Red-eared Slider

(Older) Red-eared Slider, Trachemys scripta elegans

The most common aquatic turtle in Texas is the red-eared slider. While more obvious in younger turtles, red-eared sliders are overall green with a head marked by yellow stripes and a characteristic red stripe behind the eye. Like other Testudines, they exhibit sexual dimorphism in terms of size with males averaging 158 mm (6.2 in) and females averaging 246 mm (9.7 in). Their typical longevity is 9 to 13 years, but they have been recorded to living up to 37 years. Red-eared sliders prefer permanent, slow-moving water such as ponds and consume aquatic plants, small fish, and decaying matter. While native to the Mississippi Valley from Illinois to the Gulf of Mexico, red-eared sliders have been introduced throughout the rest of the United States as well as other countries. As they were once a popular dime store turtle, it is believed most introductions are the result of accidental and intentional releases of previous pets.