How to Care for Baby Water Turtles in an Aquarium

In the 1970s, a popular pet emerged on the scene. Baby water turtles seemed the perfect pet for children at the time. Usually, the turtle, about the size of a quarter when purchased, came with a small plastic kidney-shaped bowl that had a plastic palm tree in it. Legally, baby water turtles such as red-eared sliders, map turtles and cooters, make acceptable pets, but you cannot sell them. Keep in mind that water turtles require more than a small plastic dish to live in, but if cared for properly, they can live up to 40 years in captivity and provide many hours of enjoyable observation.

Things You'll Need

  • Standard 15-gallon aquarium
  • Stable river rocks or heavy driftwood or concrete shapes
  • Fluorescent light that puts off at least 5 percent UVB radiation
  • Incandescent light bulb
  • Incandescent and fluorescent light fixture
  • Submersible aquarium heater
  • Live aquarium plants
  • Separate feeding tub
  • Powdered reptile supplement
  • Carnivorous diet items (chopped up worms, feeder guppies, dried krill)
  • Repto-min small turtle pellets
  • Leafy green vegetables
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Instructions

    • 1

      Create a slope in the aquarium for the turtles to climb up to bask on using driftwood and rocks. Alternately, use concrete to create a basking area and hiding places. Place the incandescent light fixture above the basking area and the fluorescent light and fixture over the basking area and the water.

    • 2

      Fill the water in the aquarium to no more than a depth the size of the turtle's shell. Use the aquarium heater to heat the water between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

    • 3

      Place live plants in the water as part of the turtle's diet; they will tear them apart and snack on them but may also hide under them.

    • 4

      Feed the turtles in a separate area using water skimmed from their aquarium to feed them in. Give the turtles small crickets or earthworms rolled in calcium and vitamin supplement daily, using tweezers, to assure they receive extra needed vitamins. Feed the turtles three to eight pellets once or twice a day along with a dark lettuce or greens. Drop feed into the water and remove if uneaten after two hours. Supplement with other food items such as earth worms, feeder guppies or dried krill three times a week. Assure that the turtles have greens or live plants available always even if they don't eat them very often.

    • 5

      Check temperature of basking area and tank if the turtles will not feed. Assure that the basking area stays between 90 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit and the water temperature stays between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

    • 6

      Change the water in the turtle tank whenever it becomes dirty. Keeping the water clean assures the turtles will stay healthy. Skim the water regularly to remove floating debris and, add clean water to the mix.

    • 7

      Change the size of the aquarium as the turtles grow; they will need a lot of room; a 4-inch long slider would require a standard 75-gallon aquarium for a healthy environment.