Does your red eared slider turtle need a red eared slider turtle friend?

Your turtle doesn't necessarily need a friend, but they do enjoy interacting with other turtles. Before getting a friend you may want to consider:

2 adult red-eared sliders, especially if they are female will need a large aquarium at least 100 - 125 gallon. Tanks this size are pricey to buy and maintain so be sure you are ready to make that kind of investment.

Understand your limits. A female can grow 10-13 inches while the males can grow 8 - 10 inches and they'll grow fast if you're taking care of them as you should. You may have to upgrade their home sooner than you think.

Another thing to consider is filtration. Turtles are messy animals. If you are keeping multiple turtles you should have 3 times the filtration of a regular fish tank. So the filter that is marked for a 100 gallon tank is only ideal for a 30 - 40 gallons in a turtle tank. The larger the filtration system of course the more money it will cost.

If you get 2 make sure they are the same sex. Baby turtles are cute, but you will likely find it overwhelming to care for them or find them new homes. Breeding is best left to the professionals.

Turtles are awesome and rewarding pets just be sure you're ready for the responsibility of having more than one. And remember it's NEVER EVER OKAY TO RELEASE THEM INTO THE WILD.