look after them.. if I do what should their habitat be?
I know this has been pretty long.. but I don't like it when animals suffer..
 

Utah Lynn

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Avarice29 said:
I'm still fairly new to the reptilian world and a few days ago I found that out that a neighbor of mine owns turtles....
I think they're red Eared sliders... Because of the red lines on both sides of the neck..
Anyways when I asked him how they were doing, he picked one up and it had nail polish on its shell. They told me the two of them always ran around in his yard and they would get lost in the grass that way they would be easier to spot..
The other turtle was in a VERY small cage and dirty water.
I don't know much about turtles but I'm pretty sure that's wrong how they're living..
One turtle is so big it can't turn around to get food... The other one is smaller but has to go ontop of the the bigger one to get food...
I already asked the owner if I could look after them.. if I do what should their habitat be?
I know this has been pretty long.. but I don't like it when animals suffer..

If they are Redeared Sliders, they are water turtles; not land animals. They need to be in water. A large RubberMaid tub works well for them. They will need a dry basking area, basking light and UVB light. You have to feed them in water, they GULP their food.
 

zzzdanz

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RES get big...the more water the best.figure 10gallons of water for every inch of turtle..ideally you're looking at 120gallon per turtle. They really don't have any business IMO in an aquarium...they're a pond turtle.
 

Avarice29

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Thanks for the replies..
At the moment im waiting for my neighbor to come home from work so I can talk to him about them.
I doubt I can make a pond for them.. also they are pretty small. Well one is.. I was told they are the same age.
The home they have right now is something similar to this but its smaller :/ http://www.petstore.com/Tom_Aquatic...errariums-Tom_Aquatics-OE01001-RPCTPL-vi.html
They are around 6 months old? maybe more hopefully I can take a pic if he says yes :D
Does anyone have a RES Set up they wouldnt mind showing me?
 

dmmj

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Those aquatic homes are to small IMHO fo rone let alone two RES.
A cheap alternative is a simple cement mixing tub available from your local home improvement center ( around 15 dollars or so)
As always the bigger you can go , the better.
 

ascott

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WOW...that is a crazy bucket they are in...that is usually the thing that folks buy 2 for 5.00 dollar deals....

It would be great if you can get them and yup...as Captain suggested and also as Lynn suggested...either works well....if you can come across a craigslist add giving away a 55 gallon aquarium that would also be great....along with a great filter and heater and you should be in business... :D

I hope you let us know how all turns out :D:D

RES get big...the more water the best.figure 10gallons of water for every inch of turtle..ideally you're looking at 120gallon per turtle.

I agree with this as well...ultimately they will need bigger to account for their size...however, if they are small still you can get away with less for a little while :p:p
 

Avarice29

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Yea... Their cage was very small, I guess their owner didn't know how to properly take care of them...
They were only eating some weird green pelets that the turtles almost never eat...
They are res n ima post pics of them later today :)
 

DanaLachney

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If you're keeping them the type of filter you should buy is one three times filtration system so for instance I have a 20 gallon with one Res and a 55gallon tetra fauna whisper filter. Add more carbon to the filter as well or it still doesn't work as well. You can find a small tub of carbon crystals at walmart for like $5 also that repto min food is garbage. Get some zoomed hatchling food. They don't like it much but will get used to it. You can give them the occasional beef or chicken I prefer cooked. Water temps must be 80 degrees not lower than 75. Basking area should be around 90 degrees. Also dechlorinate the water. It's best to get the biggest aquarium u can afford to start off with otherwise u will be upgrading very often these turtles get around 12-15 inches. Any other questions feel free to ask.
 

Avarice29

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My new res.. yes after talking to the owner he gave them both to me...
Love these lil guys n I love my tort <3
At the moment they're in a 20 gallon tank with a 20 gallon filter and a heater inside. The both of them love to stay on the heater.. it stays at 78 degrees
No basking spot atm.. soon as I get some money I will hopefully buy a bigger tank and a real nice basking spot for them
I bought them some shrimp..
Didnt know they were omnivores.. gotta find them a better diet ...
 

DanaLachney

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Avarice29 said:
My new res.. yes after talking to the owner he gave them both to me...
Love these lil guys n I love my tort <3
At the moment they're in a 20 gallon tank with a 20 gallon filter and a heater inside. The both of them love to stay on the heater.. it stays at 78 degrees
No basking spot atm.. soon as I get some money I will hopefully buy a bigger tank and a real nice basking spot for them
I bought them some shrimp..
Didnt know they were omnivores.. gotta find them a better diet ...

Yes they are omnivores. When they are juveniles most people feed them vegetables too I believe. I can't remember what they eat as adults. But you could google it :)
 

Utah Lynn

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Mine are all well over 7 inches, so I can't help you with baby diet. My turtles go crazy over hotdogs, ham, any kinda meat. Right now, I have mine indoors for the winter. In the summer, they live outside in the yard, with a small pond to soak, swim in.
 

DanaLachney

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Utah Lynn said:
Mine are all well over 7 inches, so I can't help you with baby diet. My turtles go crazy over hotdogs, ham, any kinda meat. Right now, I have mine indoors for the winter. In the summer, they live outside in the yard, with a small pond to soak, swim in.

:( I thought u weren't supposed to give them pork :(
 

Utah Lynn

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DanaLachney said:
Utah Lynn said:
Mine are all well over 7 inches, so I can't help you with baby diet. My turtles go crazy over hotdogs, ham, any kinda meat. Right now, I have mine indoors for the winter. In the summer, they live outside in the yard, with a small pond to soak, swim in.

:( I thought u weren't supposed to give them pork :(

Whoops. Sorry. That is Beef HotDogs. And....they love Ham....only occasionally. I haven't ever noticed any ill effects. (Knock on wood?)
 

Avarice29

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Sorry for always replying late... And camera is busted... Hopeful I can use q cell to take pics
When I got them, th

Sorry for always replying late... And camera is busted... Hopeful I can use q cell to take pics
When I got them, the larger one looked like the shell was chipping away it doesn't look like that now did something happen?
Also.. how often should I feed them?
 

DanaLachney

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Avarice29 said:
Sorry for always replying late... And camera is busted... Hopeful I can use q cell to take pics
When I got them, th

Sorry for always replying late... And camera is busted... Hopeful I can use q cell to take pics
When I got them, the larger one looked like the shell was chipping away it doesn't look like that now did something happen?
Also.. how often should I feed them?



Everyday. What are you giving them?
 

Avarice29

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Yea everyday but how many times...
I don't have the bottles with me but its shrimp but its dry...
 
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