Red Ear Slidder Turtle

Question
How do I prevent the odor my red ear slidder gives off?

Answer
Red-ear sliders (RES) are messy pets, and it takes a little thought to deal with this and other care issues.

First of all, please understand that turtles are often sold as easy care pets when they are not. That basic misunderstanding creates a lot of the problems.

As for odors:

1. Cage size. Too small of a cage concentrates the wastes and odors. Turtles should have at least 10 gallons of swimming room per inch of shell length. This larger volume of water allows exercise, less stress for the turtle, more natural behaviors, and so forth. You should also plan ahead. RES often hit 6-10 inches in the first few years.

(FYI, the tank does not have to be a relatively expensive aquarium. Plastic tubs, kiddie pools, etc. work nicely for the bigger sizes.)

2. Strong filtration. Use one big powerful filter, or several smaller filters. Use about 1.5 to 2 times more filtration than the filter packages say (ie- if you have a 30 gallon turtle pond, use filtration rated for 45 to 60 gallons.)

3. Frequent water changes. Change enough water every day or week that you will change the entire tank in a couple of months or so. It is best if you can do it while you vac the bottom of the tank.

4. Use a seperate feeder tank. Place the turtle in a smaller, easy to clean tub or tank to feed it and let it defecate in there.

5. Use live plants, catfish, scavengers, and snails to help keep the mess down- knowing that there is a good chance the turtle will eat or harass them.

For more info, try sites like http://www.redearslider.com