Red Ear Sliders Essay

Red Ear Sliders have been a favorite pet of children for many decades. Baby Red Ear Slider Turtles have been outlawed for sale in the United States since the 1970's. They must be at least 4" in order to buy one in the United States. However, many people find them in the wild as a pet. This is often the first pet turtle for many kids due to their hardiness and lifespan. It is common for a Red Ear Slider to live 20-40 years and can grow to 12 inches. They are more friendly and interactive than other terrapins. Red Ear Sliders also recognized their keepers, especially whoever feeds them. First, Red Ear Sliders spend most of their time in the water. Most often, they will spend most of their time out of the water basking. The water temperature
The tank should be 10 gallons per inch of shell length. Having a good filter unit is a must or health issues may arise. If you keep more than one red ear slider, they should be about the same size. Otherwise, injuries can happen to smaller turtles. It is hard to distinguish the sex of red ear sliders if they are less than 4" long. Females are larger and will have smaller tails. If you get new turtles, you should keep them separate for about 3 months. Otherwise, if the new turtle has a disease, it could affect the entire colony. Red Ear Sliders are omnivores. They will eat pellets, aquatic plants, vegetables, insects, and fish. Vitamins & calcium are needed to keep the health of the turtles. Red Ear Sliders will only eat their food in the water. Sliders have well developed senses. The vision and smell is extraordinary. Red Ear Sliders see in color and in and above water. It is amazing they can hear, since there is no ear opening. There are several things, you must know if you plan to handle Red Ear Sliders. Using both hands is strongly recommended. Their shell could be slippery from spending plenty of time in the water and also can bite you hard. Make sure you wash your hands good with soap after handling. Otherwise, you may have a problem with