{"id":1212,"date":"2022-08-24T13:14:51","date_gmt":"2022-08-24T13:14:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beingreptiles.com\/?p=1212"},"modified":"2022-08-25T06:44:32","modified_gmt":"2022-08-25T06:44:32","slug":"how-big-do-red-eared-sliders-get-size-chart-by-age","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beingreptiles.com\/how-big-do-red-eared-sliders-get-size-chart-by-age\/","title":{"rendered":"How Big Do Red-Eared Sliders Get? Size Chart By Age"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Red-eared sliders grows in three phases. Baby turtles are more miniature than juveniles, which are also smaller than adults. However, a mature red-eared slider can grow to the size of a plate. A grown adult turtle will measure between 8 and 13 inches in diameter. However, the male red-eared sliders will be slightly smaller than the females for breeding purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The male and female turtles are usually the same size in the first five months of their lives. At three months old, baby red-eared turtles will have a one-inch diameter. As they age, the male and female red-eared sliders start showing sexual dimorphism. Unlike the larger females, the adult male red-eared sliders reach 5 to 9 inches.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n The baby and juvenile red-eared sliders grow faster than the adults. The young turtles add about 1 to 1.5 inches every year. But the turtle’s size depends on its genetics, habitat, and nutrition. I’ve discussed below how big red-eared sliders can get. You will also find a size chart by age and learn how long it takes the red-eared slider turtle to grow to full size.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The size of an adult male red-eared slider turtle is 5 to 9 inches. The female red-eared slider is much bigger and will grow to a diameter of 8 to 13 inches. Therefore, the average size of a red-eared slider turtle is about 6 to 11 inches. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can even tell the age of a red-eared slider turtle using its size. If you don’t know how old your turtle is, measure its length. Put your turtle on a clean piece of paper. It will retract into the shell. Use a pen to mark the paper directly in front and at the turtle’s rear end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Return the red-eared slider turtle to the tank. Measure and record the length of your tortoise in inches. Use the size chart by age below to know your turtle’s age. For instance, a 6 to 8 inches red-slider turtle is about 5 to 7 years old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The average size of red-eared slider turtles is nearly the same in captivity as in the wild. Perhaps the only significant difference is their weight and lifespan. The male and female red-eared sliders will weigh up to 300 and 550 grams, respectively. However, the turtles will live only 20 years in the wild and up to 40 years in captivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Note that the red-eared slider’s size, weight, and lifespan depend on various factors like nutrition, genetics, and habitat. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n They love eating dark leafy greens like collards and small aquatic animals like daphnia. A balanced diet for your red-eared sliders has essential fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals to ensure optimal health and growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You should give the turtle enough space to facilitate its growth and development. Give the red-eared turtle 10 gallons of water for every inch of its shell length. However, keep the minimum tank size for red-eared sliders at 50 gallons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although it can be challenging to know your turtle’s genetics, it plays an essential role in the turtle’s size. The easiest way to know how big your red-eared turtles will grow is by looking at their parents. The baby turtles are more likely to be the same size as the parents because they share a large part of their genes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Red-eared sliders can extend to full size in 8 years. The red-eared slider turtles will stop growing once they reach that age or grow at an insignificant pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, young and juvenile red-eared sliders grow pretty fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, between zero and three months, the red-slider turtles will grow much slower than the juveniles. It is worth noting that juvenile turtles are between one and four years old. At that stage, red-eared sliders eat more and are more active than the adults and the baby turtles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Juvenile turtles measure between 4.5 and 5 inches. Their growth rate is also quite significant. For instance, the young red-eared turtles will grow by 1 or 1.5 inches for the following years of their lives until they reach adulthood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, if the turtle tank conditions are unfavorable, your red-slider turtles can stay stunted longer than usual. If you’ve had your turtle for more than four years, for example, and it is less than 3 inches long, then something is not correct.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The 1 to 4-year-old juvenile red-eared turtles will be between 4.5 and 5 inches long. And finally, your adult red-eared sliders will reach between 8 and 12 inches. However, some fully grown female red-eared sliders can reach 13 inches. But that’s not very common.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As I said earlier, give your red-eared sliders high-quality nutrition and enough space. But most importantly, change the turtle water at least once a week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I also recommend installing a turtle filter in your tank to improve water filtration, lessen the stress, and encourage the healthy growth of your red-eared slider turtles. In that case, your baby red-eared sliders will reach about 1 inch within three months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Below is a table summarizing the size of the red-eared sliders by age:<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat is the average size of a red-eared slider turtle?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
Red-eared slider nutrition<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Red-eared slider habitat<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Red-eared slider genetics<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How long does it take for a red-eared slider to grow full size?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Size chart by age<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n