What is the red “ear”?

A stripe of red skin behind the eye

How does a slider’s diet change as it grows up?

Small animals first, then mostly plants

How does a male slider court a female?

He flutters his long front claws near her eyes

Red-eared Slider

Trachemys scripta elegans

The red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) is a medium-sized freshwater turtle from the Midwest of the United States south into north-eastern Mexico, named for the broad red stripe behind each eye and its habit of sliding off logs into the water when startled. It spends its days swimming, feeding and basking, eating mostly small animals when young and mostly plants as an adult. Millions were sold as pets, and released pets now live wild in Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia, making it one of the world’s worst invasive species.

Also known as Red-eared terrapin, Red-eared slider turtle

Red-eared slider abilities

2× more vitamin D with UV light
Sliders haul out on logs and rocks to bask. Sunshine warms their bodies and its ultraviolet light helps them make vitamin D.
- Sliders are ectotherms: their body heat comes from their surroundings, so they bask to warm up.
- In a lab study, 12 young sliders kept under UV lamps for 4 weeks had more than twice as much vitamin D in their blood as sliders without UV.
- Sliders are sociable baskers and often crowd onto the same log.
- Even far from home, in Turkey, an invasive population kept its body close to its preferred temperature by careful basking.
Vitamin D in the blood after 4 weeks
With UV lamp71.7 nmol/L
No UV lamp31.4 nmol/L
Average of 6 young sliders per group (lab study).
Sources [2, 11, 12]
0.6–0.9 m favourite water depth
This is where the name comes from: at the first sign of danger, a basking slider slides off its rock or log into the water.
- Its name, slider, comes from how quickly it slides off rocks, logs or banks when danger threatens.
- Sliders like slow, shallow water with lots of plants and basking spots, most often 0.6–0.9 m deep.
- Many animals hunt sliders, from alligators, gar and herons to raccoons, so a quick escape matters.
Sources [2, 4]
Straight back the neck folds into the shell
When it feels threatened, a slider pulls its head, legs and tail into its hard, bony shell.
- The neck folds straight back inside the shell, not sideways like the side-necked turtles of Australia.
- In Australia, where every native turtle tucks its head in sideways, this straight-back pull helps people spot escaped sliders.
- Near water, a slider’s first escape is usually to slide in instead.
Sources [1, 4, 6]
Mar–Jun main courtship season
A courting male swims face to face with a female and flutters his long front claws in the water near her eyes.
- Both sexes have front claws used in courtship, but males’ are longer.
- Courtship can also include chasing and nipping. Either sex can start it, though males usually do.
- Old, dark (melanistic) males flutter their claws more often than younger, brighter males.
- In Missouri, courtship happens mostly from mid-March to mid-June, and sometimes in autumn.
Sources [1, 2, 8]
6–11 eggs in a typical clutch
In late spring, females leave the water, dig a nest hole on land and lay their eggs. Then the eggs are on their own.
- A clutch usually holds 6–11 eggs (2–20 in all). In Missouri the average is 10 and the most is 22.
- Females lay 1–2 clutches a year, sometimes up to 4. The nest is about 10–14 cm deep.
- The eggs hatch after 60–95 days. Nest temperature decides the babies’ sex: below 28.6 °C all males, above 29.6 °C all females.
- Each egg is 31–43 mm long and weighs 6.1–15.4 g.
Sources [1, 2, 6, 13]
1 red stripe per side
The broad red stripe behind each eye is the quickest way to tell a red-eared slider from other pond turtles.
- The stripe is usually red or orange and very rarely yellow.
- Painted turtles have two yellow spots behind each eye. Yellow-bellied sliders have a yellow patch and no red.
- Old males can turn so dark (melanistic) that the pattern is hard to see.
Sources [1, 2, 3]
1 summer for the switch to plants
Baby sliders hunt small animals. Grown-ups eat mostly plants.
- Juveniles eat insects, larvae, spiders, crayfish, tadpoles, snails, small fish and more. Animal food gives them the calcium and nutrients they need to grow.
- The switch from meat to mostly plants can happen within one summer.
- Adults still snack on animals, and they feast on periodical cicadas when the 13- or 17-year swarms appear.
Sources [1, 2, 7]
5 webbed toes on each foot
A slider swims by paddling with all four webbed feet.
- Each foot has five toes joined by webbing, like a built-in flipper.
- Sliders forage underwater and often float with only the head above the surface.
- At night they sleep resting on the bottom or floating at the surface.
Sources [1, 2]

Tap a pin on the model or a part below.

