RedEarSlider.com on water temperature

RedEarSlider.com - Turtle tanks: " Lastly, you'll need to make sure that the tank is kept at a comfortable temperature for your turtles. Sliders prefer temps around 76-82 degrees. Warmer temps will speed up their metabolism causing them to eat and poop more, cooler temps may induce hibernation or worse they may be too warm for hibernation, yet too cool to stimulate appetites. This range is known as the 'kill zone' and just as it sounds will kill your turtle. Make sure to have a thermometer on your tank and check it often"

RedEarSlider.com - Turtle tanks

RedEarSlider.com - Turtle tanks: "Your local Pet Store may also have other basking sites for sale ranging from specially treated logs to plastic islands. My experience has been that the islands don't work as well,but rocks are also more abrasive to the turtles shell. So, the best thing to do is experiment to see what works for you. Sliders bask religiously, if they can't get out of the water enough, they will be at risk of illness or shell fungus."

RedEarSlider.com - Turtle tanks

RedEarSlider.com - Turtle tanks: "In addition to a roomy place to swim and appropriate lighting %28covered in another section%29%2C Red Ear Sliders need a place to get out and dry off. The easiest way to accomplish this is to place some bricks or rocks at one end of the tank. Make sure anything you bring into the tank from outside is cleaned well and disinfected with a 5%25 bleach solution. This will minimize the risk of bringing disease into the tank. "

What we need to buy for Eger

Top Fin Liquid Crystal Thermometer
Easy-to-read thermometer makes it convenient to monitor the temperature of your aquarium. Reads in Fahrenheit and Celsius.

Submersible Heater
 

Acura 1000 Heater
Fully Submersible - Set It and Forget It!

Penn Plax Submersible Heater
Precision engineered and easy to hide.

From Austin's turtle page:

Tronic Heaters
Tronic heaters consistently achieve and maintain desired water temperature by means of its patented Thermal Sensor. Unlike other heaters Tronics state of the art sensor has NO moving components to stick or corrode. Tronic's sensor rests on the glass of the heater tube allowing accurate temperature reading which is transmitted to Tronic's advanced control circitry. Tronic is fully submersible and may be placed anywhere in the aquarium. When removed from water the patented Thermal Sensor triggers Tronic's Automatic Safety Shut-Off. You can also buy a "Heater Guard" which will prevent the turtle from biting or cracking it with it's shell.

ProAquatics
Proquatics Hydrosafe Heaters These are the safest, most technologically advanced heaters available. A thin layer of thermosensitive carbon and organic resins allows for heat resistance that increases along with temperature, meaning that the unit cannot overheat; even if left out of the water. Hydrosafe Heaters should be mounted vertically, and submerged up to indicated level only. Thermostat remains accurately calibrated even if the knob is turned too far; and a digital temperature indicator allows accurate setting to within 1 degree Fahrenheit. Remember that the size of the heater you use is directly related to the size of the aquarium; a general rule is 50 watts per 10 gallons of aquarium capacity. They seem to work pretty good. I've had one in my RES tank for 2 years without any problems.
Visitherm
Visitherm Heaters Double sealed heater is completely waterproof and submersible. Direct read Fahrenheit and Centigrade scale make pre-setting temperatures very simple. Marine design tolerates harsh tank conditions. This heater is super Durable. Great turtle heater
ACURA
Acura 1000 Heater Fully submersible, set it and forget it! Unique ratchet style temperature knob can't be over wound. Heavy-duty heat and shock resistant glass tube. Easy to read red temperature indicator and on/off light.

From Selecting Aquarium Heaters

Note that the use of a glass heater can be dangerous. If the glass breaks, both you and your turtle may be electrocuted. Turtles can be vigorous - be sure to protect the heater from the turtle. A good solution is to bury the heater (it must be the submersible type) in the gravel over an under-gravel filter. The operation of the under-gravel filter will circulate water around the heater. If there is not enough gravel to protect the heater, consider surrounding it with bricks or stones. Some brands have a heater guard that fits around the glass tube and provides some protection.

