Red-eared Slider Turtle Shell

The Red-Eared Slider is a semi-aquatic pond slider native to the southern United States. It gets the “Red-Eared” part of its name from the distinctive red stripe around its ears, and the “Slider” part from its ability to slide quickly off rocks into the water to avoid predators. They are deceptively fast and they are excellent swimmers, spending most of their time in the water except when they lie on rocks to bask in the sun. They about 10 inches long on average and have a dark green shell with variable markings.

They are omnivorous, feeding on a variety of aquatic plants as well as insects, worms, small crustaceans and fish. Slider turtles are also quite common as pets.

A turtle's skeleton is unlike any other vertebrate's because the shoulder blade is inside the rib cage, which is a part of the outer shell.