Hi! Introduce yourselves here. :: Hi from Illinois with a question

[momtomaggie]

I don't have a turtle yet but plan to in the very near future. I have a 90 gal tank currently empty. My question is, where can I find a baby red ear slider? The ones our lps has are 5-6". I would like to have a baby if possible. I live in west central IL.

Love this site! Very informative.

[jenaero]

I can't be of help locating a res, as I'm in Canada but I wanted to say Welcome

[missibsu]

Welcome to the forum!

The sale of RES under 4 inches is actually illegal in the US. This does not stop people, but it may slow down your process. Many places that sell these illegal turtles sell turts that are sick or have been kept in bad conditions. I would just caution you to be careful when selecting a RES, and maybe even consider an older turt. Many reptile rescues are overloaded with unwanted RES, you can even begin there.

[momtomaggie]

Thanks. After thinking some more on size, I decided larger/older may be better. That way I would know which sex I was getting, and I am leaning towards a male since they are smaller. I want to be sure my tank is big enough when it is fully grown.

[missibsu]

Your 90 gallon tank should be fine if you get a male. I'm sure that your state has a herp or reptile rescue if you just do some searching.

[SpotsMama]

Greetings and Salutations! I agree bigger is better. Protecting the health of the tiny ones is pretty tricky. It would be great to give a home to a nice grown male.

[marisa]

Welcome. Hatchlings are obviously adorable, but there's something to be said for older/larger turtles as well. Giving an unwanted turtle (if you contacted a rescue) or a larger turtle who is perhaps not as saleable a home would be a really nice thing to do...Where are you located?

[Kallistos]

he lives in west central IL