Also named: Red-eared Slider, Pond Slider, Yellow-bellied
Slider
Description: 5-11 3/8" (12.7-28.9
cm). Prominent yellow, orange, or red blotch or stripe behind
eyes. Carapace
(upper shell) oval, weakly keeled, olive to brown, with pattern ranging
from yellow bars and stripes to reticulations and eyelike spots.
Plastron (bottom shell)
yellow,
plain to intricately patterned. Undersurface of chin rounded. V-shaped
notch at front of upper jaw not flanked by cusps. With age, pattern
and head blotch may become masked by black pigment, making identification
difficult.
Breeding: Mates March to June. Nests June to
July. Lays 1-3 clutches of 4-23 oval eggs, 1 3/8" (37 mm)
long, in nest cavity 1-4" (2.5-10.2
cm) deep, which may be located some distance from water. Hatchlings
emerge in 2-2 1/2 months, but often overwinter in nest. Males
mature in 2-5 years.
Habitat: Sluggish rivers, shallow streams, swamps,
ponds, and lakes with soft bottoms and dense vegetation.
Range: Southeast Virginia to north Florida
west to New Mexico, south into Mexico.
Discussion: Fond of basking, Sliders are often
seen stacked one upon another on a favorite log. The young eat
water insects, crustaceans,
mollusks, and tadpoles, then turn to a plant diet as they mature.
Millions have been raised on turtle farms and sold as pets.