There are several brands of heaters available. The Ebo Jager heater is considered to be among the best. It is completely submersible, has an adjustable temperature setting knob (although it is difficult to adjust since it is surrounded by the water seal), and uses high quality, shock resistant glass. This last feature is very important - cheap heaters using thin glass tubes will not withstand the onslaught of a vigorous turtle. The Ebo Jager has its temperature setting indicated on the adjustment knob, but you should always check the temperature with a high quality aquarium thermometer, at least until you get the setting correct. Hagen has the Hagen Tronic series that also can be recommended. This series has an electronic temperature control which should be more reliable than the normal bi-metallic strip control mechanism.

When selecting a heater for your setup, do not buy more power than you need. If the heater is too powerful for the size of the aquarium, the heater will cycle more often and will wear out sooner. It is possible, if unlikely, for the heater to fail where it is on continuously. The better heaters have a safety feature that will prevent overheating should the main thermostat fail. You should look for this feature in any heater that you buy.
To make it simple, get an adjustable, fully submersible heater that is the right wattage for the tank. Use a good thermometer to check the water temperature. A good rule of thumb is to use a heater with 4 to 5 Watts per gallon of aquarium size for small tanks and 3 to 4 Watts per gallon for larger tanks. Note that even if the aquarium is not filled, you should select a heater based on the aquarium size since most heat loss is through the top water surface. If you keep your house cool, you should size the heater using the higher wattage number. 

We should get the 100 watt size.  Either Hagen (on sale right now at pet mountain for $11.95) w/ heater guard, or the Ebo-Jager b/c it's pyrex and more durable.  For price compare on Ebo-Jager
 
product w/acriflavin

Red Eared Slider turtle info from Petco

Red Eared Slider Breed Sheet from Petco.com
Species name: Chrysemys scripta elegans

Known for:

Popularity; the most common of all pet turtles
Longevity; up to 40 years in captivity
A distinguishing red spot behind the eyes
Background
Red-eared sliders, found from the eastern United States to Mexico, are raised in large numbers for the pet trade. Previously, restrictions in the US, designed primarily to reduce Salmonella infection in children (who put the turtles in their mouths), prohibited sale of red-eared slider hatchlings in certain pet shops, discount stores, etc. Hatchlings, now available via mail order, from breeders and specialty stores, cost $25 to $40 (compared to four-inch turtles, which retail for about $10 to $15).

Physical Appearance
The most distinguishing feature is the bright red spot on the head, just behind the eyes. Young turtles have a light green carapace, which usually darkens with age, and a yellow underside. Adult red-eared sliders may reach 10 to 12 inches in length, with males being slightly smaller than females.

Character
Red-eared sliders are a bit shy in the wild, but tame easily in captivity. Once tamed, they may even accept hand feeding. The turtles are active during the day and may hibernate in cooler weather, particularly if they are kept outdoors.

Physical Needs

Habitat type:  Red-eared sliders are semi-aquatic and need to swim, so the habitat should provide an ample water area with some vegetation. Fishbowls and 10-gallon aquariums are not adequate; the minimum container for several turtles is a long, 20-gallon tank. It should have a dry area for basking and some means for the turtles to move from one area to the other. Equip the basking area with a full-spectrum light to provide proper ultraviolet light; it should be turned on for several hours a day. The turtles may be kept outdoors when weather permits, but should be brought indoors during cold weather. Design the outdoor enclosure to prevent escape, in a place where it receives about two hours of sun a day, and a retreat area to allow the turtles to get out of the sun.

Temperature range:  They do best when water temperatures are between 70 and 80 degrees F, with an air temperature ranging from 70 to 80 degrees F and a basking temperature of 85 to 90 degrees F.

Humidity:  The large water area of the habitat will provide the right humidity level.

Diet:  Red-eared sliders are primarily carnivorous, but may develop health problems if fed a diet that is exclusively meat. Commercial turtle food, supplemented with guppies, feeder goldfish, crickets, or earthworms, is the best choice to provide balanced nutrition. Floating-type food sticks will help keep the aquarium clean for a longer period. You can supplement the diet with greens and fruit. Because they are semi-aquatic, these turtles will eat only when in the water.

Cleanliness:  Equip the aquarium with a good filtration system and maintain it regularly. You should empty the aquarium and thoroughly clean and disinfect it once a month. Outdoors, spot-clean their enclosure as necessary and change the water whenever it begins to get fouled.

Health
Red-eared sliders may suffer from swollen eyes due to Vitamin A deficiency. Vitamin D deficiency or inadequate lighting causes soft-shell. Observe your turtles carefully for any changes in appearance, behavior, or eating habits. Significant changes mean it's time for a visit to the vet.

Basking Areas for your Red Eared Slider Turtle

Turtle Times Forums - Basking Areas contains a survey of which methods folks use to create basking areas for their turtles. Choices included corkcbark, Zoomed Turtle Dock, Tera Reps Turtle Ramp, In Tank Plexi Glass, Above Tank Basking, Pile of Rocks, and other (the most popular choice).

There are some cool pictures of home-made basking areas that people have created on their own, as well.

Right now we are using a pile of rocks to create the basking area, but the rocks that were sold to us from the pet store when we bought our Red Eared Slider turtle are extremely rough, and I've noticed that they have been cutting poor Eger's shell! They are real rocks (we boiled them before putting them in his aquarium) with many sharp edges, and are hard to clean, too, as they quickly developed algae growing on them (which you have to scrub off -- it's not safe to add any algae solution to water for Red Eared Sliders!).  It is hard to position the rocks such that he can easily get on them and so they don't block his way swimming around the tank (we got a 20 gallon turtle tank for him -- he's about 4 inches right now).  It seems to me that when he tries to climb on these rocks, or swim under them, he sometimes gets chunks of his shell cut off!  He then got white spots in those areas, which I'm assuming is fungus. A saltwater bath for 30 minutes helped clear that up (for now - I'm hoping he doesn't now have shell rot!), but I've read elsewhere that sharp rocks are bad for Red Eared Sliders and am really mad that this was what the store sold to us to create his basking area. We love the look of it, as it is so natural and creates great caves that he likes to hide in, but it is affecting his health.

We are now looking for a solution to create an easy to get on basking area for our turtle that ALSO looks very natural and provides nice places for him to hide. Later today we'll be making yet another trip (to a different pet store this time!) to try to figure it all out.
 
These are the choices we've come up with so far: 
 


Turtle Dock
Unique floating dock for aquatic turtles to bask on. Give your turtle a dry basking area with this floating dock. Submerged ramp allows easy access. Automatically adjusts to all water levels. Easy to install and secure with 4 suction cups and non-corrosive bracket.



Nature Zone Rep-Tiles Stepping Stones
Give your reptile a leg up with these natural looking stepping stones. Durable and safe, these red rock ledges will let your reptile get a new perspective on his terrarium. Easy to use and washable. 7X4 3 PK.  These could come in handy to either raise another basking area OR to create an easy way to get to the basking area, OR, with enough of them, steps to AND the basking area itself.   Incidentally, if your Red Eared Slider is larger than ours, they also have a larger 2 pack:
 

Nature Zone Rep-Tiles Base Stone
Add a new dimension to your reptiles terrarium with these natural looking rock ledges. Provide your reptile with a durable, safe and stable ledge to rest on. With red rock look and texture, these are better than the real thing. Easy to use and washable. 12X6 2 PK
 

