Yellow-bellied Slider
The FDA prohibits the sale of turtles that are smaller than four inches long. This is to prevent young children from putting them into their mouths and exposing themselves to the Salmonella bacteria that many reptiles carry.
Yellow-bellied Slider
Adult shell length:
5-13 inches,
Enclosure temperature range:
72-90 F (cool side-warm side), water temperature 72-80 F, 90-95 F basking spot
Humidity:
70%
Activity:
Diurnal, Semi-aquatic, pet indoor turtles should not brumate(a not-quite hibernation) over winter. Males are considered adult when their shells are 4 inches inches long, females are considered adult when their shells are 6 inches long. This happens at 5-6 years old in the wild, but may occur sooner when kept as pets. Adult females are usually larger than the males. Males have longer claws in the front feet than females. The male’s plastron is curved for breeding and the female’s is flat. The male’s tail is usually longer and thicker than the female’s and the male’s cloaca is beyond the end of the carapace, while the female’s is usually at the end of the carapace or under.
Lifespan:
20-30 years
Aquarium size:
75 gallon tank or larger, water 16-18 inches deep
Equipment needed:
Submersible water heater, aquarium water filter, water testing kit, UVB light source, two above water thermometers, humidity gauge, gravel, unchlorinated water, rocks for dry basking spot
Yellow-bellied sliders are omnivorous, aquatic turtles.