Red Eared Slider - NS

The Red Eared Slider is a semi aquatic reptile indigenous to Southern United States and Northern Mexico. It has the Latin name Chrysemys scripta elegans despite being previously named Trachemys scripta elegans. The Slider gained its name from it's ability to slide off rocks or banks into bodies of water.

Appearance
The Red Eared Slider is recognized by a red stripe on the side of its head, where the ears would be. However these lose colouration over time. The terrapin's carapace - dorsal section of exoskeleton - can reach up to 30 cm in length, although they are on average 12-20cm long. Sexual dimorphism is exhibited in carapace size as males are generally smaller than females, and have longer front claws.

The lifespan of a Red Eared Slider is 20 to 30 years, but they have been known to live beyond 40 years when in captivity.

The Terrapin sheds its scute - outer shell layer - often to make way for a new layer.

Ectotherm/Poikilotherm
As well as being recognised as an ectotherm, the slider is a poikilotherm. Not only does it rely on the external envrironment for temperature control, but it can have considerable variations in its internal temperature. For this reason the terrapin can exhibit certain behaviours to ensure its internal temperature is maintained at a 21C optimum where it can defecate and digest.

Thermoregulatory Behaviour
Red Eared Sliders sunbathe to maintain warmth, and can 'slide' into bodies of water to cool off or hide from predators. In excessive heat they can burrow.

The Terrapin does not hibernate but can 'brumate' if it's internal temperature drops below 10C. Brumation is a state of dormancy that can last up to 8 months and is triggered by a loss of heat or decrease in daylight hours. This can generally occur during Winter months, where Terrapins will bromate at the bottom of lakes. In this period of time the Red Eared Slider will respire anaerobically, producing ATP from glycolysis. The metabolic rate and heart rate can drop by 80%. Any lactic acid produced is buffered by minerals from the shell to prevent acidosis.

Brumation differs from Hibernation as the animal periodically awakens and temporarily resumes activity and function.

General
A normal diet would consist of plant matter, insects, fish and snails.

Females usually lay 5 clutches of 2-30 eggs a year which require up to 115 days of incubation before hatching.