Red ear slider enclosure check list

Red ear sliders are cold blooded reptiles they are not able to maintain or regulate  their own temperature.

They need an external source for regulation of body temperature like water, sunlight or shadow regions. So they can hide, bask and hide in their enclosure.

We will discuss three factors

1 Sunlight / Basking

2 Water

3 Temperature / Heater

1 Sunlight

Sunlight given to turtles should be early morning from 7 am to 9 am, most places in India after 9 am we see harsh penetration of sunlight we can observe which can lead to dehydration and heat stroke in turtles.

Evening 4 pm sunlight is good. Sunlight provides Vitamin A to turtles which are natural sources. Artificial source of sunlight we can use uvb light. Various products of uvb light, holder and regulator are available in pet stores and online market places.

Uvb light connection should be used precautional will lead to the fuse of the bulb or holder. Lamp should be placed above 18 to 24 inches above the basking area.

Image you can see above has a basking area and a UVB light placed above .

Basking area is a must in the enclosure. Basking area is defined as a place or region in an enclosure where a reptile can come up in a dry region and take light from a natural or artificial source. The basking area keeps the turtle out of stress. Basking can be made by various ways from the cheap to expensive. The cheapest way is by keeping a rock or pebble of flat shape. There are various movable basking platforms available in marketplaces which can be attached to enclosures by suctions or hanging threads. Best way to have a basking is have a glass sticked parallel on corner and attach a ladder glass cover it with a green mat. This will help them to climb on it. Basking region should be of rough surface. Which helps to climb on it properly.

2 Water

The water area helps in Colling  place and regions to feed. Turtles usually feed in the water area. Turtles stay hydrated in water. love to swim. Water needs to be cleaned and maintained properly. If unclear and dirty water is there they may suffer with various infections. To give clean water it's important to have a proper filter in the aquarium or turtle tank. People usually buy power filters which can hamper growth of turtles this filter should be avoided. Low stream or low power filter should be used.

Filters like hang on back corners are ideal for turtles if possible use proper glass cover or plastic covers on filters so turtles cannot damage the filter body and wiring. Avoiding cover may lead to damage in the filter and electric shock in the enclosure which may cause a threat to the turtle as well as hobbyists.

Filters should have good sponge and need to be cleaned from time to time. Clean water will give a healthy lifestyle to turtles.