Nature Zone Rep-Tiles Simulated Rock Ledges
9 Pack from Petco.com Create a multi-level environment in your terrarium with Rep-Tiles. These simulated sandstone and shale ledges are made of lightweight concrete and water sealed for durability.
Painstakingly designed with natural colors and unique textures such as impressions of rain, ripples of water, and animal tracks, Rep-Tiles instantly create a natural setting for your pet.
Sized and shaped for quick and easy installation in your terrarium or cage with no additional support.
Durable and safe, you can stack and place the Rep-Tiles in countless combinations.   Unfortunately, sizing information is not provided.  The set of 9 is onsale online right now for $11.99

Penn-Plax Lok Rocks 8 Piece Assortment

This price ($8.99) is valid only online at Petco.com. Not available in stores at this price. For local in-store prices, please call your favorite Petco Store.
Instantly create coves, caves, and enchanted grottos. Lok Rocks are easy to handle, super sturdy, and super durable. And, they're fun to arrange and re-arrange in fish aquariums, cages or wherever hamsters, lizards, or other small animals are housed.   Again, no sizing info is provided, so it's hard to compare this to the 9 pack listed above from Nature Zone



All Living Things Flat Cave Rock
This is an ideal accessory for reptiles who like to bask and hide. Perfect for both desert and tropical habitats. Sold only at PETsMART.Placing this accessory in your reptile's habitat will allow him to do two of his favorite things: basking and hiding. Flat surface area on top is the perfect place for basking and hanging out; while the secluded interior offers reptiles a feeling of safety and security when they want to get away from it all. Made of durable, easy-to-clean poly-resin to offer worry-free use and care.  Flat Cave Rock, Green, 6.5 x 4 x 3.  This one looks great, but I'm not sure the basking area is large enough.  Thoughts?
 

Kritterz Medium Reptile Cave
Provide a refuge for your reptile. This realistically crafted hideout is made from super strong, easy to clean poly-resin and painstakingly decorated to create the illusion of natural rock. 8"wx4"dx3"h on Sale: $12.59

Top Fin Stacked Rock Ornaments
Dramatic "red rock" formations were the inspiration for these realistic, versatile ornaments. Made exclusively for PETsMART. Nature's delicate balancing act is duplicated in these Stacked Rock Ornaments. Perfectly suited as a natural looking addition to your aquarium or terrarium, they give fish secure places to hide and offer reptiles challenging surfaces to climb and large flat areas for basking. Crafted of easy to clean poly-resin.   They come in 2 sizes: Large Stacked Flat Rock, 12.5 x 4.5 x 6.5 and Small Stacked Flat Rock, 7.5 x 2.5 x 3.5.  The small looks too small -- but the large one might work (yes, we're aware that Eger is going to get really big - we will need an entirely new turtle tank when that starts to happen so I'll deal with that then...)

All Living Things Lava Cave Rock
Unique formation offers reptiles climbing, basking and hiding areas in one versatile accessory. Sold only at PETsMART. Inspired by natural lava rock formations, this Lave Cave Rock creates an appealing challenge for your reptile. He'll enjoy climbing and basking, or finding a quiet, secure place when he's looking for camouflage. Durable poly-resin is lightweight and easy to clean. Lava Cave Rock, Dark Brown, 12 x 7 x 6.  Dimension-wise, this seems like a good choice b/c with our tank we need the basking area to be above the 5 1/2 inches of water we have in there, but it's hard to say if we'd need to use gravel or other fake rocks to raise it so the basking area is comfortable for him.

Top Fin Rock Cave with Plants
The Top Fin Rock Cave offers fish plenty of the shelter and camouflage they naturally seek. Safe for fresh and salt water.  Along with being an impressive addition to your aquarium, the Top Fin Rock Cave offeres the added benefit of giving sheltered places to hide. Blooming plastic plants add a touch of color and add to the natural look. Crafted of easy clean poly-resin; colors will not fade or bleed. Rock Cave with Plants, 8 x 6.5 x 5.5

While this last one looks was designed for fish originally, it seems to me like it could be used for a turtle as the top of the cave looks like it's got a pretty decent basking area, although w/o some stacked rock ornaments it would probably be hard for the little guy to get on this.

