will47 Loc: Indianapolis, IN

I took this photo at Muscatatuck US NWR on US50 in Seymour, IN. I came close with a painted turtle but the photos I saw of them had red markings around the shell and did not have the orange mark on the head. Does anyone have any idea? Thanks.

(Download)

JR45 Loc: Montgomery County, TX

Elegant slider, also sometimes called a Red Ear.

GrumpyOldBeardGuy

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

Nice photo, beautiful specimen. It is a Red-eared slider - Trachemys scripta elegans. Originally from the lower Mississippi valley, these guys are now found just about everywhere. They were a popular as pets for years and people turned them loose in the wild. It is now considered one of the worst invasive species in the world.

From Wikipedia:

Owing to their popularity as pets, red-eared sliders have been released or escaped into the wild in many parts of the world. The turtle is considered one of the world’s worst invasive species. Feral populations are now found in Australia, Europe, Great Britain, South Africa, the Caribbean Islands, Israel, Bahrain, the Mariana Islands, Guam, and southeast and far-east Asia. In Australia, it is illegal for members of the public to import, keep, trade, or release red-eared sliders, as they are regarded as an invasive species - see below. Their import has been banned by the European Union as well as specific EU member countries. In 2015 Japan announced it was planning to ban the import of red-eared sliders, but it would probably not take effect until 2020. Invasive red-eared sliders cause negative impacts in the ecosystems they occupy because they have certain advantages over the native populations, such as a lower age at maturity, higher fecundity rates, and larger body size, which gives them a competitive advantage at basking and nesting sites, as well as when exploiting food resources.They also transmit diseases and displace the other turtle species with which they compete for food and breeding space.

Mike

will47 Loc: Indianapolis, IN

Thank you very much. Not listed in my book for some reason.

Al P.

They used to be sold at a variety of stores (pet stores, general stores, supermarkets, etc) for about 25 cents in the 1950's. Maybe some of my fellow East Coast greybeards may remember the stupid circular plastic terrarium/aquarium with the stupider plastic palm tree on top. Along with the turtle and the plastic enclosure, you'd buy a shaker can of Hartz Mountain Turtle Food, essentially a mixture of dried insect parts and nutritionally woefully insufficient. After a few months, the turtle would get lethargic, the shell would get soft, and one morning it would be found dead. That was severe vitamin D deficiency with secondary hyperparathyroidism. The occasional vitamin D drops might have prevented it.

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

They aren't native to your area. I think they are spreading faster than the guide books can be updated.

Mike

Al P.

I had several in rather quick succession in the early to mid-1950's. They were clearly imported. Never saw one in the wild.

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

Where were you then?

Mike

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Nice turtle, Will.

Earnest Botello Loc: Hockley, Texas

Very good shot, Will.

BBurns Loc: South Bay, California

Yep, they were destined to die. Had them in Florida as a kid. Some stores had the top of the shells painted.
As I recall, the longest I had one live was about 4 months, then buried in the backyard ceremony with all the neighborhood kids in attendance.

The color dyed chicks & ducks fared a little better. I had a duck that would not stop growing, until it became a goose.
It would attack my grandfather in the garden. It did this one to many times and he turned it into dinner.

wmysd Loc: California

Recently I saw a pool full of these fellows - in Tahiti.

jpgto Loc: North East Tennessee