Thursday, January 10, 2008

Red Eared Sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans)


Red Eared Sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans)High Resolution Image - File size: 186 KB. Format: JPEG Image (image/pjpeg) Dimensions: Screen: 1050px x 701px. Print: 7.00 x 4.67 inches. Resolution: 150 dpi (mid, presentation quality) Depth: Full Color.

Primary Metadata Title: Red-Eared Sliders. Alternative Title: (Trachemys scripta elegans) Creator: Stolz, Gary M. Source: WO8471-002
Publisher: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Contributor DIVISION OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS. Language: EN - ENGLISH. Rights: (public domain) Audience: (general) Subject: Animals, Reptiles, Wildlife, turtles, turtle, wetland.

Red-eared slider From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) is a semi-aquatic turtle (terrapin) belonging to the family Emydidae. It is a native of the southern United States, but has become common in various areas of the world due to the pet trade. They are very popular pets in the United States, the Netherlands, Canada, and England.

Red-eared Sliders (RES) are members of the order Testudines, which contains nearly 250 species. In the United States and Canada, members of this genus are usually referred to as turtles. However, in the UK they are split into Turtles (aquatic), Tortoises (land), and Terrapins (semi-aquatic). All turtles and tortoises may also be referred to as "chelonians". RES were formerly classified as Chrysemys scripta elegans.

RES are native to the area around the Mississippi River down to the Gulf of Mexico. They thrive in warmer climates, particularly the Southeast quadrant of the United States. Such an area would be east of and below Colorado to Virginia down to Florida. They naturally reside in areas with calm, fresh, warm water sources. This includes ponds, lakes, marshes, creeks, and streams. They prefer quiet areas with a basking area, such a large flat rock or a floating log, in full sunlight. It is common for RES to bask together and even on top of each other. There is also abundant vegetation, which is the main component of an adult slider's diet. Wild RES will stay close to a water source unless they are in search of a new one. A female RES will also leave the water if she needs to nest and lay her eggs.

The pet trade has expanded their range around the world, often at the expense of native terrapins. Therefore, it is not difficult to locate RES in some suitable habitat anywhere in the world.

Pet RES should not be released into a wild habitat. These pets could carry organisms that the wild populations are not immune to and the pet may not have the proper immune system that is required to live in a wild habitat. Disease could easily be spread by this practice. Pet turtles fed commercial diets also may not recognize natural foods and may associate humans with food which could endanger the turtle. Pet owners should contact a rescue organization if they no longer want their turtle

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article, Red-eared slider

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