How do you care for a red-eared slider in winter, and how do you tell males from females?

The red-eared slider's carapace is flat, with irregular yellow-green mottled spots in the center of each scute, and the rear edge is serrated; it has webbing between both its fingers and toes. As the turtle grows, the color of the shell also changes: the green base color is gradually replaced by yellow, finally becoming a darker brownish-olive. So, how do you care for a red-eared slider in winter? How do you tell males from females?

1. How do you care for a red-eared slider in winter?

1. Preparation before hibernation

Generally speaking, red-eared sliders begin to enter hibernation below 15°C, and as long as the water temperature does not fall below 4°C they can safely overwinter. Before hibernation, the turtle needs to be fattened up: starting in September, let the turtle eat its fill at every meal, twice a day, for one month, to store enough fat for the winter. Move them indoors and place them in a clean plastic basin; there is no need to put water in the basin. Cover the turtle's body with some damp grass or a damp towel, and mist a little water regularly to maintain humidity, and they can safely get through the winter.

2. Checks during hibernation

While a red-eared slider is hibernating, check its physical condition once a month, but do not check too frequently, otherwise you will disturb its hibernation and prevent it from entering the hibernation state, so that the purpose of hibernation cannot be achieved, and it may even cause the red-eared slider's death.

3. Feeding after waking up

A turtle that has just woken from hibernation, like many people just waking up, will feel dizzy and disoriented and needs time to adjust, except that a turtle needs far more adjustment time than a person, roughly 1-2 days, or even longer. Many turtles that have just woken from hibernation look thin as a rail, or as if they are malnourished. The first few feedings should be small and of high quality, with an appropriate amount of nutritional medicine and antibiotics mixed into the feed. Gradually increase the amount fed, and after a period of time, feed according to the turtle's appetite again, so that the turtle recovers as quickly as possible.

2. How do you tell male and female red-eared sliders apart?

(1) How to distinguish juvenile turtles

Female turtle: the carapace is shorter and wider, the plastron is flat with no depression in the center, the tail is thin and short, the base of the tail is thin, the cloacal opening is relatively close to the rear edge of the plastron, and the notch formed by the two anal scutes of the plastron is shallower, with a larger notch angle.

Male turtle: the carapace is longer and narrower, the center of the plastron is slightly sunken inward, the tail is thick and long, the base of the tail is thick, the cloacal opening is relatively far from the rear edge of the plastron, and the notch formed by the two anal scutes of the plastron is deeper, with a smaller notch angle.

(2) How to distinguish adult turtles

1. Look at the belly markings: male turtles have sparse belly markings, female turtles have dense belly markings.

2. Look at the plastron: male turtles have a long and narrow plastron with an obvious depression; female turtles have a short and wide plastron that is relatively flat.

3. Look at the tail: male turtles have a relatively thick and large tail, female turtles have a relatively thin and short tail.

4. Weigh them: male turtles do not exceed 0.5 kg in body weight, while female turtles can reach 1-2 kg.

5. Look at the excretory opening: the male turtle's excretory opening is near the tip of the tail, and the opening is elongated. The female turtle's excretory opening is near the plastron, and the opening is round.

From this we can see that red-eared sliders do hibernate in winter, and during hibernation you should create as quiet an environment as possible to help them get through hibernation smoothly.