Type of Shell: Hard and round shell.

Red-eared Sliders are one of the most common turtles in the world. They are native to southern regions of the United States, but because of their popularity in the pet trade, they have been introduced all over world. Red-ears can be found as far as Thailand and South Africa. This has created a conservation problem because red-ears tend to out compete the native turtles in their habitat. The nominal subspecies is the Yellow-bellied Slider (Trachemys scripta scripta), which are found mainly in the Southeastern part of the U.S.

Red-ears generally grow to around 6 to 10 inches in length. Females tend to grow larger than their male counterparts. They can be found in a variety of habitats, anywhere from rivers to ponds. Their carapaces are beautifully decorated with yellow, black and green markings while their plastrons are marked with dark smudges. As they age, their markings tend to get darker and when they are really old, the colors tend to washout, making identification difficult. Males have longer front claws, which are used during courtship to flutter at the females' faces.

Like many turtles species, the young are highly carnivorous, and they switch to a more vegetarian diet as they age. In prime habitat, red-ears can reach adult size in as little as two years.

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