rescued red eared slider

[snakelover111]

i got a redearedslider from my freind and it was dehydrated and wasnt eating.they were feeding it lettuce.i didnt think they ate lettuce so i threw 4 crickets in the cage and he ate'em. but i still need the basic care of these little guys.like: how long is their life span? what is their main diet? should their water be a special temp??? i just need to know the basic care. thx

[KrokadilyanGuy3]

Great job. One of my favorite species..
Anywho, With proper care, a captive life-span of over twenty years is quite possible and is often achieved by many knowledgeable keepers. I remember hearing about a 60 yr+ individual not to long ago so, just keep that in mind. RES generally grow to 5-7" for males and up to 10-11" for females.
Generally, alot of keepers keep the water at around 76 or hotter water temp. which isn't really that bad but it promotes fast defication and a faster growth. Something where neither is generally wanted. For my captive animals I keep the water at around 70-73% to keep slow and basic growth. (Considering wild animals get a varied water depthand a temperature change of the water as they go further or deeper away from shore, which waters can get to 65ish degrees. A factor that slows the growth.)
It's said a pr. can live nicely in a 75-100 gallon tank but It just looks and seems to cramp. So for size follow that line and remember the bigger, the better for the active turtle. If it's a baby (3 and under) then a 10g. is perfect and makes the small guy seem more secure. As for basking I like to use a 90ish hot spot which also, warms the 'bank' water so he can thermoregulate in his water as well as on land, and a cool part of 80 on land. Around those basics should have you covered, RES are very hardy turtles and hard to kill unless you completly or rarely contribute to the animal. A diet should consist of everything and maybe the sink. Hatchlings and juvies are highly carnivorous and fish, sparingly, varied and try to use non carp family fish; Crickets, grasshoppers, worms, and so forth and so on. Adults are high on the herpivorous side so a 60-40 or 70-30 Vegi-meat diet might be in order. Use greens you'd feed any herbivorous animal, plus algea and water lettuce are a favored it seems. You can also use Pellets to feed but only as a filler, I dont buy it being as healthy as they make it to be. But thats just me. I'm assuming this isn't your first animal so use vits and calcium as needed. The varied diet helps balance out the nutrients and all, as with the UVation. Um, Tap water is ok assuming you arent using live aquatic life. Also, having some chlorine helps keep the water clean and keeping the animal uninfected. But not a good thing is you are keeping live aquatics.. I think this answers you questions and hoped it help.
Xain

[snakelover111]

thx