How many pellets daily for a red-eared slider that seems hungry?

Hello, It is impossible to assign a perfect numerical value to both weights and diets, as every animal, just like humans, will be different. We use a system called body condition scoring in veterinary medicine, which involves palpating the skeletal muscles and fat deposits to determine if the animal is an appropriate weight for their size. This would be impossible to do without a physical exam. I think you may find this care sheet helpful. It is good to feed a portion of pellets, but their diet should primarily be fresh produce. Lafeber is a wonderful resource for exotic pets. https://lafeber.com/vet/basic-information-red-eared-slider/ Cheers! I hope this is helpful.

She should have an amount of pellets that would fit in her head if it was empty. that is the general guideline. She should also be eating protein (feeder fish, night crawlers, etc.) as swell as dark, leafy greens and chopped vegetables. A fully mature slider can weigh about 6.5 lbs (3kgs). It can take anywhere from 5-8 years for them to reach this size. The female of the species is larger than the male. Average length between 1 and 2 years is probably 4-5 inches. Weight will vary greatly based on genetics, diet and environmental parameters so it is difficult to give one number with any certainty. You can review slider care at the links below. http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Red-Eared-Slider-Care-Sheet/ http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html

Hi. I'm glad you checked. Red rated sliders can be fun pets but they also require specialized environment and care. She should eat some live feeder fish, some plant matter and only about 25% of her diet should be commercial pellets. Be sure she has an area to get out of the water in her tank, she needs a basking light for warmth and full spectrum UV lighting. Housing is the number one reason that sliders get sick or die in captivity so please take the time to get her set up correctly. Here is a great beginner article for RES care. http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html

Thanks for reaching out about Ruby. Meat such as chicken, is a poor food since it is low in calcium and high in phosphorus. My usually recommendation is 1/3-1/3-1/3, meaning parts vegetables (green, red, yellow, orange), pellets and live fish (goldfish, tetras). The benefit of whole live fish is environmental enrichment (hunting, foraging) and has a skeleton with calcium, muscle and organs rich in other nutrients. Vegetables provide a wide variety of vegetables and the pellets a fairly balanced diet. Water temperature, a basking site with UVB and heat and water quality are also important. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Buddy. The only answer is to offer less or no treats. Check and correct husbandry parameters such as water and basking temperatures, UVB exposure and diet. Whole live fish are nutritious and provide some foraging behavior. Good luck.

Fluker's or Maxuri pellets/sticks are quality diets. The diet should be varied to maximize nutrition. Offer leafy greens, crickets, small feeder fish, krill/shrimp (either can be freeze dried) or superworms in addition to a commercial pelleted diet.

A proper diet for red-eared sliders includes a complete pellet, such as those made by ReptoMin, and dark leafy green vegetables. This can be fed once per day, and the amount should be based on how many pellets Cooper can eat in 5-7 minutes. This is just a guideline, and your veterinarian can help you to determine if this is appropriate based on Cooper's body condition score (i.e. whether she is overweight or not). For a heat lamp - photo 1 just looks like the dome, and there doesn't appear to be a bulb in it. The second lamp looks like it is a daytime only heat lamp - it is often beneficial to have a heat source that can be used during the day or at night, and if that is what you are looking for, I would recommend a ceramic heat bulb. If you are looking for only a daytime basking bulb, there are many brands that would be appropriate. The key words that you should look for are "daytime basking bulb." For watts - it depends on how far the bulb is away from your turtle - there are some brands that have a chart on the side of the box that will give you distances and temperatures that correlate with the distance. This information, combined with your desired temperature for the basking area will help you to decide on what wattage to get. I hope that gives you more information!