10–29 cm adult shell length
- The upper shell, or carapace, is olive brown with lots of black and yellow lines.
- Adults measure about 10–29 cm along the shell. Females grow bigger than males.
- Each year a new layer of shell scales (scutes) grows under the old one. The growth lines can show a slider’s age until it is about 4 years old.
- Older sliders often wear a thick coat of green algae on their shells.
Sources [1, 2, 3, 4]
- The lower shell, or plastron, is yellow. Each scale normally has a large dark brown or black blotch.
- Its cousin the yellow-bellied slider has a mostly yellow belly shell with only a few black spots.
- Sliders are often mistaken for painted turtles or chicken turtles. Chicken turtles have smooth shells; sliders’ shells are not.
Sources [1, 2]
1 red stripe behind each eye
- The famous “red ear” is a broad red or orange stripe of skin behind each eye. Very rarely it is yellow.
- It is a marking, not an ear. The stripe runs straight back along the side of the head.
- Painted turtles have two yellow spots behind each eye. Sliders have just one patch.
- Some old males turn very dark all over, which is called melanism.
Sources [1, 2, 3]
- The retina has a cone cell tuned to ultraviolet light, a colour people cannot see.
- Lab studies found signs that the retina mixes ultraviolet into its colour vision, alongside red, green and blue.
- The snout points upwards, and sliders often float with just the head above the water.
Sources [2, 5]
Straight back how the neck pulls in
- A slider pulls its head straight back into the shell, folding its neck inside.
- All of Australia’s native turtles tuck their heads in sideways instead, so the straight-back pull is one clue to an escaped slider there.
Sources [6]
1 summer for the switch to plants
- Young sliders are mostly meat-eaters: insects, larvae, spiders, crayfish, tadpoles, snails and small fish.
- As they grow, they switch to mostly plants. In one study, the shift happened over a single summer.
- Young sliders’ food holds much more calcium than adults’ food. Scientists think the growing shell needs it.
- When periodical cicadas swarm out every 13 or 17 years, sliders feast on them.
Sources [1, 2, 7]
- Both males and females have front claws used in courtship, but they are longer in males.
- A male courts by fluttering his long front claws through the water near a female’s eyes.
- Old, dark (melanistic) males court with claw displays more often than younger males.
Sources [2, 8]
10–14 cm nest hole depth
- Each foot has five webbed toes for paddling.
- Sliders also walk well on land, for example to graze or to move between ponds.
- Females leave the water to dig a nest hole about 10–14 cm deep for their eggs.
Sources [1, 2]
- Males usually have a long, thick tail. It is one way to tell them from females.
- Females are bigger: in one summary, adult females averaged 25.4 cm along the shell and males 17.8 cm.
Sources [2, 6]
Mar–Oct active season in Missouri
- Sliders breathe air with lungs, but they rarely leave the water except to bask.
- In winter they rest underwater, buried in mud or under a cut bank.
- In cold water with plenty of oxygen, freshwater turtles can take most of the oxygen they need straight from the water.
- Adult turtles cope with low-oxygen water better than hatchlings, probably because their bonier shells work as a chemical buffer.
Sources [1, 3, 9, 10]

Real red-eared sliders

Photos from Wikimedia Commons. Some of them can repaint the 3D model.

