A red-eared slider is a medium-sized freshwater turtle with a distinctive red-orange stripe behind its eyes. They have a dark green or olive-colored shell with yellow stripes, and yellow-striped skin. The bottom shell, or plastron, is typically yellow with dark spots. Adults are omnivores that eat plants and small animals, and the species is also a very common pet. 

Appearance

• Shell: Oval, dark green to olive-brown with yellow stripes. The shell's underside is usually yellow with dark spots. Older turtles may have algae covering their shells.

• Head and Limbs: Greenish head, tail, and legs with yellow stripes. The signature feature is a broad red stripe behind each eye.

• Size: Medium-sized, with females typically larger than males. Adults can reach 8 to 12 inches in shell length.

• Special features: Webbed feet and claws. Some individuals become melanistic (nearly all black) with age. 

Diet

• Omnivorous: They eat aquatic plants, small fish, insects, snails, and carrion.

• Pet food: Commercial turtle pellets are a good base for a pet's diet, supplemented with leafy greens, and occasionally other foods like shrimp or crickets. 

Behavior and life cycle

• Behavior: They are cold-blooded and spend hours sunning themselves on logs or rocks to regulate their body temperature. They are excellent swimmers.

• Defense: Their name comes from their habit of quickly sliding off logs and rocks when startled.

• Winter: In colder climates, they brumate underwater during the winter.

• Mating and reproduction: Males have longer tails and elongated front claws. Females dig holes in the ground to lay their eggs.

• Lifespan: Can live 20-30 years in the wild, but can live for 40 years or more in captivity.