Red Eared Slider Turtle

Naming

The origin of the name slider stems from the behavior of these turtles when startled. Groups of sliders, sometimes quite large, as well as many other types of less abundant freshwater turtles, are often seen basking and sunning on logs, branches, and vegetation at or even well above the water's surface, but they readily and quickly scramble if they sense danger, shooting back in and darting away to safety underwater.In the 1900s, many pond sliders were captured for sale. In the 1950s, millions of turtles were being farmed and shipped abroad as part of the pet trade.

These turtles often compete with native species for food, habitat, and other resources. Eventually, they bully many native species out of basking sites, where sunlight is available for the species. When basking, pond sliders commonly bask on birds' nests, thereby killing the eggs. They also prey on young birds.

Turtles that were raised in captivity can develop diseases that are unfamiliar to native species, which can be harmful. Turtles raised in captivity are often released because they become too much to handle or grow bigger than expected. Not uncommonly, they also escape.

Conservationists have warned owners not to release these turtles into the wild. Many states also have passed legislation to control the possession and release of pond sliders. Two states have banned their sale entirely.

In Europe, ''T. scripta'' is included since 2016 in the list of Invasive Alien Species of Union concern . This implies that this species cannot be imported, bred, transported, commercialized, or intentionally released into the environment in the whole of the European Union. By the first quarter of the 21st century, this species has spread widely across the waters of Europe and Southeast Asia, and is also found in the Urals and Siberia.

Hybridization between yellow-bellied and red-eared sliders is not uncommon where the ranges of the two subspecies overlap.

Distribution

Pond sliders are native to the south-central and southeastern United States and northern Mexico.