Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)
The Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) is a freshwater turtle found in ponds, lakes and slow rivers across the Americas, listed Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
- Common name
- Red-eared Slider
- Scientific name
- Trachemys scripta elegans
- Conservation status (IUCN Red List)
- Least Concern
- Habitat
- Ponds, lakes & slow rivers across the Americas
- Edition
- TT-04: Sun Lounger
The most popular pet turtle and one of the world's 100 worst invasive species. Adapts to basically any freshwater habitat on the planet.
It is Turtle Tuesday edition TT-04, “Sun Lounger”, drawn by hand and free to download.
This drawing is one of the 26 in Color the Shell, the Turtle Tuesday turtle coloring book: the same line art in black and white, with one true fact per turtle.
Spends hours on a rock doing absolutely nothing. They call it thermoregulation. We call it living your best life. Sun, warmth, zero responsibilities. This is peak turtle energy and I will not be taking questions.
The most popular pet turtle on Earth is also one of the world’s 100 worst invasive species. People buy them as cute babies, get bored, and dump them in the nearest pond. Bad move. Sliders outcompete native turtles, reproduce like machines, and adapt to nearly any freshwater habitat. The exact traits that make them great pets (hardy, adaptable, long-lived) make them ecological wrecking balls. An irony so thick you could bask on it.
From Dime Store to World Domination
In the 1950s and '60s, baby sliders were sold by the millions in American dime stores: a quarter-sized hatchling in a plastic lagoon with a fake palm tree. Adorable. Cheap. The start of a biological invasion.
The problem: they grow fast, into a 12-inch, 30-year-commitment turtle needing a 75-gallon tank. Most owners aren’t ready, so they release them into local ponds.
Sliders outcompete native turtles for food and basking spots, reproducing prolifically and thriving in climates from Mississippi to Moscow. The IUCN lists them among the world’s 100 worst invasive species.
Their sex is set by nest temperature, warmer nests producing more females. As temperatures rise, populations skew increasingly female, which might accelerate their spread further. Nature loves irony.
Key Moments
- 1950s to 1960s: Baby sliders sold by the millions in U.S. pet shops
- 1975: U.S. FDA bans sale of turtles under 4 inches over salmonella risk
- 1990s to 2000s: Feral populations documented across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia
- 2000: IUCN lists the red-eared slider among the 100 worst invasive species
- 2010s to now: EU, Australia, Japan, and South Korea restrict import and sale
Fun Facts
- Global Takeover: Feral populations on every continent except Antarctica
- Sex by Temperature: Nest temperature determines sex; warmer nests produce females
- Basking Champs: Stacks up for the best sun spot, actual turtle pyramids
- Growth Surprise: Grows from a quarter-sized hatchling to 12 inches, living 30+ years
- Banned Pet: Illegal to sell or import in the EU, Australia, Japan, and parts of Asia
On the Red List
- Pet releases have carried the red-eared slider from the Mississippi Valley to at least 31 US states and about 51 countries, the Smithsonian reports.
Mini FAQ
Why are they called red-eared?
The red stripe behind each eye looks like a little red ear. It’s just a patch of pigmented skin. No ear there.
Can I release my pet slider?
Absolutely not. Illegal in many places and ecologically devastating. Contact a reptile rescue instead.
Why are they so successful as invaders?
They eat almost anything, tolerate a wide range of water conditions, and live 30+ years. They’re basically the Swiss Army knife of freshwater turtles.
Do they really stack on top of each other?
Yes, three or four deep when prime log space runs out. It looks ridiculous and it’s completely normal.
Art by Lee Eisenbarth, CC BY 4.0: how to use this art.
Sources: IUCN Red List, Wikipedia.