Outdoor Learning Station: Aquatic Turtle Habitat
In an outdoor classroom, an aquatic turtle habitat is an enclosed habitat with a pond that provides cover for red-eared sliders, is at least 18-24 inches deep for the turtles to hibernate in the winter, and has a filter to provide clean water for the sliders. Because the turtles are in an enclosure, the school is responsible for providing a balanced, nutritional diet for the turtles.
Note: Red-eared sliders should be purchased at pet stores. Do NOT harvest aquatic turtles from their natural habitat. Before purchasing red-eared sliders at a pet store, ask parents if they have "pet" pond sliders that may have outgrown their aquariums and need a new home.
Below is information that will help you build, use and maintain your aquatic turtle habitat:
Alabama's Turtles | Habitat Suggestions | Materials List & Budget | Activity Resources | Maintenance Tips
Alabama's Aquatic Turtles
Visit the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' website at https://www.outdooralabama.com/reptiles/turtles for detailed information about the red-eared pond slider and other aquatic turtles native to Alabama, including the following:
Habitat Suggestions
An aquatic turtle habitat should provide habitat for two red-eared pond sliders.
Food: Red-eared pond sliders are omnivores and should eat a combination of the following:
(1) Native aquatic grasses and forbs (wildflowers), water lettuce, and/or duck weed;
(2) Small mosquito fish or goldfish, tadpoles, and/or aquatic snails;
(3) Crickets, earthworms, and/or freeze-dried shrimp; and/or
(4) Dark leafy greens such as kale or collards and cut up vegetables like squash or carrots.
* Commercial aquatic turtle pellets can make up to 25% of their diet.
Water: Red-eared sliders are aquatic turtles and will spend most of their time in the water, so the habitat must include:
(1) A natural creek or pond, or
(2) A backyard pond or water garden that is at least 6 feet in diameter and 18-24 inches deep.
Shelter: To provide shelter from predators, the habitat should include:
(1) A rock or log near the center of the pond where the turtles can feel safe from predators,
(2) Native aquatic plants such as water lilies, arrow arum, and/or pickerel weed to hide in, and
(3) Terrestrial plants such as hostas and strawberry bushes to hide in.
Basking Area: Because turtles are cold-blooded, it is also helpful to provide rocks or logs for the turtles to bask on and warm their bodies. The turtle habitat should be located in an area that receives at least 6 hours of sunlight.
Space: (1) The pond should be at least 6 feet in diameter to provide space for the turtles to swim; an
(2) The enclosure should be at least 100 square feet (10 ft x 10 ft or 8 ft x 12 ft or 6 ft x 16 ft) to allow the turtles to walk around.
Places to Raise Young: Turtles need a sandy area or area with loose soil near the pond where they can dig a hole and lay their eggs.
Hibernation: Red-eared sliders will typically hibernate at the bottom of the pond once the temperature drops below 50 degrees Farenheit. The pond should have the following:
(1) At least 18-24" depth to avoid freezing in the winter;
(2) At least 2 inches of sand and detritus in the bottom of the pond that the turtles can burrow in; and
(3) At least 30 square feet in surface area and have some type of waterfall or fountain to oxygenate the water.
Materials List & Budget
Example Aquatic Turtle Habitat Materials List & Estimated Budget (Word Doc | PDF)
This example project plan includes the following:
Activity Resources
Many of the Outdoor Classroom Field Journal Activities require students to explore the outdoor classroom searching for different types of wildlife and then recording their observations. An aquatic turtle habitat provides your students the opportunity to closely observe the physical adaptations and behavior of the red-eared pond sliders.
Use our "Learn about Ponds" student exploration link to help your students research ponds and wetlands.
Maintenance Tips
If your class would like to adopt the Aquatic Turtle Habitat to help take care of it, use this Learning Station Adoption Form (Word Doc | PDF) along with the maintenance tips below that include feeding and care instructions:
To create a map of your school's Aquatic Turtle Habitat, use this Example Learning Station Map & Plant ID Form (Word Doc | PDF).
