Budgeting for a Red Eared Slider

red ear slider turtle budgeting Your red eared slider won’t cost you much; usually no more than $25 at the most in most places. Of course, the younger the turtle, the less you will probably pay – though taking care of a really young turtle has its issues. Keeping red eared sliders as pets may hit your budget harder than you expect, however. It’s not the actually turtles that incurs the most cost, but the equipment you need to properly house them.

The equipment you’ll need to properly keep red eared sliders as pets can add up quickly and catch you by surprise if you’re not ready. First, you have to know you can’t just keep red eared sliders in a glass bowl like in the movies. You’ll need a 20- or 30-gallon tank ($30 and up), a filter ($25 and up), a rock or platform ($20 and up), an underwater heater ($20 and up), and a full spectrum heat lamp ($25 and up). So overall, you’re looking at spending about $120 on equipment for your red eared slider.

There are some ways you can save money when budgeting for a red eared slider that won’t affect the turtles health, however. First, when keeping red eared sliders as pets you definitely need an aquarium, but you don’t have to spend a lot on it. Ask around, chances are someone you know has a 20- or 30-gallon aquarium they don’t need in their garage or basement. If that doesn’t work, look online for some used ones. You can usually find one locally that you can easily go and pick up as long as you have transportation. Tanks this size are a dime a dozen and you shouldn’t have a problem finding one – some will even come with a filter! However you get the tank, make sure that it is properly sealed before purchasing it – ask to see it full of water if need be so you can check for leaks before keeping red eared sliders as pets in it.

Another way to save money when keeping red eared sliders as pets is with your platform. Your local pet store will have some really nifty platforms that you can put together for your turtles, but the reality is that these can easily be replaced with rocks. The best thing about rocks is that they cost absolutely nothing! Just make sure that you scrub and clean the rocks well and let them soak for a while before putting them into your tank.