My Red Eared Sliders from Myrtle Beach!!!!!

[feather leg farms]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FH9oAvzwX0

These are not mine!!!

I've had some turtles like this for about a year and they are still this size are they supposed to stay this size? How can i tell if their male or female?

 

[LV426]

Redears are hard to sex until they are 6-7 inches long.

Male red eared sliders have much longer claws on their front feet than females. As well, the tail of males is longer and thicker. The cloaca is located farther from the body in males, and males also may have a slightly concave (curved inward) plastron.

 

[muscovy94]

I think I heard somewhere that they only grow as big as their enviroment will let them. So if they are in a small enviroment they will stay small.

 

[ladycrotalus]

Quote:
Not true. Keeping them in something tiny will only cause stress and a shortened lifespan because they cannot thermo-regulate, plus the cage will get dirtier faster causing diseases.

If a turtle isn't growing, it is almost always a problem with the husbandry.

Turtles need: A basking light over top of a land area, a uvB bulb that is to be replaced every 6 months, otherwise the turtle cannot utilize calcium, thus getting soft shell and Metabolic Bone Disease and not growing, variety of foods, filtration, and regular water changes.

I hate it when they sell baby turtles at those tourist destinations. They give out wrong care info, guaranteeing the turtle lives a short horrible painful life.
http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/caresheet-red_ear_slider.htm

 

[lovesduckies]

i had some i rescued from china town in LA. i had them for a few years. they had a 60 gallon aquarium. they both passed unexpectedly. i was sad

there names were donatella and squirt. idk what happened. i cleaned the tank very often, they had a light, they had calcium dust, crickets, turtle pellets that my cat actually loved.

my poor babies.

 

[PineappleMama]

From Animal Planet.... http://animal.discovery.com/guides/reptiles/turtles/slider.html

Physical Characteristics

Size: Hatchlings are approximately 1 inch in diameter. The Red-eared Slider can grow up to 12 inches in length. In the United States, it is illegal for pet stores to sell a Red-eared Slider that has a carapace (shell) less than 4 inches in diameter. This is because of the risk of salmonellosis. Please review the article "Salmonellosis and Its Risk to Owners" for more information on reducing your risk of exposure to this disease.

Sexual differences: Red-eared Sliders kept as pets generally reach sexual maturity between 2-4 years of age. In the wild, females may not mature until 5-7 years of age. Females are generally larger than males, though males have longer tails and very long front claws. The cloacal opening on female Red-eared Sliders does not extend past the edge of the shell.


There's more before and after if any care to read... I KNEW I'd read somewhere about that 4" rule, but I thought it was all turtles, not just Red Ears... I'ma have to do more hunting... the feed store near us has a 10g tank with something near 30 baby YELLOW Ears in it...

Ahhh THERE IT IS... 21 CFR Ch. 1 (4-1-91 Edition) pages 550-552.
And I was right, it applies to ALL except sea turtles, they're special... no one connected with any business, breeder, shop, etc can sell any turtle whose carapace is less than 4"... doesn't apply to private parties though, only business dealings.

 

[VelvetDragon]

They're completely illegal in some states. Around here, released and escaped red sliders make a huge problem for endangered native turtles.

Each turtle needs 100 gallons apiece to thrive. Many keepers these days buy 125+ gallon Rubbermaid stock tanks for them -- cheap and roomy! You can often get them super cheap off Craigslist or pretty cheap at TSC and similar stores. Without the UVB (full spectrum lighting), a dry basking spot, and so on, they get metabolic bone disease, shell rot and other nasty problems. Some "full spectrum" lights are not adequate for turtles and torts. They also live a very long time -- if properly taken care of. The adults also need a diverse diet with some plant matter and veggies in it. A lot of people think they are strict carnivores, but they are omnivorous.

And yes, keeping them in too small an environment will stunt their growth to a deadly degree. Their organs will get malformed and they'll be poisoned by their own waste output (turtles are SO messy). No animal grows to the size of its environment -- not without serious health consequences and a shortened lifespan.

 

[lovesduckies]

Quote:
whoa whoa whoa.... WAIT soooo.. you can have a sea turtle as a pet!?

 

[feather leg farms]

Thanks for all your help but these are some my grandpaw bought me when i went with them to the beach for a week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ladycrotalus]

Quote:
What does your setup consist of?