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 [...]

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