The Red Eared Slider Turtle BY: DAWSON PITCOCK MR. JONES CLASS 1 ST PERIOD

CLASSIFICATION OF THE RED EARED SLIDER TURTLE  Common Name: Red-Eared Slider Turtle  Classification:  Kingdom: Animalia  Phylum: Chordata  Class: Reptilia  Order: Testudines  Family: Emydidae  Genus: Trachemys  Species: scripta elegans

 Description:  The red-eared slider is perhaps the best known and most recognizable of turtles. It is a medium sized turtle with a dark green oval carapace (top shell), marked with yellow in younger turtles. This slider has green legs with thin yellow stripes and a green head with a red stripe behind the eye. Adults range from inches long.  Habitat and Range:  Red-eared sliders are native to the Mississippi River valley, from Illinois, west to Kansas and Oklahoma, and south to the Gulf of Mexico. Sliders prefer quiet, soft, muddy bottomed waters with suitable basking spots. They are faithful to their home ranges, leaving only to nest or hibernate.  Diet:  Red-eared sliders eat aquatic insects, snails, tadpoles, crawfish, fish, crustaceans, and mollusks. They also eat plants like arrowhead, water lilies, hyacinths, and duck weed. Feeding occurs under water, usually in the early morning or late afternoon.  Behavior:  Red-eared sliders prefer quiet water with a muddy bottom and abundant vegetation, but they are also rarely found in moving waters. They can frequently be seen basking on rocks, logs, vegetation masses, and on banks.  Communication:  Red-eared sliders communicate with touch and vibrations. They also have a good sense of vision.  Reproduction:  Red-eared slider breeding takes place from March to early June and in warmer climates again from September to November. The nests may be constructed large distances from the water. The female usually lays between 5-18 eggs.  Species Status:  Red-eared sliders are not protected under any laws because they are considered to be flourishing.  Interesting Facts:  Baby red-eared sliders were once very popular as children's pets until it was discovered that some of them carried the disease, salmonella.

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WORKS CITED PAGE  sliderturtle.asp sliderturtle.asp  s/gallery/red-eared-slider-turtles/red- eared-slider-turtle-0020/ s/gallery/red-eared-slider-turtles/red- eared-slider-turtle-0020/