The yellow-bellied slider, which reaches a shell length of 8 to 10 inches, can be housed indoors. For hatchlings, use an aquarium that can hold 15 gallons of water. On the other hand, an adult yellow belly must be enclosed in a 60-gallon (or larger) aquarium. Add 20 gallons for each additional turtle in the same tank.

The turtles belonging to this family are not picky in their diet. They are omnivorous; although the mature female of this breed is mostly herbivorous, and the male, whether mature or quite young, is mostly carnivorous. They follow an aquatic plant and live prey diet, eating water lilies, small feeder fish, worms, insects, (such as crickets), and carrion. To complete their diet, provide them with commercial turtle food and chopped vegetables.

Hatchlings of this particular turtle species start out brightly colored, but this soon fades, transforming into duller hues. The upper shell is green. The plastron is colored yellow, with a small, irregular, greenish spot on each front scale. Generally, the head, tail, and limbs are green. Viewed from above they appear almost round.

Native to the southeastern United States, yellow bellied sliders have a life span of 40 years or more. Generally, they are hardy creatures. Nevertheless, any turtle can get illnesses if their owners do not provide them with proper and knowledgeable care. Remember, a pet turtle requires a balanced diet to avoid nutritionally-based illnesses. Calcium is important for the yellow belly, especially the baby turtles and ovulating females.

When handling yellow bellied turtles, always remember that their shells are a part of their skin, so be gentle! If you hurt them, they will nip or bite hard. For this reason, proper handling is essential! Let them feel secure by holding small turtles with your fingers, or a hand on each side of the shell if the turtle is large. Focus is a necessity when holding it. Make sure your fingers are away from its mouth! Although they can be safely handled, it is best, whenever possible, to leave them by themselves.

Turtle ownership should be a happy experience for novice turtle keepers. It should not provide the owners with too much hardship. The key, therefore, is to make informed decisions. If you are looking to buy your first turtle, take the time to do the research, so that you will enjoy your new pet for years to come.

Red Eared Slider Turtle

Aside from its fast swimming capacity, this turtle is known to be rather tame. However, you should still be very careful when approaching or handling this turtle, as it may bite!

Red eared sliders are quite easily identifiable because of their distinct green skin and brightly yellow stripes. The red coloration found behind each of its eyes on the sides of its head is the reason why this species got its name “red-eared.” The hatchlings are easily spotted, as they have the same colors as the adults-dark green shells with various hues of yellow and lighter greens. Their breeding period is from March to June, and unlike other species which are close to extinction, the red ear slider population is growing.

This turtle prefers a habitat with quiet, muddy water with lots of surrounding vegetation. You will hardly ever see these turtles in moving bodies of water. They also spend a lot of time basking in the sun. Keep this in mind when placing logs or other similar material in your indoor turtle tank. It is best to have a large turtle tank, or even an outdoor pond if possible for their housing, since their shells can grow up to 12 inches in length. A good formula to keep in mind to assure the correct amount of space for your turtle is: 1 inch in the length of your pet red ear slider = 10 gallons in your tank’s size. So, for example, a 4” turtle requires at least a 40 gallon tank. This type of turtle is considered a messy eater, therefore you must see to it that you have regular and proper filtration done to clean and maintain the water quality of their tanks. Good water quality is necessary, essential to ensuring the health of your red ear slider turtle, and all other species of turtles as well.

Another essential requirement for all turtles is proper feeding. For your red eared sliders, ensure that you give them the proper kinds of food in the right amounts. The young turtles must be fed daily, while the grownups are fed once every two or three days. This feeding schedule should be strictly followed. This species is known as omnivorous, which means that  they eat both vegetables and plants, as well as animal protein. Commercial foods such as pellets, trout chow, and sticks must be provided, and should not exceed 25% of its total diet. Not more than 25% of the turtle’s diet should be in the form of animal protein, such as earthworms, live feeder fish, chopped chicken and raw, lean beef. The remaining 50% must be composed of nutritious plants and vegetables.

Although you can purchase a red ear slider in a pet store, it is recommended that you adopt your pet turtle from agencies such as animal rescue centers. This is to ensure the health and safety of your pet. In pet stores, most turtles are housed in one overcrowded tank, which allows for rapid transmission of diseases that may not be easily noticed prior to purchase. Bear in mind that any types of turtles are potential carriers of salmonella. Hence, wash your hands before and immediately after touching your pet. Keep the turtles away from young children. Red eared sliders have a lifespan similar to that of the desert tortoise, ranging from 50 to 70 years.

