Red-eared Slider Life Span

The Red-eared slider is a species of turtle found in the United States, Canada and United Kingdom. Though it is found in various other parts of the world as well, these three countries constitute a major chunk of the total population. Their soaring popularity as pets the world over can be attributed to their long lifespan - with some individuals living for 70 years.

About: Red-eared Slider Turtle

The Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) derives its name from the red mark behind its eyes, which looks like its red ears, and its ability to slide into the water on the slightest sign of danger. It is also known by various other names, including Red-eared terrapin and Troost's turtle. This turtle species is green in color, and sports irregular yellow stripes on its entire body, including the carapace. Male turtles can attain a length of 8-10 inches, while their female counterparts grow up to a length of 10-12 inches. In its natural habitat, this turtle feeds on fish, carrion, tadpoles as well as aquatic plants. In captivity though, you can feed them crickets, wax worms and other aquatic insects.

Life Span in Natural Habitat
Though a female Red-eared slider lays around 20 eggs at a time, large-scale predation by various other birds and animals keeps a check on their population in their natural habitat. These eggs hatch after 60 to 80 days, somewhere in late summer or early fall. As the young ones make it to the real world, they have their first face-off with the predators. More importantly, their weak immune system makes them susceptible to various diseases, due to which a large part of the population dies within a year or two of birth. If they do make it to the third year, their life span gets a major boost. Being shy creatures, they slide into the water as soon as they are confronted by any kind of danger. This is an effective defense mechanism against predators, which contributes to their lifespan.

Life Span in Captivity
In captivity, the average life expectancy of this species depends on several factors ranging from proper diet to basic health care. Though the species is known to live for around 20 years in captivity, some individuals do complain that their pet Red-eared slider only lived for a few months after they bought it. In most of the cases, the premature death of the pet slider is caused because of owners negligence. For instance, these turtles have a propensity of feasting on meat and other similar food rich in protein, however, including too much of protein food in their daily diet can cause rapid growth and a pyramided shell, eventually resulting in damage to their liver and kidney due to which they die. You need to be well versed with the basics of Red ear slider turtle care even before you bring one home.

These turtles are known to adapt to different environment with immense ease, and at times they can also survive in regions where they are not found naturally. Owing to this, the Red-eared slider species is considered to be one of the most invasive species in the world today.