Red-Eared Slider

Trachemys scripta elegans

Found in Floridareptiles

2 Mostly harmless danger 2 out of 5

Photo by Greg Hume (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Wikimedia Commons

What you should know

The classic pet turtle. Needs real turtle pellets and extra calcium, never fish flakes, or its shell grows crooked.

It can live forty years or more. A pet turtle can outlive the kid who picked it out.

Treat it with respect, keep your distance, and tell a grown-up if you see one up close.

Always ask a grown-up before you touch any animal or plant. If something bites or stings you, tell an adult right away.

Read more about the red-eared slider at Wikipedia.