Red-Eared Slider
Origin
Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) is a semiaquatic turtle of the family Emydidae and originates from the southern United States. However, it has established itself in other regions too due to pet releases.
Characteristics and Behavior
Read-eared slider grows about 10 to 13 inches in length. The males tend to be slightly smaller than females (they grow up to 10 inches) but they have longer tails and claws than females. Like their name suggests, they have a distinctive red stripe on both sides of the head which makes them unique among the North American turtle species. The shell consists of two parts – the upper shell or carapace and the lower section or the plastron. The oval, green carapace is divided into plates known as scutes. The plastron is yellow, while the patterns vary greatly from one turtle to another. The head, legs and tail are green and feature yellow irregular lines. Despite the popular misbelief, red-eared slider does not have saliva and has to feed under water.
These turtles spend most of the time in water and leave the water for sun basking and to lay eggs after mating. They are faster than they seem which is why they are called “sliders“. In nature, they hide from people but they are great pets when they realize that they get food from you. If they survive the first couple of years in captivity, they usually live at least 30 years.
Diet
Like most other turtles, red-eared sliders are omnivores which means that they eat both animal and plant material. Younger turtles prefer animal material, while the adult ones tend to eat more plant material. Red-eared sliders in captivity should be offered as diversified food as possible. They can be fed with worms, snails, fish, most insects and a variety aquatic and terrestrial plants. They should be occasionally also provided live foods and good sources of calcium such as pieces of cuttlebone or given calcium supplements.
Housing
Red-eared sliders should be never kept in small bowls. The aquarium has to be at least 4 to 5 times longer than their shell and about 2 times deeper which means that an adult turtle needs about 100 gallon aquarium. It is recommendable to choose glass over plastic because glass is resistant to scratches and easier to clean (red-eared sliders are very messy!). You will also need to provide your turtle proper UV lightning and heating, and get a water heater because the water temperature must not drop under 75 °F (24 °C). It is a good idea to get a water filter which will reduce the need for cleaning. When cleaning the aquarium or handling the turtle, make sure that you wash your hands very carefully because just like other reptiles, red-eared slider can carry the dangerous bacteria Salmonella.
Reproduction
Females become sexually mature between the ages of 5 to 7 years and lay up to 30 eggs in May and June. They dig a hole with their back legs and cover it with soil to protect the eggs from predators and the weather. The eggs hatch in 60 to 75 days. Males mature earlier – somewhere between the ages 2 and 5 years.
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