How to Hold a Turtle

It is best to note that you should stay focused when attempting to hold a turtle. Turning a turtle over should not be done quickly, as this  could cause pain to the turtle.   Allow at least two seconds to turn the turtle over.    Make sure that no extra movements are made, as they may cause stress to the turtle.   Never place your fingers between the turtle’s top and bottom shells, as the turtle may try to nip or bite them.

After holding the turtle, put it back to where it was slowly, but steadily.   If you are curious about how its bottom shell ( plastron)  looks  like, or if  you are checking the turtle  for an injury, rotate the turtle head over tail or tail over head—not side to side—to avoid coiling  its intestine.   More importantly, never turn the turtle 360-degrees — only a 180-degree rotation  is safe.   In addition, do not keep the turtle on its back.   This position may stress the turtle because it makes it feel extremely uncomfortable, out of control, and unsafe from its predators.    As a reminder as well, the shell of a turtle is a living tissue; thus it is  very sensitive.   Do not strike or scratch the shell against any surface to avoid injuring  the turtle.

If holding a soft-shelled turtle, try to avoid the back edge of the shell because it may result in permanent damage.    Moreover, apply the least amount of pressure  possible.   

How to Transport a Turtle

When transporting your turtle, prepare a plastic container that is neither too large nor too shallow when covered.   This will prevent  the turtle from moving around  in the container and possibly hurting itself.   If you have more than one turtle, prepare one container for each turtle. In this way, you will prevent your turtles from biting and clawing each other.   Also, create holes in the upper sides and lids  of each container to ensure enough ventilation for the turtle.  Make sure, though, that the holes you created are smooth. To serve as bedding,  place moist paper toweling or shredded newspaper inside the container.  Tie or tape the container lid shut, but avoid covering the ventilation holes.   More importantly, you have to make certain that turtles are kept at the right temperature. 

How to Pick Up a Turtle

There are only a few tips on the proper way to pick up the turtle.   First, use  both hands. Do not try to pick up the turtle with only one hand because it may bite, wiggle, kick, and/or  claw.  Second, place your hands on each side of the shell.   Third, and this is the most important, do not pick the turtle up by its tail because it may cause the animal severe pain.

Turtle mating occurs in early to late spring, as well as, late summer to early autumn. More often, though, turtle mating comes after the hibernation. In fact, this is the first thing that comes to their minds once they are out of hibernation. If you have more than one turtle in the same enclosure, make sure you separate them as they become aggressive when natural turtle mating instincts are taking place.

Turtles begin their turtles mating ritual with the male starting to approach the female, sniffing closely around the cloacal region ( the common cavity into which the intestinal, genital, and urinary tracts open). The male turtle sometimes displays aggressive behavior, with frequent biting on the limbs and on the back of the neck of the prospective mate. Typically, the male will hurry over to a female and mount her. When established in mating position, the male uses its claws to hold the female around the edges of the carapace (shell). The female turtle, on the other hand, will continue with whatever she is doing. You will notice that she will not have any response. She looks just like a turtle basking or resting. Among tortoises and large turtles, the male will often moan or make other noises throughout the turtle mating process.

The eastern snake-necked turtle has been known to insert his hind feet into the opening between the carapace and plastron, on either side of the female’s tail. The feet are then locked into the position by making a twist vertically. The male turtle then proceeds to gently cuddle the female’s carapace with his front limbs. After acceptance he tends to free his front legs and float vertically while still assuming the mating position. One explanation behind this behavior is that the male eastern snake-necked turtle’s tail is somewhat small and this position may be essential for successful turtle mating.

Because turtles mating takes some time, it is likely the female will become impatient. She will move from one place to another, doing her own thing, while overthrowing the poor male turtle, or even dragging him around with her. The male turtle will not mind. As long as he can, he will try to continue and finish the mating process.

As the turtle keeper, it is your own responsibility to make sure that you have provided a nest where the female turtle can bury her eggs. Be vigilant. Once the eggs are out, make sure you have a screen or some type of protective covering available so that the eggs will not be damaged or attacked by predators. The key here is to provide a nesting area, which is either a box or a hole, 12 to 16 inches deep, filled with moist soil and sand.

