About Yellow-Bellied Sliders

The yellow-bellied slider -- scientific name: Trachemys scripta scripta -- is a type of freshwater turtle that is also a known aquarium pet. Suitable for new or beginner pet turtle owners, the yellow-bellied slider responds well in captivity, and if you care for it properly, then it can survive in your home aquarium for up to 25 years.

  1. Physical Description

    • The yellow-bellied slider has a dark brown, green or black shell and black and yellow striped markings on the head and legs. A prominent yellow blotch is usually found behind the eye, especially in females and juveniles. The yellow-bellied slider is a medium-sized turtle, with male shells growing between 5 to 8 inches and female shells growing a little larger, between 8 to 13 inches.

    Habitat

    • Yellow-bellied sliders love to bask in the sun on logs or rocks.

      Native to the southeastern United States, the yellow-bellied slider lives in freshwater ponds, lakes or streams. Captive sliders require a tank size of at least 50 to 60 gallons for a single animal or 120 to 150 gallons for a breeding pair. There must also be a dry space, such as a rock or log, as well as a heat lamp for basking. Captive water temperatures must be around 70 degrees and basking temperatures must be between 80 and 90 degrees.

    Diet

    • Yellow-bellied sliders enjoy diced fruit as a treat.

      Yellow-bellied sliders are omnivorous, eating plants, insects and small fish. Captive sliders require a diet consisting of both vegetables and insects. Provide pet sliders meals of green leafy vegetables and commercially bred bloodworms or small crickets. Adult females are generally more herbivorous, while juvenile males require a more carnivorous diet. For nutritional value, dust food with a vitamin powder designed for pet turtles.

    Mating and Reproduction

    • Yellow-bellied sliders mate in the spring, with females digging nests for their eggs with their back feet. Hatchlings emerge from their eggs after about three months and remain in the nest until the following spring, when they leave and begin to feed themselves. A female produces six to 10 hatchlings, depending upon her size and age. Sliders will breed in captivity and reach reproductive age when males grow to about 5 inches and females grow to 6 inches.