Armand Bayou Nature Center

Red-eared Slider

(Trachemys scripta elegans)

Red-eared Sliders are out in full swing around Armand Bayou Nature Center this month. Many females will be encountered crossing roadways as they search for a perfect location in which to lay their eggs. Oftentimes, the nest location leaves a lot to be desired. Eggs may turn up in the most unlikely places. Many eggs will never hatch out due to hazards associated with nest location and predators. However, those eggs that survive to hatch will produce a large number of baby sliders that will be making their way to the pond, or marsh that will become their home. Keep your eyes out for sliders while driving or using machinery that might harm them during their journey. If you encounter one while driving, you may assist the turtle by carefully picking it up and moving it off of the roadway-be sure to keep it facing in the direction it was initially traveling. Also, be aware that they can and will bite, so pick them up firmly around the midpoint of their shell with both hands, and avoid getting your hands to close to their head! Please keep your own safety in mind, especially if you are stopped in traffic. If you spot an injured turtle, there are a number of rehabilitators who will be able to help. Check out our page on injured wildlife for their contact information.

Red-eared Slider Facts:

• Where they are found: Red-eared Sliders are a semi-aquatic turtles native to the Southeast United states, primarily around the Mississippi River South to the Gulf of Mexico. They are popular pets, and due to pet sliders being released into the wild, they are now found in a number of locations around the world. Unfortunately, this creates a problem for native turtles in areas where there is competition between the species.
• Description: Red-eared Sliders are named for the red streak on either side of their head, but sometimes the streak is made of a number of red patches, or even completely missing. Hatchling red-ears generally have beautiful green skin and carapace (shell), with yellow and green markings on the carapace. As the turtle ages, much of the color fades from the carapace, and older adults may appear drab-olive green, or even black. Additionally, may sliders in the wild will have algae growing on their shell, so identification of markings may be difficult. Red-ears have webbed feet, but not true flippers as found in sea turtles. Males have very long front claws that aid in gripping the female's shell during mating, and also play a role in courtship. Red-ears can grow up to 12" in diameter, with males typically 4-6" smaller than the females. Upon hatching, young red-ears are only about 1" in diameter.

Reproduction:

• Courtship occurs underwater, with the male approaching the female and vibrating his long claws around her head. If she is receptive, she will sink to the bottom so mating may commence. Unreceptive females can become quite aggressive with their would-be suitors. Occasionally, two males will display this behavior, but at this time it is a show of dominance.
• Breeding takes place between March and June, with females laying eggs throughout June and July. Females may travel long distances over land to find a place suitable for making a nest, which they dig out using all four of their feet. In ground that is too tough to dig, the female will produce copious amounts of urine onto the substrate to soften the soil up for digging. If she is disturbed during this process, she will often return to a water source to drink enough water to begin the process again. This can create added stress to a gravid (carrying eggs) female.
  
  One female may lay up to three clutches of eggs during breeding season. Each clutch may contain anywhere from 4-25 white, oval eggs. The eggs of turtles do not have a hard shell like those of birds. Instead, the shell is tough and leathery. Hatchlings emerge within 2-3 months after eggs have been laid. Red-eared sliders do not reach sexual maturity until they are between 2-7 years of age.

Behavior:

• Like other reptiles, red-eared sliders are ectotherms-meaning they regulate their body temperature by absorbing heat from their surroundings. Because of this, these turtles are very fond of basking in the warm sun on logs and sandbanks. Sometimes, they will even use other red-eared sliders as a platform to bask on! It is not unusual to see a whole stack of these turtles resting in the sun. They also have an odd habit of sticking their limbs straight up into the air while basking, a behavior that maximizes the amount of solar heat on their limbs. The name "slider" comes from their habit of quickly sliding off their basking platforms into the water when startled, or approached by something they perceive as a threat.

Diet:

• Red-eared sliders are omnivorous, meaning they eat both plant and animal material. The diet of young sliders is high in protein, and consists of prey items such as mollusks, aquatic insects, and tadpoles. As Sliders mature, more plant matter is added to their diet, and older adults feed primarily on aquatic vegetation, with animal protein eaten as it is available.
• Hibernation: Hibernation in reptiles is correctly called brumation. Red-eared sliders often spend the winter in brumation at the bottom of shallow ponds, although they can also be found in hollow logs, stumps, and under banks. They go into the inactive state of brumation when temperatures begin to drop to approximately 50º F. Unlike many other animals that enter hibernation, sliders may emerge from brumation during periods of warmer weather.

As Pets:

• Red-eared Sliders have been popular pets for many years. Unfortunately, while baby sliders are irresistible to many people, they can quickly become large and caring for a turtle properly can be a messy and time-consuming responsibility. Well-meaning but uninformed people release pet sliders into the wild, believing that the turtle will be able to live a normal, happy life. This is usually not the case. Turtles bred in captivity do not have an immune system adequate to handle the diseases found in the wild. They also may not know how to properly hunt for themselves. Additionally, they easily become an invasive species if released in non-native habitats.
  
  If you do decide you want to take on the responsibility of turtle-ownership, red-eared sliders are readily available in many large pet shops. Make sure you carefully research what your turtle will require before you buy-turtles require specific enclosure, lighting, heat, and food requirements. Do not take a turtle from the wild for a pet, as this is illegal, and never release a pet turtle into the wild. Finally, be aware that sliders may carry Salmonella, so thoroughly wash your hands after holding one, and do not let very young children, or immune-impaired individuals touch one. With the proper precautions, and the proper care, these turtles can be interesting and rewarding pets.

Conservation:

• Red-eared sliders are facing a threat: the collection and transportation of thousands of turtles to Asian markets for consumption. As these turtles are collected, they are stuffed by the thousands into mesh bags. Many turtles die before they reach their destination. It is unclear what kind of effect the harvesting of sliders is having on Texas populations, but severe declines due to hunting within other species of turtles, show that red-ears may be in peril. In 2007, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department proposed regulations to prohibit the collections of turtles from public waters. Collection in private waters is still legal. Additionally, Armand Bayou Nature Center (in conjunction with the Houston Zoo) is currently working on a 5-year research project contracted through Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Texas State University, which will help estimate current populations, and show dispersement patterns of individual turtles between public and private waters. Hopefully, we will be able to save red-eared sliders, as well as other freshwater turtle species, before it is too late.

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