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This site was created by students in the herpetology class at Towson University.  Site last updated: 05/21/07.

Acknowledgements: Herb Harris - Range Maps;  Mark Tegges - Photography; Dan Lapascha & Gigi Forester - TU Herpetology Logo

Red-eared Slider

Description

    The red-eared slider is native of the southern United States but has become common in various areas of the world due to the pet trade. It also has been introduced and established over a large area in Maryland.  The broad reddish stripe behind the eye is unique among North American turtles, but not all individuals of this species possess this stripe.  The typical red stripe is occasionally yellow, and is also often obscured by dark pigment in older individuals.  Even the limbs, head, and tail become darker as an individual gets older.  The change may start taking place at any age, but males are more susceptible to melanism than females.  The adult carapace length is usually 12 - 20 cm (5 - 8 in.). 

 Habitat

    Red-eared sliders prefer habitats with fresh, calm, and warm water with a muddy bottom, profuse vegetation, and a good deal of sunlight.  These habitats may include typical ponds, lakes, marshes, creeks and streams. They are often seen basking on logs or other objects in their habitats. Red-eared sliders bury themselves in loose soil or mud during the winter to escape the cold. When population numbers get high, they move across land to other bodies of water in search of food and space. They eat aquatic plants, small fish, and decaying material.

 Breeding

    Male sliders become sexually mature when they are 2 - 5 years old and females when 5 - 7 years old.  Mating and courtship usually occurs between March and June and nesting in May and June. Females will often travel some distance to find a suitable nesting site and may lay up to 3 clutches per season. Hatchlings emerge in 60 to 75 days, usually between July and September.  The young are 2.8 - 3.3 cm (1 - 1 in.) long upon hatching. Sliders grow quickly when young, reaching about 2 inches within one year, but as they get older their growth slows.

Distribution in Maryland

Range map adapted from Harris, 1975. 

Links

http://nis.gsmfc.org/nis_factsheet.php?toc_id=208

http://bss.sfsu.edu/holzman/courses/Fall01%20projects/reslider.htm

http://www.science.mcmaster.ca/Biology/Harbour/SPECIES/TURTLE/RED-EAR/ECOLOGY/