Frequently Asked Questions about Turtles
Q: My turtle is bleeding/not eating/has puffy eyes/sings Sinatra/etc. Is this normal?
A: No. Turtles are pretty consistent little creatures. Your turtle should eat, should have a hard shell, and shouldn’t dance the samba. If anything happens that seems unusual, it probably is. To get the best help quickly, instead of emailing me, click on the Turtle Links of my page and post your question on one of the turtle forums. Include your turtle’s age, his size (the number of inches or centimeters across), information about his diet, and information about his habitat. There are a lot of people in these forums that have far more turtle knowledge than the humble author, and this information will help them pinpoint the problems with your little fella.
Q: I’m a teacher. Should I buy a red-eared slider turtle for my classroom?
A: Probably not. The general consensus among the turtlers I’ve talked with is to get a mammal for the classroom, but if you want a turtle, get a box turtle. They’re the easiest to take care of.
Q: My turtle only eats pellets. How do I get him to eat vegetables?
A: Well, I dunno how to break this to you, but I’m not too fond of veggies either. There are only a few I like eating, and my mom kept trying different ones until I latched on to a few. Much like Mom, the best thing you can do for your turtle is to try different foods - perhaps one different veggie a day as a side order with his regular meal. This kind of experimentation taught me that my turtles would eat bits lettuce every now and then, but not with every meal: they just liked variety. Make sure he gets vitamins, light, and a variety of food, and it doesn’t really matter if they like a specific veggie.
Q: What size aquarium do I need? My turtle is only a couple of inches across.
A: You can get by with a 10 gallon at first, but it’s only going to last a few months. I’d highly recommend you don’t bother with anything smaller than a 20 gallon long. The “long” part is important because turtles that size don’t need a “tall” aquarium - they need more room to run side to side, less room to run up and down. If you’re truly serious about keeping the turtle more than a year, go straight to a 55 gallon tank, because he’ll grow out of the 20 gallon tank in less than a year anyway.
Q: My turtle seems sick. What should I do?
A: The same thing you would do if your child got sick: take him to a doctor. Call the vets in your area and ask if there’s one in town that specializes in herps. That’s not “herpes”, that’s “herps”, as in turtles. (If your herp has herpes, then you REALLY need a doctor.) You wouldn’t believe the number of emails I get from people whose turtles sound like they’re on their last legs, and they’re asking a stranger on the internet for help. Would you do that to your kid? Of course not. Get to a doctor.
Please, please, please, whatever you do, don’t email me asking for a medical diagnosis. I’m not a turtle doctor. I’m a database administrator. If you don’t have the spare money to take your turtle to a doctor, at least visit the forums in my turtle links and post a message there. More qualified turtle experts can answer questions on those forums.
Q: I hear the turtles have salmonella. Can they get treated for it?
They just carry salmonella - it doesn’t hurt them at all and doesn’t make them sick. It can make people very sick, though, so make sure to wash your hands thoroughly after touching your turtles. Don’t put your fingers in your mouth while you’re playing with the turtles. Don’t put your turtles in your mouth, either, no matter how good you think they’re going to taste.
Q: Is my turtle a boy or a girl?
A: If your turtle is less than 4″ across, it’s pretty much impossible to tell. As they grow larger, you can tell by the length of their nails. Nails longer than 1/2″ or so indicate that it’s probably a boy. A vet can tell you for sure. I know, it’s strange! Hard to name a pet without knowing the gender.
Q: Can I add a second turtle to my tank?
A: I don’t recommend it. If you get two right from the start and they already know each other, like you get them from the same tank, then your odds are great that they’ll get along fine. But if you start with one, and he gets comfy with his environment, he probably won’t react well to new company. If the two turtles are different sizes, then you can really start fights. I tried putting Mini in with Frank & Fred several times, and things would seem okay at first, but within an hour the big guys were taking nips at Mini.
Q: How do I get my turtles to mate or hibernate?
A: It’s pretty complicated, but here’s a good overview of breeding red eared slider turtles. It involves hibernation, and you have to kinda trick your turtles into hibernating by using different “day lengths” of time, meaning different times during the day when the heat lamp is on. Whoa, Nellie, too complicated for me. I’ll stick with bachelor turtles.
Q: Where can I buy baby turtles?
A: The best place to pick up baby turtles is from a rescue agency like The Turtle Ranch in Houston. Tom and Judy will be more than happy to help you get set up with your very own turtle as well as make sure you’re well-equipped for the ownership adventure. Odds are there’s a similar organization in your state or town that takes turtles that are no longer wanted (usually because somebody got in over their head) and pairs them up with new owners. They have babies as well as full-grown tortoises.
Q: No, I mean, where can I buy baby red eared slider turtles in a store?
A: You can’t because it’s illegal to sell sliders that are less than 4″ across. Federal law. I think it’s a great idea because they look so adorable in the store, and people don’t understand how big they grow and how quickly.
Q: I bought my small turtle in a store. Should I turn the store in for breaking the law?
A: Before you call 911, talk to the store owner. They may have no idea it’s against the law. Start by asking them whether it’s legal to sell these turtles, because you read on the internet that there’s a federal law against selling baby red-eared sliders. They may say it’s legal - in that case, ask them that if you found out it was really illegal, would they be willing to stop? Then pull out your documentation.
Q: Can my red eared slider turtle live in a shoe box?
Yes, in the same way that a human could live in a swimming pool. We could do it, but we would be miserable. Can you imagine trying to poop in a swimming pool? No? Well, sliders don’t poop on dry land either. What about sleeping - could you sleep in a pool? No, of course not - and sliders don’t want to sleep on dry land either.
Q: I can’t afford an aquarium or a heat lamp. Can you send me a spare one?
No, because aquariums and heat lamps are pretty tough to ship. They’re basically big glass boxes that don’t fold down smaller. They can easily break during shipping, and they cost a lot to ship because of their size. Your best bet is to visit garage sales.
I get this question a lot, and I hate giving this answer, but here’s the bottom line: if you’re unable to afford the full aquarium setup for a turtle, complete with a heat lamp, UV lamp, and a filter, then please give the turtle back to the vendor or put him back where you found him. You’re not doing him a favor - he’s shivering cold in the water, it smells bad, and he’s in a confined space. He’s miserable. The least you can do is put him back.
Q: I don’t want my turtle anymore. How can I get rid of him?
A: I hate getting this question because there’s no good answers. Call your local vet and see if there’s a nearby turtle rescue organization. Lucky folks in big cities might have a shot, but people in small towns seem to end up dumping their turtles in streams and ponds where they’ve got tough odds for survival.
Q: You didn’t answer my question! I have another one.
A: Then contact me, or check out the links in my turtle links. There’s a lot of great forums with in-depth turtle info.
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