How long do Red-eared Sliders live?
Red-eared sliders live 20-40 years (some to 50) and reach 8-12 inches (20-30 cm) shell length, with females larger; they weigh 1-3 kg as adults.
What do Red-eared Sliders eat?
They are omnivores whose diet shifts from mostly animal as juveniles to mostly plant as adults. Feed aquatic turtle pellets, leafy greens (collard, dandelion), and occasional insects, fish, or shrimp. Offer food 4-5 times weekly for juveniles, every other day for adults; dust with calcium. Avoid all-meat diets and fatty proteins (kidney disease) and never feed only iceberg lettuce.
Red-eared Slider enclosure setup
Adults need a 75-gallon-plus aquarium (roughly 10 gallons per inch of shell) with a powerful canister filter, a dry basking platform, and a heat lamp reaching 85-90°F (29-32°C) over the dock. Water temperature 75-80°F (24-27°C) via aquarium heater; ambient air 80°F (27°C). Strong UVB (10-12% T5 or mercury vapor) over the basking area is mandatory for shell and bone health. Hatchlings need shallower water.
Common mistakes with Red-eared Sliders
Deadliest errors: a tiny bowl (stunted growth, filth, early death), all-meat/no-plant diet (shell deformities and kidney failure), no UVB or basking (metabolic bone disease, soft shell), and weak filtration (shell rot and septic water).
Beginner mistakes to avoid
- Tiny turtle bowl — they need a 75+ gallon filtered tank as adults.
- All-meat diet — shell deformities and kidney failure.
- No UVB/basking — metabolic bone disease and soft shell.
- Weak filtration — shell rot and filthy, disease-prone water.