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Note: Red-eared sliders should be purchased at pet stores. Do NOT harvest aquatic turtles from their natural habitat. Before purchasing red-eared sliders at a pet store, ask parents if they have "pet" pond sliders that may have outgrown their aquariums and need a new home.
Below is information that will help you build, use and maintain your aquatic turtle habitat:
Alabama's Turtles | Habitat Suggestions | Materials List & Budget | Activity Resources | Maintenance Tips
Alabama's Aquatic Turtles
Visit the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' website at https://www.outdooralabama.com/reptiles/turtles for detailed information about the red-eared pond slider and other aquatic turtles native to Alabama, including the following:
- Their Latin names,
- Their conservation status,
- Where they are located in Alabama,
- Physical descriptions,
- Descriptions of their habitats including their feeding habits, and
- Their life history including details about their reproduction cycles.
Habitat Suggestions
An aquatic turtle habitat should provide habitat for two red-eared pond sliders.
Food: Red-eared pond sliders are omnivores and should eat a combination of the following:
(1) Native aquatic grasses and forbs (wildflowers), water lettuce, and/or duck weed;
(2) Small mosquito fish or goldfish, tadpoles, and/or aquatic snails;
(3) Crickets, earthworms, and/or freeze-dried shrimp; and/or
(4) Dark leafy greens such as kale or collards and cut up vegetables like squash or carrots.
* Commercial aquatic turtle pellets can make up to 25% of their diet.
Water: Red-eared sliders are aquatic turtles and will spend most of their time in the water, so the habitat must include:
(1) A natural creek or pond, or
(2) A backyard pond or water garden that is at least 6 feet in diameter and 18-24 inches deep.
Shelter: To provide shelter from predators, the habitat should include:
(1) A rock or log near the center of the pond where the turtles can feel safe from predators,
(2) Native aquatic plants such as water lilies, arrow arum, and/or pickerel weed to hide in, and
(3) Terrestrial plants such as hostas and strawberry bushes to hide in.
Basking Area: Because turtles are cold-blooded, it is also helpful to provide rocks or logs for the turtles to bask on and warm their bodies. The turtle habitat should be located in an area that receives at least 6 hours of sunlight.
Space: (1) The pond should be at least 6 feet in diameter to provide space for the turtles to swim; an
(2) The enclosure should be at least 100 square feet (10 ft x 10 ft or 8 ft x 12 ft or 6 ft x 16 ft) to allow the turtles to walk around.
Places to Raise Young: Turtles need a sandy area or area with loose soil near the pond where they can dig a hole and lay their eggs.
Hibernation: Red-eared sliders will typically hibernate at the bottom of the pond once the temperature drops below 50 degrees Farenheit. The pond should have the following:
(1) At least 18-24" depth to avoid freezing in the winter;
(2) At least 2 inches of sand and detritus in the bottom of the pond that the turtles can burrow in; and
(3) At least 30 square feet in surface area and have some type of waterfall or fountain to oxygenate the water.
Materials List & Budget
Example Aquatic Turtle Habitat Materials List & Estimated Budget (Word Doc | PDF)
This example project plan includes the following:
- a suggested list of materials needed to construct the learning station,
- the estimated cost of the materials,
- suggestions about where you can purchase the materials, and
- area on the document where you can track your donations and final costs for the learning station.
Activity Resources
Many of the Outdoor Classroom Field Journal Activities require students to explore the outdoor classroom searching for different types of wildlife and then recording their observations. An aquatic turtle habitat provides your students the opportunity to closely observe the physical adaptations and behavior of the red-eared pond sliders.
Use our "Learn about Ponds" student exploration link to help your students research ponds and wetlands.
Maintenance Tips
If your class would like to adopt the Aquatic Turtle Habitat to help take care of it, use this Learning Station Adoption Form (Word Doc | PDF) along with the maintenance tips below that include feeding and care instructions:
To create a map of your school's Aquatic Turtle Habitat, use this Example Learning Station Map & Plant ID Form (Word Doc | PDF).
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