# Pond Slider (*Trachemys scripta*) The Pond Slider is a cheerful turtle that loves to bask in the sun and swim in ponds. They have colorful shells and are fun to watch as they glide through the water! - **Category:** [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/reptile) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 171 - **Habitat:** Wetlands - **Also known as:** Red-eared Turtle ![Pond Slider](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Red-eared_Slider_Thailand.JPG&width=800) Photo: Happyswissman, CC BY 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Red-eared_Slider_Thailand.JPG) ## Appearance The Pond Slider is a medium-sized freshwater turtle, often with a smooth, oval-shaped carapace that ranges from green to brown. It typically features yellow stripes or blotches on its skin, and some subspecies, like the Red-eared Slider, have a distinctive red or orange patch behind each eye. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Testudines - **Order:** Testudines - **Family:** Emydidae - **Genus:** Trachemys ## Interesting facts - A baby Pond Slider's gender depends on the temperature of its nest eggs! - Pond Sliders shed their scutes (shell plates) like skin, sometimes even eating them! - These amazing turtles can live longer than your grandparents, sometimes over 50 years! - They can stay underwater for over 30 minutes, holding their breath like a pro diver! ## Special abilities - **Sunbathing Superstar:** Pond Sliders can absorb solar energy through their dark shells, helping them regulate body temperature and produce vital Vitamin D. - **Shell Shield:** Pond Sliders have a hard, bony shell that acts as a protective armor, allowing them to withdraw their head and limbs from predators. - **Aquatic Agile:** Pond Sliders can paddle quickly through water with their webbed feet, allowing them to escape danger and hunt for food efficiently. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 12-30 cm - **Weight:** 0.5-3 kg - **Lifespan:** 20-50 years - **Speed:** 1 km/h - **Swim Speed:** 10 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-30 - **Incubation:** 60-90 days - **Maximum Depth:** 5 m ## Diet & Feeding These turtles munch on plants and small animals, changing their diet as they grow! - **Age differences:** Young sliders are mostly carnivorous, eating insects and small aquatic animals; adults gradually eat more aquatic plants and algae. - **Primary Foods:** algae, aquatic plants, insects, small fish, tadpoles, worms - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [American Alligator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-alligator) (*Alligator mississippiensis*) — Alligators prey on young and adult sliders in their native range. - **Eats:** [Raccoon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/raccoon) (*Procyon lotor*) — Raccoons frequently raid slider nests for eggs, reducing hatching success. - **Eats:** Fragrant Water Lily (*Nymphaea odorata*) — Adult sliders graze on aquatic vegetation like lily pads and other plants. - **Eats:** [Western Mosquitofish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-mosquitofish) (*Gambusia affinis*) — Young sliders actively hunt and consume small fish and tadpoles. ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. ## Collections - [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch from a distance and don't try to touch wild turtles. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Pond Slider? Compare shell shape, shell markings, head stripes and the shape of the feet. Wear, age and algae can hide shell patterns. Turtle Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Pond Slider? 12-30 cm ### How much does Pond Slider weigh? 0.5-3 kg ### How long does Pond Slider live? 20-50 years ### How fast can Pond Slider move? 1 km/h ### What does Pond Slider eat? These turtles munch on plants and small animals, changing their diet as they grow! ### How fast can Pond Slider swim? 10 km/h ### Where is Pond Slider usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [Alabama City Wall Street Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/alabama-city-wall-street-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Albany Pine Bush](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/albany-pine-bush) — New York, US · Nature Reserve - [Anderson University](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/anderson-university) — South Carolina, US · Campus - [Batesville East Main Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/batesville-east-main-historic-district) — Arkansas, US · Historic District - [Broadmoor](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/broadmoor) — Louisiana, US · Neighborhood - [Brooklyn Botanic Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brooklyn-botanic-garden) — New York, US · Botanical Garden [View all places to see Pond Slider](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/pond-slider) ## More Reptiles - [Western Fence Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-fence-lizard) (*Sceloporus occidentalis*) - [Common Five-lined Skink](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-five-lined-skink) (*Plestiodon fasciatus*) - [Desert Spiny Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/desert-spiny-lizard) (*Sceloporus magister*) - [Northern Curly-tailed Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-curly-tailed-lizard) (*Leiocephalus carinatus*) --- Source: [Pond Slider: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pond-slider)