Ideas for a Red-Eared Slider Turtle Habitat

First-time turtle owners often acquire red-eared sliders. These turtles can be extremely friendly and fun to watch. However, they grow quickly and need a large, well-constructed habitat. The habitat in which your turtle lives is the best predictor of how healthy and happy your turtle will be.

  1. Choose the Right Size for Your Enclosure

    • Buy the largest enclosure you can afford. The minimum size for a red-eared slider is 10 gallons of tank for every 1-inch turtle. This means that if you have a 5-inch long turtle, you need a 50-gallon tank. If you have two 5-inch long turtles, you will need a 100-gallon tank. Remember that your turtle will continue to grow for several years, so buy your enclosure with this in mind.

    Create a Quality Swimming Area

    • Red-eared sliders are proficient swimmers and active, which means your turtle will need plenty of room to swim. Approximately 75 percent of the tank space should be water. Make sure to use a chlorine-removal product when you first fill your tank with water. Your turtle will also appreciate a dark hiding area. Consider placing a rock shelter in the tank large enough for your turtle to hide in.

    Provide Quality Filtration

    • Red-eared sliders are notoriously dirty, so you'll likely need more filtration with turtles than with fish. Spending extra money on a high-quality filter will mean fewer water changes and that the filter is less likely to break. Some red-eared slider owners use two filters in their tanks to provide double filtration for a clean tank.

    Provide Warmth

    • These turtles live in a variety of climates, but will not eat if their water is below 60 degrees. Ideally, the water temperature should be at least 75 degrees. In a warm house, this will be close to room temperature. If the water is not 75 degrees, install a water heater, which will warm the water to the appropriate temperature. Make sure to keep a thermometer in the tank to ensure the water is not too warm or too cold.

    Provide a Basking Area

    • While red-eared sliders live primarily in water, they also spend substantial time on land. Your turtle will need a land area that allows her to dry. Many pet stores sell floating islands for turtles. Alternatively, you can stack rocks or bricks in the tank. Make sure your turtle can easily get on the basking area and the basking area is completely out of the water so she can dry completely.

    Give Your Turtle UV Light

    • Turtles need vitamin D from sunlight to synthesize calcium. Without this light, they will quickly become ill. If you don't take your turtle outside in the sun daily, you'll need to provide your turtle with UV light. You can accomplish this with the fluorescent hoods that come with fish tanks. Make sure to change the bulbs at least once a year, because these bulbs tend to lose ability to emit UV light after prolonged use.

    Be Careful About Substrate

    • Substrate is the material on the bottom of a turtle tank. Many turtle owners find that placing a rock substrate on the bottom of the tank helps the tank look cleaner, and turtles often enjoy digging in it. Because turtles will eat anything, it's important to choose a non-toxic substrate. If you're using rocks, choose large rocks instead of gravel so your turtle can't eat it.