Baby Red Eared Sliders

Baby red eared sliders are born with most of the tools necessary for their survival. Most turtles, red eared sliders included, lay their eggs and then abandon the nest, leaving the newly hatched turtles to fend for themselves. As such, if you have a baby red eared turtle, their millions of years of evolution have equipped them to survive. However, this is not an excuse not to put the effort into making sure your baby red eared slider is safe and healthy. Remember that in the wild most baby turtles don't make it, so it's up to you to give them the support and comfort they need.

What to feed baby red eared sliders is an important consideration. You'll find food specific to your turtle at most pet food stores. Babies can also be fed dried krill or small insects. Although most turtles tend to become more herbivorous as they mature, baby turtles tend to have a diet higher in animal products. In addition to commercial turtle food, young turtles can also eat leafy greens and aquatic plants, although these are not enough alone. A good mixture of commercial food, animal products and vegetation seems to be the best mix for your baby red eared slider.

Housing baby red eared sliders can be expensive. You will need several items to get started. An aquarium or tank is the first thing. As a general rule, you should have ten gallons of water for every inch of your turtle. For example, a seven inch turtle would require a seventy gallon tank. Remember that your turtle can grow to 12 to 14 inches when fully mature. As such, you should start with a minimum twenty gallon tank. But realize that your baby red eared slider will quickly outgrow that and you'll need to adjust. You will also need materials for "land" in your tank. Although red eared sliders are aquatic turtles, they cannot breath under water and you will need to have a "land" area for them to rest and bask. You will also need heat lamps and a way to clean and filter the water in the tank.

For more information on baby red eared sliders, and turtle care in general, visit my other lenses below. It is also helpful to have a good, comprehensive guide that covers all aspects of caring for your pet turtle. The best one I've found is at www.turtlecaresite.com. There you'll find all of the information you need to raise healthy and happy baby red eared sliders. I find myself referring to it almost daily and I highly recommend it as the best turtle guide available.