Red Eared Slider Turtles

Red Eared Slider Turtles are very popular around the world but they originally came from the southern portion of the United States. These types of Turtles have been considered to be the most popular type of pet turtle you can find. There are some interesting things you may not know about the Red Eared Slider Turtle and in this article we will try and shed a little light on some of the most common things, and some of the things that aren’t common at all.

The first thing you may not have known about Red Eared Slider Turtles is how easy it is to tell the difference between a male and a female. Some of you are probably thinking that there is no way to tell when in fact there is. If your turtle is a male he will have a longer and fatter tail. If your turtle is a female the tail of course will be short and thin. The other way you can tell the difference between a male and a female is by their claws. The male turtle will have longer claws and a female will have shorter claws.

There is another interesting fact about the male species of Red Eared Slider Turtles and that typically will happen when it’s time to mate. The male turtle will try to attract the attention of a female turtle by swimming towards her and gently brushing against her face with his claws. He will then proceed to swim in circles around the female to draw her attention. If she is attracted to him she will begin to follow and if she is not, she will begin to fight with him. This practice has been done for years and is actually quite fun to watch.

Red eared slider Turtles are actually quite unique and interesting little creatures. If you’ve ever seen one feed you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. Many times you’ll see them swimming through the water with their lower jaws extended in an almost awkward looking gesture. But this is actually the way they catch whatever food may be floating in the water. Once the food has been captured in the pharynx they will then close their mouths and the water will then be pushed through their nostrils.

There is also something that is more interesting about the Red Eared Slider Turtles and that is their ability to carry a certain bacteria that is harmful to human beings but it does not harm the turtle in any way. This particular bacterium can be carried in their digestive system without affecting these little creatures. For this reason it is very important for you to make sure you use proper sanitary procedures such as washing your hands after handling your pets to make sure you are not infected with something that could have been avoided.

Red Eared Slider Turtles are fun and exciting and there are many people around the world that simply love these little pets. If you’re thinking about having one of these pets in your home, make sure you’re taking the normal precautions when handling your pet for your benefit as well as theirs.