My red-eared slider doing ok?

[nathan]

Hey, I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice on my 7 year old red eared slider.

I keep him in water usually, with a place to climb onto out of the water. I let him out to exercise in our sun room frequently and let him outside in our garden when the weather permits. I usually feed him a mixture of different pellets, those small shrimps and some greens, but not regularly. However his carapace is 4 ½ inches long (11cm) which I think might be below average which worries me.

Can anyone with a similar red eared terrapin tell me if he’s doing ok?

Here’s a pic as well, might be a bit fuzzy as I took with my phone.

http://www.freewebs.com/drug_ut/DSC00194.JPG

PS: sorry if i posted this in wrong section, just thought red-eared terrapins didn't fall into either of the tortoise sections, and he doesn't have an illness, just his size worries me a bit.

[tortoise_dude]

Im sure a mod will move it if its in the wrong section...
Hes lovely <G>
I don't know hardly anything about RES except their diet, but he looks great, nice clear eyes

[Eire_Ade]

Nathan I have moved it into the Aquatic Section, this is where it will get more views.

Glad he is ok.

Ade :wink:

[egyptiandan64]

Hi Nathan,
Your RES looks okay :D it's just a little small. Are you sure it's a male? I don't see any long nails on the front legs. What kind of pellets are you feeding? Is it just the greens that your not feeding regularly? Do you have a lamp to heat up his basking spot? It looks like he hasn't shed any of his scutes in a long time. Sliders need to shed their scutes at least a couple of times a year. That could be why he/she hasn't grown much.

Danny

[nathan]

Ah ty for the nice comments tortoise_due & ade. yeh, Danny I'm pretty sure he is a male, he does have long front nails and a long tail, just seems to be hiding them in the picture, hehe. The pellets are, "Nutrafin max; Turtle Gammarus Pellets" and yes its just the greens I dont feed regurarly, I feed him pellets almost daily, if not once every 2 days.

I do lack a lamp for his basking spot, could you give me some names of good lamps, or even some specific links so I can get a better idea?

PS: Thanks Ade for moving this, don't think I seen this section.

[egyptiandan64]

Hi Nathan,
Sounds like everything is good diet wise :D . Here's what you need lamp and bulb wise http://kimbosreptileworld.co.uk/lighting-c-24.html?osCsid=f5995f90220c602eb21e6e755d72ab44.

Danny

[koyster]

hmmz what are err scutes?

[nathan]

Ahh, cheers Danny, I’ll definitely need one if I’m planning on getting a tortoise anyway and looking about this looks like a really good one. Ermm what are the pros/cons between flood & spot. I know the difference, but anything in particular worth noting?

koyster, I think scute refers the scale on a tortoise''s shell, both on the carapace and plastron, (top and bottom).

[egyptiandan64]

The floods will spread out the heat more and the spots will concentrate it. Your probably going to want it more concentrated.

Danny