Breeding the red-eared slider
Egg layer: females lay one to three clutches a year (late May to early June in Nebraska).
Step by step
Buy a pair of adults. They are long-lived.
A large pond with a nesting area.
Warm weather and a cool winter.
2-25 eggs per clutch (about 9 on average in one Pennsylvania study); hatchlings emerge 60-75 days later.
Hatchlings eat pellets and insects.
- Not enough space
- No nesting site
- Poor water
Male or female
Males are usually smaller than females and have very long claws on the front feet.
Can I breed it in my tank?
- Good for a first breeding project.
Day-by-day plan
Typical for frogs, newts and turtles
- Day 0Eggs
Needs a special setup. Read the species guide first.
A general guide for this breeding type. Days change with temperature and species.
Simulator: guided
Needs a special setup. Read the species guide first.
Simulator: try it yourself
Set up a virtual breeding tank and see what would likely happen.
- Without live or frozen food the parents aren't in breeding condition.
An educational estimate from the breeding rules, not a promise.