Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok first i'd like to say i have done lots of research on turtle owning. I own a pacman frog some leopard geckos tarantulas snakes things of that sort. I've never owned turtles before. I have narrowed my search down to red eared slider. Is it ok to have just one turtle or should i get two? I have decided a small turtle would be best and i realize you can't purchase one under 4" but you can however adopt small ones. Are small ones like 1.5" hard to keep alive? Where are some goods sites to find small res for sale? I've found a few sites with small ones for adoption but i dont know about them because they sell them in starter kits of plastic bowls basically which dont sound real promising. Also is it possible to buy small albino ones? Are these less hardy? More expensive? Basically i am looking for sites that have small res for adoption as long as lil ones are hardy and not terribly hard to keep. thanks for your time and replies i hope to add some new lil friends to my collection soon

The small ones don't stay small, in a few years you will have a 12 inch turtle if you do everything right. Sliders aren't something you want to own if you are not willing to build a outdoor pond or invest in a serious 100 gallon tank. I started with a pair of 1 inch babies, and they are about 5 inches now I think I've had them 3-4 years (I know, I should remember these things). Mine are both males so they won't get too huge, maybe 9 inches or so. Females get larger than males. Just some things to think about.
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If you're sure you're ready to handle a slider for the rest of it's life, then see if there's a rescue in your area. Try www.anapsid.org to look for a rescue. DO NOT TRUST a website that "adopts" out only babies! Most legitimate rescues have adoption applications and might do vet checks or at least ask for your level of knowledge on caring for a turtle. Each rescue is different, so look around and see what is available. Also check with www.petfinder.com.

Any hatchling is a chance. Usually when they come from a rescue they are a few months old at least, and have a better chance at survival at that age. Sometimes rescues get them in all sizes. Why do you want only a hatchling? I once took in a very old (judging by the color/shape of the shell) male slider that was no more than 4". His shell looked as if he's been a wild turtle, or at least kept in wild conditions, but he was full grown and not likely to get any larger. Most males top out around 6" (although some do get larger), so even adopting a 4" male might be better for you than taking a chance with an unsexed hatchling and ending up with a 10-12" female.

Katrina