ESU Reptile & Turtle Basking Platform is designed to be a natural looking river-rock platform. It provides a comfortable basking area for your aquatic and land pets. This platform has side steps for easy climbing and provides shelter. You'll find the ESU Basking Platform easy to clean. Available in small (11"L x 5"W x 4.5"H) and large (16"L x 5"W x 4.5"H) sizes.

Red Eared Slider turtle info from Petsmart

Slider - Red Eared



Traits
Red-eared sliders are entertaining aquatic turtles.
Red-eared sliders can live for more than 30 years.
Adult circumference is up to 10".
All turtles require ultraviolet lighting to maintain good health and shell structure.
Feeding

Red-eared sliders are omnivorous (eat both plant and animal matter).
Insects dusted with a vitamin/calcium powder, small fish and dark, leafy greens are ideal.
They may also eat prepared foods such as canned turtle food.
Housing

Successful permanent maintenance requires a moderately sized terrarium (30-40 gallon).
Ideal daytime temperature for Red-eared sliders should range between 75 and 85 degrees, with a basking lamp for warmer spots.
A screen lid is essential for proper air exchange.
Terrarium humidity should be kept at or near 70 percent.
Two to three inches of gravel is recommended to maintain a clean tank.
Use a small powerhead water filter to keep the water clean.
Traits
Red-eared sliders are fascinating turtles to observe. If allowed a large enough swimming area, these turtles will entertain their owners endlessly. They can live for more than 30 years.

The circumference of an adult Red-eared slider is up to 10".

All turtles require ultraviolet lighting to maintain good health and shell structure. Ultraviolet lighting is recommended for 12 hours per day. Use a timer to help you maintain an accurate lighting schedule.

Have the new terrarium completely set up before bringing your new friend home. Additionally, make sure your new family member is allowed enough time to adjust to its new home. Wait three or four days before attempting to handle your pet and always supervise children when they interact with pets.

Feeding

Red-eared sliders are omnivorous (eat both plant and animal matter).Therefore, they do well on a diet consisting of a variety of vitamin/calcium dusted insects such as crickets, mealworms and waxworms goldfish and other small fish, some aquatic plants (anachris), and dark leafy greens (such as kale, collard greens, mustard greens, etc).

In addition to insects, some individuals will also eat prepared foods such as canned turtle food.


Always remove food four hours after it is offered to prevent spoilage.

Housing
Red-eared sliders are considered aquatic turtles (they spend much of the day partially or completely submerged in water). Therefore, successful permanent maintenance requires a moderately sized terrarium (30-40 gallon).

Ideal daytime temperature for Red-eared sliders should range between 75 and 85 degrees. Additionally, a basking lamp should be used on one end of the enclosure to maintain the temperature of 90-95 degrees. Nighttime temperature should remain between 70 and 75 degrees. The humidity for Red-eared sliders should be kept at or near 70 percent.

Equip the terrarium with a screen lid, which is essential for proper air exchange. The enclosure must include either a large sloped water bowl or allow for a swimming area. This can be accomplished by using gravel as a substrate and sloping it to form a "beach" area.

It is also recommended that a small powerhead water filter is used to keep the water clean. Live plants can be used in Red-eared slider enclosures to maintain humidity levels and create a natural atmosphere.

Misting the habitat once or twice daily will help maintain proper humidity levels.

For bedding, 2" to 3" of gravel is recommended. Additionally, gravel should be used when creating a "beach" tank to ensure water remains clear and the pump is working efficiently. With either set-up, the substrate should be cleaned and changed regularly to avoid bacterial growth.

Right now PetSmart.com is having a $15 off every $65 purchase sale!  Check it out:  




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Information compiled by PETsMART.com staff and PETsMART Inc. experts. For questions or comments, email us at cs@petsmart.com. Information and advice contained on this site is for your consideration only. Please consult your veterinarian for specific advice concerning the care and treatment of your pet.