Sliders
The world's most popular pet turtle. Sliders are active, personable, and hardy — perfect for beginners and experienced keepers alike.
About Sliders
Pond Sliders are a group of turtles belonging to the genus Trachemys. In all, there are approximately 28 known species/sub-species, all native to the Americas, ranging from the United States to northern Argentina. The most commonly encountered sliders are the species scripta which includes the Red Ear Slider (scripta elegans), the Yellow Belly Slider (scripta scripta) and the Cumberland Slider (scripta troostii). These three are commercially raised in incredibly large numbers for the pet trade throughout the southeastern U.S., especially Louisiana. In fact, the Red Ear is the most common turtle sold as a pet worldwide. Throughout its nonindigenous range T. scripta is introduced primarily through pet releases and escapes; a situation which has continued for several decades since the 1930s, reaching a peak during the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle television cartoon craze of the late 1980s–early 1990s.
Other popular sliders we breed/sell are the Belize Slider (venusta venusta) and the Nicaraguan Slider (emolli).
Pond sliders are aquatic, omnivorous generalists, which rarely leave water except to bask and they can get quite large. The males are smaller than the females and can grow to about 5 to 11 inches with some individual females growing even larger creating a challenge for indoor habitats.
Ready to Add a Slider?
All our sliders are captive-bred, quarantined, and health-checked. Contact us to check current availability or browse our full turtle shop.