What Your Turtle Needs In Its Tank
When putting together your red eared slider tank, you should know the proper equipment that is required. Its tank, or aquarium, should be anywhere from 20 to 50 gallons to start, depending upon its size and needs. As a rule of thumb, it’s actually best to have about ten gallons of water per inch of turtle. For instance, an eight inch turtle should be in an eighty gallon tank. This is the best size for the optimum health of your red eared slider.There should be both water and “land”. The water should ideally be deep enough for your turtle to submerse itself completely. Remember that red eared sliders are aquatic turtles, so they spend a great deal of time in the water. However, remember that they CANNOT breathe under water, so it is important for them to have “land” to rest on. The land should consist of non-organic material such as rocks. Also, avoid putting wood chips in the tank, as the turtle may ingest them (very bad) or they may rot or grow fungus.
A filtering system is optional for keeping the water clean. If you do not use one, you will need to keep an eye on your turtle’s water to make sure it stays clean. Remember that excess turtle waste left in the tank can make your turtle sick. As a cautionary note, it is important to keep in mind that if you do have an automatic filtration system, it is not set to suck in water too hard. If your turtle gets caught in the system and stays submerged for too long, it can drown.
The Right Temperature Inside Your Red Eared Slider Tank
It is important to have the right temperature inside your red eared slider tank. One thing that is important for your indoor pet turtle is to try to keep it warm. Ideally, their surroundings should be kept at 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit. You can lower the temperature 5-10 degrees at night. You should use a heat lamp to keep the tank at an ideal temperature.
As a side note, you should be careful about sudden shifts in temperature for your red eared slider. This is normally the result of moving the turtle from indoor to outdoor, or vice versa. Turtles are cold-blooded reptiles and can be very sensitive to sudden shifts in their environment. There is also other great information available on the web to help you build the ideal red eared slider tank.
Did you find those tips on pet turtle care useful? You can click on the lens above for more information. It will link you to my other free resources that will hopefully answer most of your questions on pet turtle care. The best, low cost guide available can be found at http://www.turtlecaresite.com. It is a comprehensive resource that will cover every aspect of raising your pet turtle. I highly recommend it.