Red-Eared Slider

Distribution: Mississippi valley, introduced in almost all around the world except for the poles.

Size Length: Shell around 29 cms

Age of maturity: 5 to 6 years

Life expectancy: Around 30 years

Diet: Omnivores; Juveniles mainly carnivores and adults mainly herbivorous

Social life: Group or solitary

IUCN red list status: Least Concern



Red-eared-slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) is a widely distributed species due to introduction in the most diverse habitats. It is an oval shaped animal; it has as diagnostic characteristics the red bars on each side of the neck and the green spots on the yellow plastron. Its head, legs, tail and neck are green and get darker with ageing being records of males getting almost black with the ageing.

Red-eared-sliders are semi-aquatic animal with adaptation for the two environments such has webbed feet that allow them to swim better and claws that allow them to have a better walking on earth. There is differentiation between males and females such as the males are smaller, their tale is thicker and the claws of the front paws are bigger than on females.

Their common name in English “slider” refers to their capability to easily slide of rocks and logs into the water. Their reproduction season is between March-June and during June-July the female puts between 1 to 22 eggs up to 3 times. The sex of the individuals is dependent on the incubation temperature.