How long should a red eared slider bask?

They will usually bask for at least a few hours every day, but they oftentimes will bask for a lot longer than that. For instance, one of my red-eared sliders LOVES to bask. I would estimate that she basks for at least 5-6 hours every day and has done so for years and years.

How big does a red eared slider kit?

Typical size ranges from 50 – 100 gallons depending on the size of the turtle. There should be enough space between the basking platform and the basking light so the turtle doesn’t get burned. Turtles may pile up on each other so take this into consideration if you have or plan on having multiple.

How big does a red ear slider turtle get?

A full-grown adult red-eared slider turtle can reach up to 12 inches in turtle shell length, with females usually being the largest. There are rare situations of adult red-eared sliders getting larger than 12 inches. Red-Eared Slider Growth Rate

How big of a tank do I need for a red eared slider?

First of all, you need to know how big a red-eared slider can actually get and at what pace is growing in size. A good rule of thumb when choosing the turtle tank size is to have about 10 gallons per inch of shell turtle, so for a red-eared slider that’s about 3 inches long, you should ideally put him in an at least 30-gallon turtle tank.

What’s the growth rate of a red ear slider?

In general, the growth rate of a red ear slider is affected by a lot of conditions like genetics, nutrition, and habitat conditions. But usually, they will grow at about 3 inches during their first year, and then around 1 inch per year in captivity. Similar to how red ear sliders will grow faster in captivity, they will also mature sexually faster.

What kind of light does red ear slider need?

To keep your red-eared slider shell in a good condition your tank needs to be equipped with UVB light source as this will help your turtle to produce enough Vitamin D3. Just having a normal lamp will not be enough for him so be sure you have a UVA and UVB light source.

How big do red eared sliders have to be?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration bans the sale of red-eared sliders with carapaces less than 4 inches in diameter, due to a correlation between young turtles and salmonella bacteria, Regardless of your turtle’s size, you should always wash your hands after handling him. Beware of purchasing wild-caught turtles.

How big of a tank do you need for a red ear slider turtle?

The setup of the tank is vital for your pet to have a good quality of life. Plan on a tank size of 10 gallons of water per inch of the turtle as a general rule of thumb, with a minimum size of a 20-gallon for hatchling red-eared sliders.

How long does it take for a red eared slider to hatch?

Incubation takes 59 to 112 days. Late-season hatchlings may spend the winter in the nest and emerge when the weather warms in the spring. Just prior to hatching, the egg contains 50% turtle and 50% egg sac. A new hatchling breaks open its egg with its egg tooth, which falls out about an hour after hatching.

Where does the red eared slider turtle come from?

It is a subspecies of the pond slider. It is the most popular pet turtle in the United States and is also popular as a pet across the rest of the world. Because of this, therefore, they become the most commonly traded turtle in the world. Red-eared sliders are native to the southern United States and northern Mexico,…