A red-eared slider in Singapore, far from its American homePhoto: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0
Basking buddies on a log in Washington state, where sliders are not nativePhoto: brewbooks, CC BY-SA 2.0
Adult maleSmaller, with long front claws for courtship and a long, thick tail. Old males can turn very dark all over.Shell about 17.8 cm on average · mature at 2–5 yearsAn old melanistic male in Germany: the dark colour hides most of his pattern. Photo: Roland Gromes, CC BY-SA 4.0
HatchlingA tiny slider with a shell just 23–35 mm long.Small turtles like this are exactly the size the US banned from sale in 1975A hatchling: its shell is only a few centimetres long. Photo: Virginia State Parks staff, CC BY 2.0
Yellow-bellied sliderSame species, different subspecies (Trachemys scripta scripta): a yellow patch behind the eye instead of red, thinner vertical lines on the neck and legs, and a mostly yellow belly shell.Released pets now turn up outside its range, for example in MissouriA yellow-bellied slider basking at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. Photo: Joe Ravi, CC BY-SA 3.0
Paddling with webbed feet in a garden pond in MaltaPhoto: Godwin Borg, CC BY-SA 4.0
At home in its native range near St. Louis, MissouriPhoto: Peter Paplanus, CC BY 2.0
Two subspecies, one log: a young yellow-bellied slider on a red-eared slider’s backPhoto: Asþont, CC BY-SA 4.0

Red-eared slider by the numbers

Measured by scientists and wildlife agencies, with comparisons you can picture.

Shell length: 10–29 cm; adults, along the upper shell⁠[2, 3]
Female vs male: 25.4 cm; average adult female shell; males average 17.8 cm; Female25.4 cmMale17.8 cm; Females are about 1.4 times longer⁠[2]
Weight: up to 3.2 kg; the top weight in one species summary⁠[2]
Hatchling size: 23–35 mm; shell length at hatching; Big hatchling3.5 cmUS 4-inch sale limit10.2 cm; About a third of the size the US lets shops sell⁠[2, 14]
Eggs per clutch: 6–11; typical average; 2–20 in all, up to 22 in Missouri⁠[2, 1]
Clutches a year: 1–2; sometimes up to 4⁠[2]
Incubation: 60–95 days; from laying to hatching⁠[2, 1]
Boy-or-girl switch: 28.6–29.6 °C; cooler nests: all males; warmer: all females⁠[2, 13]
Lifespan: ≈30 years; in the wild; 41.3 years is the top captive record⁠[2, 15, 4]
Exported as pets: 52 million; from the USA, 1989–1997⁠[6]

Red-eared slider myths and facts

Pet shops, playgrounds and the internet all have stories about sliders. Here is what the evidence says.

0 of 8 answered

“The red patch is the slider’s ear.”
“The temperature of the nest decides whether a baby slider is a boy or a girl.”
“Sliders are named after sliding off logs.”
“A baby slider will stay small enough for a little tank.”
“Letting a pet slider go in a pond sets it free and helps nature.”
“A clean, healthy-looking turtle can still carry Salmonella germs.”
“Pet sliders recognise the person who feeds them.”
“Sliders spend the winter asleep on land.”

Red-eared slider records

Big numbers from the turtle that went around the world.

Most popular pet turtle
52 million+
Red-eared slider
exported from the USA in 1989–1997, the most popular turtle in the pet trade⁠[6]
On the worst-invaders list
1 of 100
Red-eared slider
listed among 100 of the world’s worst invasive alien species⁠[21]
Oldest on record
41.3 years
A captive pond slider
the top longevity record in the AnAge database; wild sliders live up to about 30 years⁠[15, 2]
Biggest clutch (Missouri)
22 eggs
Red-eared slider
the most eggs recorded in one clutch in Missouri, where the average is 10⁠[1]
Heaviest
3.2 kg
Pond slider
the top weight in one species summary; females are the bigger sex⁠[2]

Life of a red-eared slider

From an egg in a sunny bank to decades of basking.

