Turtle Info

SLIDERS

Common Name: Sliders
Scientific Classification: Trachemys Scripta

Three subspecies of sliders recognized in North America:
1-T. s. scripta ( yellow-bellied slider)
2-T. s. elegans (Red-eared slider)
3-T. s. troostii (Cumberland slider)

Where do they come from?
Sliders are native of North and South America but they are found in many places of the world. Some sliders, bought as pets have been released to the wild and this represents a big problem, in southern Europe, the Red-Eared Slider competes for survival against the cistude of Europe who is now in danger of extinction.

More of the banned red-eared slider turtles may be present in Canberra, according to leading Australian herpetologist Associate Professor Shelley Burgin. However, Professor Burgin, who specialises in reptiles and amphibians, warned that the turtle recently found in a Belconnen backyard might simply have been an escaped pet. Red-eared slider turtles from the United States were slightly bigger and more aggressive than native turtles and, according to Professor Burgin could become a problem by populating the Murray-Darling system and other river systems. ''Australian freshwater ecosystems could be silently overtaken in the next decade by a feral turtle population which may be more widespread than anyone realises, there were breeding populations of the turtle in Sydney and north of Brisbane." She said that: "if such turtles were inseminated before breaking free, they could lay eggs for years. This makes them much more dangerous as a potential pet than many other escaped pets.''

The turtle would attack animals and eat a range of meat and vegetation.

This turtle can be identified by a red mark from its ears down to its sides as a red-eared slider.

DO NOT RELEASE YOUR PET TURTLE INTO THE WILD!

Size:
They can grow up to 30 cm (11.8 inches) but the norm is from 12-20 cm (5 - 8 inches)

Life span:
In the wild they can live 20 years. In captivity they can live from 15 to 50 years.

Gender Characteristics:
Mature females are much larger than males. Mature males have longer tails and fore-claws. The tails of males are thicker at the base than females. Hatchlings cannot be sexed with accuracy.

Breeding:
Breeding behavior involves the males waving their long fore-claws in the female’s face. The eggs of sliders with temperatures below 27 degrees Celsius produce males and eggs with temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius produce strictly females.

Captive environment:
Sliders enjoy basking. The turtle bowls sold in retail store are totally inadequate. Sliders need high quality filtration. Medium sized sliders need internal canister filters and larger ones will require an external filter and should be housed in ponds rather than aquariums.

We encourage all turtle owners to use a pond instead of an aquarium.
Let's face it a square cornered aquarium does not fit round shelled turtles.

Common health issues:
Skin and shell infections; ear abscesses

Diet:
Sliders do best in captivity, on a mixed diet of trout-chow, koi pellets, beef heart, minnows, smelt. goldfish and vegetation supplemented by minerals and vitamins.

Anatomy: