sreda, 18. september 2013

Red Ear Slider Turtle - Semi Aquatic Animal

This species gets it's name from the red stripe behind its eyes, and its habit of sliding off rocks or logs into the water when it's startled. Red ear slider is semi aquatic turtle that you can find in areas with fresh, peaceful and warm water source like ponds, marshes, streams and lakes. There needs to be abundant water vegetation, which is main diet for adult turtle. Those turtles are extremely fast swimmers.
   
These are actually some of the most prolific and well-known species of fresh water turtles in the world. There are various colour morphs of the red eared slider for instance albino, pastel and leucistic.
 
Red Ear Slider Environment
Normaly within U.S. you are able to discover red ear slider turtle between Illinois to the Gulf of Mexico, and the East Coast to western Texas. This kind of turtles generally stay in warm climates. Pet market has expanded their range throughout the whole world. So its possible to find red eared sliders in ideal habitats just about anywhere around the world.

Natural environment this kind of turtle needs needs to have freshwater source, appropriate vegetation and also nesting place. Waters or streams, these animals stay in, should be calm, warm as well as quiet. Regarding basking spot nearly anything above the surface that is stable as well as dry will do. A muddy and also soft bottom is preferred.

Smaller turtles will feed on fish, snails and bugs. Later on when older they will likely primarily feed on plant materials. Evolved turtles consume generally vegetation. Typically the living area is restricted to the water source. Turtles will never go far away from an established fresh water environment, even though females will need to make a nest on dry ground.
 
Turtle Anatomy
Shell on the turtle is divided to top section and bottom section.
Male utilize longer front claws for courtship as well as territorial confrontation. Such claws can be really sharp

Red eared turtles possess sharpened beaks. Such beaks can simply cut meat and plants. They do not have any teeth in order to break down food, however their throats are quite adjustable to accommodate big portions. Considering they don't create saliva, they need to be in water to be able to swallow food. They could take food that’s on land but will take it into the water in order to swallow it.


Red Eared Slider Size
Red eared turtle can easily grow to 12 inches in size. In the states, it is prohibited for pet stores to trade a Red-eared Slider that has a carapace under 4 inches width in diameter. Sizing is not necessarily their age indicator. Turtles in captivity mature at faster rate. It's usually consequence of over-feeding. Over-feeding can lead to disease.
 
Turtle Sex Differences
Red ear in captivity typically get to sexual maturity between Two and 4 years of age. While in the wilds females develop fully until 5 and seven years of age. Females are usually larger than males, While males have longer front claws and longer tails. The cloacal opening on female Red-eared Sliders is not going to expand beyond the edge of the actual shell.

 
Turtle Colouring
Skin color is green with yellow-colored lines. A patch of reddish behind each eye gives the Red-eared slider turtle its typical name, although some sliders may be missing this particular coloration. A handful of red ear sliders have got red spot on top of their heads  
Life-span
They might live up to Seventy years. Having proper environment and also diet conditions, captive Red ear Slider turtles can easily live much longer in comparison with their own wilderness counterparts.