Spring
Courtship
From mid-March to mid-June, males flutter their long front claws in front of females.⁠[1, 2]
May–June
Nest on land
A female leaves the water, digs a hole 10–14 cm deep and lays 6–11 eggs. Then she goes back to the water.⁠[1, 2, 4]
60–95 days
Warm or cool
The eggs develop in the ground. Warm nests make girls and cool nests make boys.⁠[2, 13]
Late summer
Hatching
Hatchlings break out of their eggs with shells only 23–35 mm long.⁠[1, 2]
First winter
Still in the nest
In northern places, hatchlings usually stay inside the nest all winter and climb out the next spring.⁠[1, 20, 10]
Year 1
Little hunter
Young sliders eat insects, tadpoles, snails and small fish to grow fast.⁠[2, 7]
2–8 years
Grown up
Males mature at 2–5 years and females at 5–8 years, later in cold places. By now they eat mostly plants.⁠[2, 1, 7]
Every winter
Under the water
Sliders rest underwater in the mud through the cold months. In Missouri they become active again in March, once the air reaches about 10 °C (50 °F).⁠[1, 4]
Up to ≈30 years
Old age
Wild sliders can live about 30 years. Some old males turn very dark.⁠[2, 15, 1]

Red-eared sliders as pets: the facts

Sliders are popular pets, but they are a big, long commitment and they can carry germs. These are the numbers to know.

1975
US ban on small turtles
Selling turtles with shells under 4 inches (about 10 cm) has been banned in the USA since 1975 because they spread Salmonella, especially to children. Outbreaks still happen when small turtles are sold illegally.⁠[14, 22]
100,000
child infections prevented each year
US health officials estimate that the small-turtle ban prevents about 100,000 Salmonella infections in children every year.⁠[14]
Under 5
too young to handle reptiles
Children under 5 should not touch reptiles or their tanks, because they are more likely to get seriously ill.⁠[14, 19]
≈30 cm
how big a pet can grow
A tiny hatchling can grow to about 30 cm and live for decades, so a pet slider needs a big tank for a long time.⁠[6, 2, 15]

Wash your hands with soap and running water after touching a turtle, its food, its tank or its water. Never release a pet turtle: ask a pet shop or rescue to rehome it.

Is the red-eared slider endangered?

No. It is common at home in the USA. The bigger problem is the other way round: released pets now threaten native turtles in many countries.

IUCN Red List

Least Concern (LC)

One of the most common turtles in its native range, from the US Midwest into north-eastern Mexico. Outside that range it is treated as an invasive species.⁠[23, 24, 3, 1]

IUCN Red List (pond slider, Trachemys scripta)

Threats

Released pets52 million+
More than 52 million sliders were exported from the USA in 1989–1997. Many owners were not ready for adults up to 30 cm long, and some let them go.⁠[6]
Crowding out native turtles
In experimental ponds, sliders won the best basking spots from endangered European pond turtles.⁠[17]
Spreading parasites
Surveys in France and Spain found parasites in wild and captive pond turtles. At least 8 kinds had probably arrived with American turtles.⁠[18]
At home in new places
Sliders have bred in the wild in Mediterranean Europe, and an invasive population in Turkey keeps its body temperature close to its preferred range.⁠[6, 12]

What’s helping

Never release pets
Rehome an unwanted turtle through a pet shop or rescue. Most pet reptiles released outdoors die, and some harm wildlife.⁠[14, 1]
Trade rules
Several countries ban importing sliders, and the USA has banned selling small turtles since 1975.⁠[1, 14]
Removing escapees
In Missouri, wildlife staff are removing released yellow-bellied sliders to protect native turtles.⁠[1]
Raising the alarm
Listing the slider among the world’s 100 worst invaders helps warn people about releasing pets.⁠[21, 6]

Red-eared slider vs yellow-bellied slider vs painted turtle

Three common North American pond turtles that often bask on the same logs.

