My basic info
Here's what the humans have to say about me:
Please read the description completely before requesting an application.
Most of your questions will be answered in the description.
I'm a juvenile aquatic red-eared slider turtle for adoption in the Baltimore area. For right now I'd be happy with a 20 gallon aquarium, although eventually I'll need at least a 55 gallon aquarium. My foster mom is pretty sure that I'm a boy based on my tail shape. Once I reach about 4" in shell length, you should be able to tell for certain. Male sliders stay smaller than females. I've been living with a cohort (another slider the same size as me). I can be adopted by myself or with my friend, but keep in mind that adult sliders don't always get along, so we might not be able to be kept together as adults, and sliders don't HAVE to have a friend to be be happy. I eat commercial pellets such as Mazuri, Reptomin, or Omega One, green leafy vegetables, and pieces of sweet potato and squash. I like treats of plain boiled chicken and blueberries, too.
How did I end up in rescue? I was part of a group of baby turtles being sold illegally a by a street vendor in DC, and animal control asked MATTS to foster the turtles.
Sliders grow to be 6-12" long, and can live 20-50 years. Males stay smaller than females. They can live indoors in large aquariums (at least 55 gallons for a single adult male slider) or, if outside, in FENCED-IN backyard ponds of at least 300 gallons (to allow for hibernation). They eat commercial turtle or koi pellets, and also like aquatic plants, so a slider is not for you if you want to keep expensive water lilies. Some people build underwater plant corrals to protect their lilies while still having aquatic turtles. A slider might take a fish or two, but usually sliders and fish learn to co-exist, especially if you have underwater hiding areas for the fish and/or turtles. Please review our adoption requirements for aquatic turtles at http://www.matts.petfinder.com if interested in adopting a slider. Request an adoption application from matts_adoptions@hotmail.com
There is NO ADOPTION FEE for sliders, but adopters must explain how they will house and care for the turtle(s). Please include your CITY and STATE when contacting MATTS. Maryland residents require a DNR permit to have a turtle under 4" in shell length. The permit is $25 annually, and has to be renewed every December until the turtle is 4". I should be four inches in the next year or so.
If you are considering an aquatic turtle, you might consider getting the book, Red-Eared Sliders (Animal Planet Pet Care Library) from TFH Publications, Inc., Neptune City, NJ (2011), available in Petco stores or from http://www.amazon.com
Visit www.matts-turtles.org to learn more, or www.turtleforum.com to chat with other keepers.
PLEASE HELP OTHER TURTLES by spreading the word - baby turtles grow into big turtles! They do not stay small - they do not grow to the size of their enclosure! Please don't buy hatchling turtles at vacation tourist spots.
Like turtles but can't have one? Want to help? MATTS helps 100 unwanted or displaced pet turtles, tortoises, and the occasional frog or lizard every year. MATTS accepts tax-deductible donations at MATTS, P.O. Box 22321, Baltimore, MD 21203, or through PayPal at http://www.matts-turtles.org/support.html You can also join MATTS at www.matts-turtles.org or visit us on Facebook.
