Why cant you hold red eared slider turtles for long?

Of course you can! :) They are gentle turtles is raised properly, and mine love to be taken from their tank and petted on the head (yeah, their head!) or rubbed on their shell. It's calming for them, and good bonding time. Sometimes they may snap at you, but I've been bitten before (when his mouth was directed at a cucumber slice but my finger got in the way) and it isn't painful, so don't be scared of a turtle biting you. But you must remember to ALWAYS scrub your hands after handling your red eared slider or anything it touches because they carry diseases and you must stay clean. If you just wash your hands after VERY well, then you can hold them whenever you like. :)