redearslider.com

im going to pick up the rest of what i need tomorrow for the habitat and the turtle itself (im so excited) but after reading post after post, i've yet to come across any that gives tips and suggestions on buying a healthy turtle! should i get ones that are basking, or ones that are swimming? the deeper thier color is the better? any help would be appreciated thanks!

hmmm.... tell you what i would do, i'd at least buy ONLY from a place that is keeping their turtles in a good habitat.
if the place selling the turtle has them in a bad enviroment then chances are those turtles are unhappy, neglected, dont get enough sunlight/uvb/uva, no basking, too much/not enough food, ect.

It would be hard to tell an internal illness, so at least pick an active one that has a good looking shell. And how long they've been in their current environment (if it's poor) might present itself in illness or health defects later, and you won't be able to help that. I've read that some illnesses can show up as long as 2 years later after the conditions that caused them.

I've also read that the red "ear" on them is brighter when they are healthier, I'm not sure how true or reliable that is though.

Look for an active turtle that has bright, clear, alert eyes (no swollen eyes).

Hatchlings' shells aren't has hard as older turts, and harden at about a year and the scutes nearest the tail often have a very slight movement to them. That said, however, the shell should be firm to the touch. The nail beds should be healthy and there should be no missing/broken claws. (Note: It may look like a claw on each of the back feet is missing and there are 4 where there should be 5, but this is normal.)

When you pick the turtle up, it should react in one of two ways--either it will struggle to get away, or it will withdraw into the shell as a defensive measure. It should not just passively sit/lay in your hand. (Give it a few seconds to see what it will do, it should react, though, and it should be alert.)

A healthy turtle will feel solid when you pick it up, and have a certain "heft" to it, not feel really light and "empty." This is a bit hard to explain when they only weigh X number of grams, but the difference can be felt even in small turts.

Turtles raised/living in healthy conditions on a balanced diet will have a greater chance of being healthy. Shipping is stressful, however, and you don't know the conditions they were bred and initially kept in, so nothing is 100% sure. It can take some time for symptoms indicating illness/a condition to appear, and a lot will depend on the habitat you create for it.

Finally, since not all sliders have red ears (there can be variations in color--reddish, orangy, brownish red, some don't have any red at all), I wouldn't judge the health of a turtle by how bright the coloring on the side of the head is.

But remember, nothing is 100% certain.

THAT IS GREAT ADVICE MARISA. (COULDNT OF SAID IT BETTER MY SELF)

Thanks. I forgot one thing, though--if you can, get a look at the inside of the mouth--it should be pink and clear of any gunk/discharge.