Why cant you hold a baby red ear slider turtle?

There's no reason you can't hold a red-eared slider, as long as you are careful. Red-eared sliders can sometimes carry salmonella, so you should always wash your hands after touching them. They can also get sick from germs that humans carry, so you should also wash your hands before touching them, too.

The other thing is that sometimes they bite, and it really hurts because once they've bitten you, they usually won't let go, so you have to pull your finger out. So be careful not to let your fingers get too close to its mouth.