One of the 41 turtles and tortoises on WAnimals
Reptiles · Testudines · Emydidae
Pond Slider
Trachemys scripta
The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary
It is the most popular pet turtle in the world and also one of the most widespread invasive species anywhere, after being released in their thousands by owners who underestimated how long it lives and how large it grows.
Weight
240 g on average
Size
12 cm – 40 cm
Lifespan
25 years
Diet
Omnivore
Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.
Activity
Diurnal
Active mainly during the day.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Easy
Fun facts
- ecologíaBrought in as a pet in huge numbers and then released into Mediterranean wetlands, it competes for food and nesting space with the native European pond turtle.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - bony skeleton with a fused shell (reptile)
- Habitat & environment
- Slow rivers, lakes and freshwater ponds of the Mississippi valley, widely introduced across the rest of the world
- Birth weight
- No precise weight found; the shell ~3 cm long on hatching
- Size at birth
- ~3 cm of carapace length at hatching
- Sexual maturity
- Male: 2-4 years | Female: 5-8 years
- Gestation / incubation
- 59-112 days
- Litter / clutch size
- 2 to 30 eggs per clutch, with up to 5 clutches per year
- Lifespan in captivity
- Documented record of 41.3 years in captivity
Sources consulted: A-Z Animals; AnAge; JungleDragon; All Turtles; Outdoor Alabama; PMC
Where to find it
See its range on the interactive mapBest time: From March to October, on sunny days, basking on logs and banks; in Spain it is an invasive species released from the pet trade.
Where to watch it
Parques y spots de buceo donde se ha documentado esta especie — se muestran 14 de 29 documentados.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Pond Slider — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Painted Turtle
Chrysemys picta
Northern Map Turtle
Graptemys geographica
Least ConcernCommon Snapping Turtle
Chelydra serpentina
Spiny Softshell Turtle
Apalone spinifera
Eastern Mud Turtle
Kinosternon subrubrum
Common Musk Turtle
Sternotherus odoratus
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about pond slider.
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