Description: Slider turtles range from 4 to 11.4 inches in length and exhibit sexual dimorphism; females tend to be larger than males. Females can reach a mass of up to 7 lbs. Average female shell length in adulthood is 10 inches. Female slider turtles are considered adults when they are 6 to 7.9 inchers in length and 5 to 8 years old. Average male shell length in adulthood is 7 inches. Male sliders are considered adults when they are 3.5 to 4.3 inches in length and 2 to 5 years old. Male masses are not reported in literature. Hatchlings are usually between 9 and 13.75 inches in shell length, but average masses are not available.
The upper portion of the shell, the carapace, tends to be oval-shaped with sharp edges. The carapace is rough with indentations that vary in direction. The bottom of the shell, the plastron, is flat and smooth. The overall roundness of the plastron is determined by the roundness of the egg from which the turtle hatched. The coloring of the carapace ranges from greenish yellow to gray, brown, and black. Large, yellow lines are often present on the carapace. The plastron tends to be lighter in color than the carapace, and it is usually yellow with black spots or streaks. The skin is dark green and brown. Older males exhibit melanism, which is the darkening of both the carapace and plastron in addition to the skin. These turtles are often completely black in color.v
Slider turtles have oblong heads that end in snouts that point upward. They have webbed feet for swimming with five digits on each limb. Both males and females have foreclaws that are used in courtship. These claws may be longer in males than in females, although lengths have not been reported in the literature.
Skin and some plastron markings vary by subspecies. Cumberland sliders, Trachemys scripta troostii, have yellow and black lines on their legs and their posteriors as well as yellow markings on their necks and behind their eyes. Cumberland sliders usually have less yellow coloration than other subspecies. Yellow-bellied sliders, Trachemys scripta scripta, have yellow and black lines on their necks and limbs, but the lines tend to be vertical, thinner, and more frequent. The yellow areas near their eyes are rectangular and vertical. Two black spots are usually present on the plastrons of these turtles. Red-eared sliders, Trachemys scripta elegans, have similar lines on their hind limbs, but the streaks posterior to their eyes are horizontal and bright red.
Slider turtles are often mistaken for chicken turtles, Deirochelys reticularia, and painted turtles, Chrysemys picta. Slider turtles can be distinguished from chicken turtles by the carapace. Unlike slider turtles, chicken turtles have smooth shells. Differentiation for painted turtles is based on the markings behind the eyes. Painted turtles have two yellow patches behind each eye, and all slider turtles have only one yellow or red patch behind each eye.
Habitat: Slider turtles are semiaquatic animals that live in freshwater and brackish environments. They can be found in waterbodies that hold water year-round, like ponds, lakes, rivers, swamps, lagoons, and streams. They also can live in vernal/seasonal farm ponds. Slider turtles are found in shallow, slow-moving water that has diverse vegetation and nearby places to bask. Depths of 2 to 3 feet are most common for sliders. They can also be found in terrestrial habitats, such as semi-evergreen forests or savannas, that have water sources close to them. During seasonal dryness, turtles living in these areas will seek a new habitat with a water source. Moist sloughs and muddy areas are also common places for slider turtles to live. They do not inhabit marine environments.
Range: Slider turtles, Trachemys scripta, are native to the southeastern and central United States and northern Mexico. Yellow-bellied sliders, Trachemys scripta scripta, range from the southern portion of Virginia south to the northern border of Florida. Cumberland sliders, Trachemys scripta troostii, range from southwestern Virginia to Alabama. Cumberland sliders are found west of the Appalachian Mountains. Red-eared sliders, Trachemys scripta elegans, range from Alabama south to northern Mexico.
Red-eared sliders have been introduced into other areas of the United States, including Hawaii, California, Arizona, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, and southern Florida. They have also been introduced into Canada, and central Mexico.
Diet: Juvenile slider turtles are mostly carnivorous. They feed on insects such as beetles and grasshoppers, larvae, spiders, crayfish, tadpoles, fish, clams, freshwater sponges, snails, slugs, small amphibians, and other reptiles. They occasionally consume the flesh of dead animals. Juvenile slider turtles need to eat other animals because they require more nutrients than they are able to digest from plants. This is potentially due to the time-consuming fermentation process in their guts during digestion. When animal prey are scare, eating a plant-based diet can result in stunted growth and poor survival.
As they mature, they experience an ontogenetic shift and become omnivores. Adult slider turtles develop a microflora in their digestive tracts that allow them to break down plants. They feed mostly on aquatic plants and terrestrial plant material like stems, leaves, flowers, and seeds. They also consume algae regularly. Adult slider turtles will consume other animals when they can, particularly freshwater invertebrates. Slider turtles are opportunistic, foraging both in the water and on land.
Reproduction: Slider turtles exhibit polygynandrous mating behavior. Courtship behavior involves biting, chasing, and foreclaw displays. This behavior can be initiated and reciprocated by either sex, but male initiation is most common. Males will frequently chase females and make attempts to bite their limbs and tails. Slider turtles also engage in a behavior known as titillation. This is a ritualistic display of the males' foreclaws. It involves using the foreclaws to make underwater vibrations near the eyes of females. It can also involve touching the faces of the females. After the display, females may reciprocate. Mating attempts usually follow titillation. Melanistic males more frequently engage in courtship behaviors than nonmelanistic males do. Melanistic males are generally older and larger than nonmelanistic males. Nonmelanistic males are more likely to attempt to mate without performing prior courtship rituals.
The breeding season for slider turtles begins in April and usually last through late October. During ideal weather conditions, mating can occur through December. Males reach sexual maturity between 2 and 5 years of age, and females reach sexual maturity between 5 and 8 years of age. Females typically lay 1 to 2 clutches per year, but they can lay up to 4 clutches. Females lay an average of 6 to 11 (range 2 to 20) eggs per clutch. Nesting females have been known to voyage across land more than 1.6 km from their permanent aquatic habitats to find an opportune nesting site. Hatchling incubation periods range from 60-95 days.
Female sliders usually construct their nests between April and July. Nests are oval-shaped with a single hole that is usually about 4 to 5.5 inches deep. Soil type is not a good predictor of nest location. Sliders are commonly found building nests after dark or during periods of rain. Females will nest in the same area if they had success the previous year. Due to their basking needs, females often construct nests in places that receive large amounts of sunshine. While this can decrease the incubation period, it means that the nests are in the open, which makes them more subject to predation.
Some surviving hatchlings emerge from their nests almost immediately after hatching, but most engage in something known as overwintering. These hatchlings remain in their nests for up to 10 months. During this time, sliders internalize the yolks from their eggs for sustenance. Overwintering can increase hatchling fitness by increasing emerging hatchling size and energy reserves. Hatchlings are 23 to 35 mm in shell length. Birth mass is unknown.
Status: Slider turtles are listed as a species of least concern on the IUCN Red List. They do not have any special statuses on US government lists. Slider turtles are a prolific invasive species, and there is more concern surrounding their presence in many locations rather than their threatened status. Sliders have been introduced through pet releases onto nearly every continent.
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Disclaimer: ITIS taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available, and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties. However, it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes. While every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up-to-date information available, ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the United States is a party, wildlife statutes, regulations, and any applicable notices that have been published in the Federal Register. For further information on U.S. legal requirements with respect to protected taxa, please contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
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