Even in the absence of a male turtle, a female turtle can establish populations in new locations because she has the capacity to store sperm inside her body over winter or even longer.

Once hatchlings have finally emerged out of their eggshells, you can place them in a shallow glass aquarium or plastic container.   Make sure it is filled with approximately two inches of  treated, aged, or filtered water.   However, a hatchling turtle can only be moved to larger quarters after it is four to six months of age.As a responsible turtle keeper, you must change the water daily to ensure the health of the hatchlings.    Also, increase the water level as the turtles grow; however, make sure that it is not too deep, to prevent the juveniles from drowning.    A  land area is also needed should they wish to leave the water and bask.    Remember, turtles, even hatchlings, need to warm themselves.

Do not forget to put a reptile fluorescent light tube either in the container or in the shallow glass aquarium.   Keep it on for 6 to 10 hours a day. Providing it is not too hot, ’sun’ the turtles for 10 to 20 minutes, two to three times a week.   Monitor them regularly.

Concerning the feeding of a hatchling turtle, the remnants of the yolk sac will continue to provide it with nourishment for the next few days, or  up to one week.   You will notice, though, that the hatchlings will start to show some interest in solid food from their third to fifth day.  Provide them with live food, such as bloodworms, daphnia (water fleas),  or mosquito wrigglers,  until the time they become familiar with feeding.   They should be given a variety of food every day for their first year.  Nutrafin® Tropical Fish Flakes recommended because they contain vitamin D3 and other important vitamins and minerals.

It is illegal to buy or sell turtles less than four inches unless they will be used for educational purposes.   Turtles can cause disease, especially to children and people who have weak immune systems.  Children also have the tendency to put things in their mouths, touch things and then  put their unwashed hands in their mouths.   Both pose a great risk because turtles can be the source of salmonella poisoning.  Salmonella is bacteria not seen by the naked eye.   It can cause human disease called salmonellosis, a serious infection of the gastrointestinal tract.  Many people  think that salmonellosis is  solely a food-borne disease;  but the truth is that salmonella aslo occurs naturally in reptiles, such as turtles.  Therefore, turtle owners should exercise extra caution when keeping and handling their turtle pets.

One of the most popular turtles that people choose for pets, the red eared slider,  can live for 50 to 70 years.  On the other hand, the average turtle life span of box turtles is 40 years.  But, believe it or not, they can live for over 100 years!   On the other hand, the African spurred tortoise, the largest tortoise in the African mainland and the third-largest on the planet, can live 80 to 100 years!  The slow-moving Galapagos tortoise can reach an age of 150 years or more.  But a male  Aldabra Giant Tortoise might be the oldest creature ever recorded at 250 years old!   But, these life spans are shortened whenever these turtles receive poor husbandry. Proper care plays a critical role in helping your pet reach its  maximum turtle age.    But how do we determine turtle age when  a turtle can live longer than its owner?

Counting or determining turtle age has always been a question. Why? If the turtle came from the wild before it was bought and raised in captivity, who can tell the real age? If it was bought a few years after it was hatched, who can tell? Adult turtles look almost the same. Unlike humans, it is not easy to make a calculation of a turtle’s age.

It is almost impossible to tell the exact age of a turtle. Its age cannot be determined by the lines on its shell. Nevertheless, these lines can help in the estimation of turtle age. This is why people follow this method. However, this process of counting lines on  turtle’s shell can prove  inaccurate,  because the layers of carapace fall off through time.

On the other hand, turtle age can be determined in younger turtles through counting the growth rings on the upper shell.  However, this approach of turtle age determination is only precise until about 15 to 20 years of age.   As turtles mature, growth rings deteriorate and become difficult to distinguish.

For turtles, determination of their age is not necessary.  They do not mind if they are young, adult, or old.   For them, it is much better if, instead, they are allowed to reach and enjoy the maximum of their natural life.   They deserve their very long turtle life span. They have the right to exist on earth. People must value how they should be taken care of more than how their age should be counted.    Therefore, prospective turtle owners must first make informed decisions before buying their pets, while beginning turtle keepers must make an extra effort to learn how to provide their turtles  the ultimate in care.  Turtles  are not easy to care for.    They require proper housing, lighting, temperature, and cleaning among other things.