Red-eared slider vs yellow-bellied slider vs painted turtle
	Red-eared slider	Yellow-bellied slider	Painted turtle
Scientific name⁠[24, 2, 25]	Trachemys scripta elegans	Trachemys scripta scripta	Chrysemys picta
Mark behind the eye⁠[3, 1, 2]	One broad red (rarely yellow) stripe	A yellow patch, no red	Two yellow spots
Native range⁠[3, 2, 25]	US Midwest to north-eastern Mexico	Southern Virginia to northern Florida	Southern Canada to northern Mexico
Eggs per clutch⁠[2, 25]	6–11 on average (2–20)	Same species: similar	4–15
Lifespan⁠[2, 15, 25]	≈30 years wild; 41.3 in captivity	Same species: similar	Up to 35–40 years
Winter trick⁠[1, 20, 26, 27]	Rests underwater in mud; hatchlings stay in the nest	Same species: similar	Adults last 3–4 months with no oxygen at 3 °C; hatchlings survive partly freezing

Red-eared and yellow-bellied sliders are two subspecies of one species, the pond slider, so their lives are much alike.

Red-eared slider quiz

12 questions. Every answer is somewhere on this page.

Question 1 of 12Score 0

Why is it called a “slider”?

Red-eared Slider field notes

Diet, food web, safety and badges from the Snappit field guide.

Diet & Feeding

Young sliders eat bugs and fish, but adults enjoy more greens and aquatic plants!

Primary Foods

Aquatic insects
Small fish
Tadpoles
Aquatic plants
Algae
Worms
Foraging Method: Foraging

Age differences: Young turtles are mostly carnivorous, eating insects and small aquatic life; as they mature, their diet shifts to become primarily herbivorous.

Ecological connections

American AlligatorEaten by
Adult alligators often prey on juvenile and adult sliders.
Great Blue HeronEaten by
Large wading birds can snatch young sliders from the water.
MosquitofishEats
Young sliders eat small animals, including small fish.
Common DuckweedEats
Adult sliders eat mostly water plants.

Safety

Danger 2/5 · Low

Look but don’t touch. Keep a safe distance and wash your hands with soap after exploring. Turtles can carry germs, so children under 5 should not touch turtles or their tanks.

Traits

Collections

Reptiles & Amphibians

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Testudines
Order: Testudines
Family: Emydidae
Genus: Trachemys

Sources for these red-eared slider facts

27 studies and references · checked Oct 16, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

How to identify Red-eared 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 Red-eared Slider?

10-29 cm

How much does Red-eared Slider weigh?

0.5-3.2 kg

How long does Red-eared Slider live?

20-30 years

What does Red-eared Slider eat?

Young sliders eat bugs and fish, but adults enjoy more greens and aquatic plants!

Where is Red-eared Slider usually found?

Freshwater lakes, ponds, and rivers

How many eggs does Red-eared Slider lay?

2-22

Why is it called a red-eared slider?

“Red-eared” comes from the broad red or orange stripe behind each eye, which is a marking, not an ear. “Slider” comes from its habit of sliding off rocks and logs into the water when it is startled.

How big do red-eared sliders get?

Adults measure about 10–29 cm along the shell and can weigh up to about 3.2 kg. Females are bigger: in one summary they averaged 25.4 cm, males 17.8 cm. Hatchlings are only 23–35 mm long.

How long do red-eared sliders live?

Wild sliders can live about 30 years. The top captive record in the AnAge database is 41.3 years, so a pet slider is a commitment for decades.

What do red-eared sliders eat?

Young sliders eat mostly small animals such as insects, tadpoles, snails, crayfish and small fish. As they grow they switch to mostly water plants, though adults still eat some animals.

How can you tell a male red-eared slider from a female?

Males are smaller, with long front claws and a long, thick tail. Females have bigger shells. Old males often turn very dark.

What do red-eared sliders do in winter?

In cold places they rest underwater, buried in mud or under a cut bank, and become active again in spring. In cold, well-oxygenated water, freshwater turtles can take most of the oxygen they need from the water. Northern hatchlings usually spend their first winter in the nest.

Are red-eared sliders invasive?

Yes, outside their native range. Released pets live wild in Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia, and the slider is listed among 100 of the world’s worst invasive alien species. In Europe they take basking spots from native pond turtles. Never release a pet turtle.

Can you get Salmonella from a pet turtle?

Yes. Turtles often carry Salmonella in their gut, even when they look clean and healthy. Wash your hands with soap and running water after touching a turtle, its food or its tank. Children under 5 should not handle reptiles.