How to Care for Aquatic Turtles
Find information on keeping aquatic turtles as pets and instructions on basic turtle care.
![How to set up a red eared slider turtle tank](https://www.thesprucepets.com/thmb/nbUfxDAX9C5CytyNwZ_boFZv57U=/315x236/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/red-eared-slider-care-tank-and-supplies-1238360-FINAL-5ba8ddc3c9e77c0050cf2a71.png)
How to Set Up a Tank for a Red-Eared Slider Turtle
![A red-eared slider turtle swimming in its tank](https://www.thesprucepets.com/thmb/uSDYRC_p2CYqiQEMkFQHZn0_3dI=/315x236/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/183453750-56a2bce65f9b58b7d0cdf7f1.jpg)
All About Keeping Pet Aquatic Turtles
![Red eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) standing on wood, Texas, USA](https://www.thesprucepets.com/thmb/xP0EWYyNHfPp1hhUanB87ILpeas=/315x236/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/red-eared-slider--trachemys-scripta-elegans--standing-on-wood--texas--usa-980454648-6abd20d07aa541679c70e47dd15144ee.jpg)
Red-Eared Slider Turtle: Species Profile
![Yellow bellied slider close-up](https://www.thesprucepets.com/thmb/cg5OpwP3NHPbTWEJh3qF9M7QvvY=/315x236/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-566349225-587bf2b63df78c17b67bae4c.jpg)
Yellow-Bellied Slider: Species Profile
![spotted turtle](https://www.thesprucepets.com/thmb/S7sDsYSPXIIkNwAd1v0jbit6LrA=/315x236/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-557232791-de1370a3d2e84add9fb50ff9a1b524fd.jpg)
Spotted Turtle (Clemmys Guttata): Species Profile
![Painted turtles on a log in a pond](https://www.thesprucepets.com/thmb/KlmZe8i29QT5V_KQLJP36u5KqLc=/315x236/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-561461945-574a20573df78ccee1de80bd.jpg)
Painted Turtles as Pets
![illustration of what you need for a turtle pond](https://www.thesprucepets.com/thmb/Wg2Br0RmJx5orbH_crHHFE-YwrY=/315x236/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/aquatic-turtles-and-outdoor-ponds-1238361-FINAL-fc0a2156f1d9412094c2e635feca630e.png)
Pet Aquatic Turtles and Outdoor Ponds
![Common Must Turtle in Water](https://www.thesprucepets.com/thmb/3Wn6yRVecRSPFJukNV5It8TAfp4=/315x236/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/passion4natureGettyImages-532646955-ba2b183d0ed44194b60f29de6df5fc24.jpg)
Common Musk Turtle (Stinkpot): Species Profile
![Mud turtle](https://www.thesprucepets.com/thmb/Pp68tzuPMPWYnV_X777TI8aucWE=/315x236/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Mudturtle-7441580312_4468566f14_k-58f4fc595f9b582c4dfbad52.jpg)
Mud Turtle Species Profile
![Diamondback terrapin](https://www.thesprucepets.com/thmb/qxGeBq6Ug5L8P3uOwek73aW2yEk=/315x236/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Diamondbackterrapin-5a19f5b69e94270037d0900b.jpg)
Should You Keep a Diamondback Terrapin as a Pet?
![Mississippi map turtle](https://www.thesprucepets.com/thmb/aUTlA2I3giu_taI-t21mNOg_FOI=/315x236/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-138875571-5830ec063df78c6f6ad8ac38.jpg)
Mississippi Map Turtle Species Profile
![Female red-eared slider backside and tail](https://www.thesprucepets.com/thmb/N0_yzkfHvtihn6LpcJtWLyrC_Uo=/315x236/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-529644222-5921e75e3df78cf5fa9907f5.jpg)
How to Tell the Gender of a Turtle
![illustration of what to feed red eared slider turtles](https://www.thesprucepets.com/thmb/pfRASS6BzMSBvk9CMcpSeFUS0wQ=/315x236/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/how-much-should-i-feed-my-red-eared-slider-1238367-5c59c9c646e0fb00012bb344.png)
What Do Red-Eared Slider Turtles Eat?
![Red eared slider basking in sun](https://www.thesprucepets.com/thmb/zbq9xElgSKsFv7eVDdwu5o1MlU8=/315x236/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/basking-red-eared-turtle-1488378_1920-5934e53e3df78c08abe2893c.jpg)
How to Encourage Basking for Your Red-Eared Slider Turtle
![African helmeted turtle](https://www.thesprucepets.com/thmb/NEMUWPt6Wo6brwZswgEMsStUh8I=/315x236/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/african-helmeted-turtle-1094092102-885fa710f9a344bd9615fb61da691a19.jpg)
African Sideneck Turtle: Species Profile
![A red-eared slider turtle](https://www.thesprucepets.com/thmb/JgSLcylv4mCfVp3xxEpe4jp_XL4=/315x236/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Red-Eared-Slider-GettyImages-157403355-58b84b943df78c060e69353c.jpg)
What Should I Feed My Red-Eared Slider Turtle?
![Red-eared slider turtle](https://www.thesprucepets.com/thmb/dVeRf4gygI3TlZ0MzqRuBEiK9EU=/315x236/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-587193483-569be0753df78cafda975df6-5c416d9e46e0fb000194b5e7.jpg)
Choosing a Healthy Red Eared Slider
![Florida Softshell Turtle](https://www.thesprucepets.com/thmb/Vwf-uHl0ocWKb2CvUulviNcvmcE=/315x236/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/florida-softshell-turtle-145992254-5e6fdc3c2902495285d9aec9df6bc2ef.jpg)
Softshell Turtle: Species Profile
![I Came Across A Turtle On The Highway.](https://www.thesprucepets.com/thmb/IWI5qEFDuFbi_erDEkgoo13xtUc=/315x236/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/i-came-across-a-turtle-on-the-highway--1244640161-85038b26ab0e403bab1636f1ab111ef9.jpg)
How to Prevent Salmonella From Turtles
![Red-Eared Slider](https://www.thesprucepets.com/thmb/eX69wdkf9WMn6YdXoSLBEAeubuA=/315x236/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-166837938-56a2bd3e3df78cf772796438.jpg)
Red-Eared Slider Housing
![Turtle swimming in tank](https://www.thesprucepets.com/thmb/y7P0A9WE7xgCmXyw3x09Xe1Dz5s=/315x236/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/turtletank-8273343594_1c5ee9d053_k-58f7d9bb5f9b581d59833bbf.jpg)
Why Does the Water in Your Turtle Tank Turn Green?
![Red-eared Slider sunbathing](https://www.thesprucepets.com/thmb/SjcFp-WWehb_jDhnGR_VThNVPqk=/315x236/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Red-eared-sliders-GettyImages-617946009-58fae8835f9b581d59a5bab6.jpg)
What Fluttering Claws Mean in Red-Eared Sliders