What is the difference between a red-eared slider and a Chinese pond turtle? Here's how to tell them apart quickly

The red-eared slider is also called the red-eared turtle or little painted turtle; it belongs to the family Emydidae and the genus Trachemys, and is an aquatic turtle species. Below, we introducethe differences between the red-eared slider and the Chinese pond turtle.

I. Differences between the red-eared slider and the Chinese pond turtle

1. Shape of the carapace

The Chinese pond turtle has an elongated oval body, with a slightly raised carapace and 3 longitudinal keels, with the vertebral keel clearly visible.

The red-eared slider has a flat carapace, with ring-shaped green markings on each scute, and a serrated rear edge.

2. Head details

The head of the Chinese pond turtle is yellow-brown.

The red-eared slider has a smaller head and a blunt snout; the head and neck have longitudinal stripes edged in yellow-green, and there are 2 thick red stripes on both sides of the rear of the top of the head, which is exactly why the red-eared slider is also called the red-eared turtle.

3. Color of the plastron

When male Chinese pond turtles reach sexual maturity, the plastron is jet black; when female Chinese pond turtles reach sexual maturity, the plastron is brown-black.

The red-eared slider has a pale yellow plastron with black ring-shaped markings, resembling copper coins; the pattern differs on every turtle.

II. How to identify the sex of a red-eared slider

In external coloration, females and males show no significant difference, but they differ considerably in body weight. Their sex can be identified once the turtle has grown to a certain weight. Females can reach 1-2 Kg in weight, have a relatively flat plastron, and the cloacal opening is located inside the rear edge of the carapace; males do not exceed 0.5 Kg in weight, have relatively long claws on the limbs and a relatively long tail, and the cloacal opening is located at the tail behind the carapace.

The red-eared slider is a hunger-tolerant omnivorous turtle; in captive breeding it feeds mainly on meat, especially at the hatchling and juvenile stages, when small fish and shrimp, lean animal meat and the like make up the main food.