Red-eared Slider
Trachemys scripta
Red-eared/Pond Slider 2
The Red-eared or Pond Slider is by far the most common turtle at the Arboretum. Appearance is variable, but all have a dark green, brown, or black background marked with yellowish stripes. Most individuals have a wide red stripe behind the eye, but as the turtles age they tend to darken and may lose the red "ear." Males are considerably smaller than females and have very long claws on their front legs. They waggle these claws in front of the females during displays. As hatchlings, Red-eared Sliders are mostly carnivorous, eating small aquatic prey. Adults usually eat more plant material, but will also eat small fish, frogs, crawfish, and other live prey if given a chance. These turtles are common in the pet trade. Unfortunately, when people get tired of them (or when they inevitably grow too big for their tanks), they often release the turtles into the wild, which can lead to local overpopulation, disease, and disruption to the ecosystem. Such releases mean that Red-eared Sliders have become invasive species all over the world. Remember that the ASPCA, specialty pet shops, and other shelters will take reptile pets - never release a captive-raised animal into the wild!
Sources and Credits
- (c) J. N. Stuart, all rights reserved, uploaded by J. N. Stuart, http://www.flickr.com/photos/21786539@N03/3414909321
- Adapted by hancnaturalist from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trachemys_scripta
More Info
iNat Map
| Pattern | stripes |
|---|---|
| Color | black, brown, gray, green, red, white, yellow |
