Do red eared sliders eat in water or on land?

yes but baby turtles need low water to reach the top surface for breathing air otherwise your turtle may drown as your turtle ages it has its strength to reach the top with a full tank of water.Keep atleast 5 inches of breathing air space for your turtle.

For the most part, hatchlings need to have their yolk sack completely gone before they really get into the water. What is good is a small bowl of water that is baby warm just enough to cover the feet cause we don't want them to drown. They are very tiny and they are babies after all and get tired easily.Make sure that they do have access to a proper UVB light and make sure that you cut up their food into tiny pieces. Make sure that you handle them carefully and talk to him or her as you do. They are very fragile and they spook easy. Keep their habitat very clean.

Outside of that, enjoy your little one.