Red eared slider turtles are also known as slider turtles, water sliders, red eared turtles and red eared terrapins. It’s a sub-specie of pond sliders. They are common semi-aquatic medium-sized turtles. These are reptiles and belong to the family Emydidae. Their average lifespan is around 20 years in captivity but might live a bit longer in the wild. They are mostly found in still lakes, warm water streams, swamps, slow-moving rivers and lakes, ponds, etc. 

Silky Terrier Dog Breed Playing Aro... Silky Terrier Dog Breed Playing Around

They are native to Northern Mexico and Central and Eastern US. They are 12 inches in size and have rare instances to grow more than that. They are a bit aggressive and don’t like to be held in hands. It requires them 8 years to reach their full body length and growth rate obviously varies from individual to individual. A 2 to 3 year old red eared snapping turtle is about 4 to 6 inches in size. They have sharp claws and tails but males have more sharp claws as compared to female red eared snapping turtles. They are herbivores and their diet mainly contains all the herbaceous matter.

Plants and Vegetables

Red eared slider turtles are herbivores that mainly eat leafy greens and green plants. Red eared slider turtles eat chopped or sliced vegetables like squash, carrots, and zucchini, etc.

They also like to eat a pelleted commercial diet but green leafy vegetables are their favorite food to eat. Red eared slider turtles also eat freeze dried krill and water lettuce.

Fishes, Insects, and other aquatic animals

Along with plants and Vegetables, Red eared slider turtles also like to eat anatchis, comets, goldfish, minnows, earthworms, and some insects.

What Red Eared Snapping Turtles don’t eat?

Red eared slider turtles don’t like to eat big fleshy animals, venomous animals, or any dairy products especially milk.