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Housing

Don’t buy a small tank. They will grow. A reasonable size will be fine. Put plants in it, they love to stay in the plants. That’s what my turtles do.

Basking Area

You should have a basking area in the tank. You can put a log, stone, etc in. It doesn’t have to be a huge one. A reasonable size will be fine.

Lighting

60W	Heating Lamp	UVB Light

You should have a heating lamp on the basking area. It should be warm when you touch it. They should also have a UVB lamp. It should be on for 10-12 hours a day. It will help in making vitamin D3 for turtles. Without it, the shell of the turtle will go soft. The rays can’t come through the glass, so don’t worry about having skin cancer. I was also worried about skin cancer before I realize that it can pass through the glass.

Temperature

It will be good if the temperature is around 24°C or 25°C. Put a thermometer in it for monitoring the temperature. 

Water

Keep the water clean. They drink water while they are swimming. It will be good if you are able to change the water frequently; best if you are able to change once a week. It should be filtered. Make sure it is free of chlorine. I put drinking water. The deepness of the water will be the height of the turtle.

Feeding

Young red-ear sliders must have food at least 2 times daily. Drop foods in the water. Feed at least 5-7 pellets every time. However, as they get older, the amount of food they eat will be less. You can get a variety of turtle foods at an aquatic store.