# Yellow-bellied Slider (*Trachemys scripta scripta*) The Yellow-bellied Slider is a friendly turtle with a bright yellow belly! They love to slide off logs into the water. - **Category:** [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/reptile) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 12 - **Habitat:** Ponds and lakes - **Also known as:** Yellow-bellied Terrapin, Yellow-bellied Turtle ![Yellow-bellied Slider](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426087/objects/5725.jpg) ## Appearance The Yellow-bellied Slider has a smooth, olive-green to brown shell with a distinct yellow or orange stripe behind each eye, extending down its neck. Its underbelly (plastron) is bright yellow with two dark spots at the front and sometimes more spots along the edges, setting it apart from other similar turtles. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Testudines - **Order:** Testudines - **Family:** Emydidae - **Genus:** Trachemys ## Interesting facts - Female sliders lay their eggs in nests dug on land. - Their shell grows rings, like a tree, showing their age. - These turtles can spend winter sleeping at the bottom of a pond. - They can smell predators from surprisingly far away! ## Special abilities - **Shell Shield:** Yellow-bellied Sliders have a hard, dome-shaped shell that helps them stay safe from predators by retracting their head and limbs inside. - **Sun Soaker:** Yellow-bellied Sliders can bask in the sun for hours, which helps them regulate their body temperature and digest their food efficiently. - **Underwater Breathing:** Yellow-bellied Sliders can absorb oxygen through their skin and throat, allowing them to stay submerged for longer periods. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 12.5-30 cm - **Weight:** 0.5-2.5 kg - **Lifespan:** 20-30 years - **Speed:** 1 km/h - **Swim Speed:** 5 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-22 - **Incubation:** 60-90 days - **Maximum Depth:** 5 m ## Diet & Feeding These turtles eat a varied diet of plants and small creatures they find in the water. - **Age differences:** Young sliders are more carnivorous, eating insects and tadpoles, while adults eat more aquatic plants. - **Primary Foods:** aquatic plants, insects, tadpoles, small fish, algae - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [American Alligator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-alligator) (*Alligator mississippiensis*) — Adult sliders can be prey for large alligators. - **Eaten by:** [Raccoon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/raccoon) (*Procyon lotor*) — Raccoons often raid turtle nests for eggs and prey on hatchlings. - **Eaten by:** [Great Blue Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-blue-heron) (*Ardea herodias*) — Herons may catch young sliders or hatchlings in shallow water. - **Eats:** Bloodworm (Midge Larva) (*Chironomus plumosus*) — Young sliders eat various aquatic insect larvae, including midge larvae. - **Eats:** [Common Duckweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-duckweed) (*Lemna minor*) — Adult sliders consume aquatic plants like duckweed. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Webbed Feet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/webbed-feet): Characterized by having toes connected by a membrane, typically aiding in swimming. - [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. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [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 & Amphibians](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles-and-amphibians) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Look but don’t touch. Keep a safe distance and wash hands after exploring. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Yellow-bellied 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 Yellow-bellied Slider? 12.5-30 cm ### How much does Yellow-bellied Slider weigh? 0.5-2.5 kg ### How long does Yellow-bellied Slider live? 20-30 years ### How fast can Yellow-bellied Slider move? 1 km/h ### What does Yellow-bellied Slider eat? These turtles eat a varied diet of plants and small creatures they find in the water. ### How fast can Yellow-bellied Slider swim? 5 km/h ### Where is Yellow-bellied Slider usually found? Ponds and lakes ## Where to spot - [Birmingham Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/birmingham-zoo) — Alabama, US · Zoo - [Airlie Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/airlie-gardens) — North Carolina, US · Botanical Garden - [Connetquot River State Park Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/connetquot-river-state-park-preserve) — New York, US · State Park - [Cypress Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cypress-gardens) — South Carolina, US · Botanical Garden - [Heckscher Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/heckscher-park) — New York, US · Park - [Henderson Place Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/henderson-place-historic-district) — US · Historic District [View all places to see Yellow-bellied Slider](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/yellow-bellied-slider) ## More Reptiles - [Pond Slider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pond-slider) (*Trachemys scripta*) - [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*) --- Source: [Yellow-bellied Slider: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-bellied-slider)