How much does a red-eared slider cost? Sexing males and females, food and hazards explained in one article

The red-eared slider generally refers to the red-eared slider turtle, also called the elegant painted turtle, green turtle, mahjong turtle, red-eared turtle, and little painted turtle. It belongs to the family Emydidae and the genus Trachemys, and is an aquatic turtle species.So how much does a red-eared slider cost on the current market? How do you tell males from females? What food does it eat? Is it harmful to people? According to the Changsha flower, bird and fish market, the red-eared slider is the most common and also the easiest turtle to keep. A turtle around 6.7 cm generally costs no more than 10 yuan anywhere, but because it is so common, many are raised with growth promoters, so the quality is not very good. An adult commercial turtle costs about 20 yuan per jin, and an adult pet turtle costs 15 yuan to 50 yuan each.

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

There are mainly three points for distinguishing male and female adult red-eared sliders:

1. Front claws: the male's are long, the female's are short.

2. Tail: the male's is thick and long, the female's is short.

3. Cloaca: in the male it is on the outer side of the anal scutes, in the female it is on the inner side of the anal scutes.

Distinguishing male and female juvenile red-eared sliders

1. Generally speaking, small juvenile turtles (individual weight under 250 grams) are difficult to sex because they are not yet sexually mature. When some shop owners sell juvenile red-eared sliders, they say the sex can be judged by the pattern on the plastron, but this has no scientific basis at all. At the same age, female turtles are always larger than males. Common red-eared slider males reach sexual maturity at an individual weight of 300 grams, while females reach sexual maturity at around 500 grams. Other turtle species have different standards depending on the breed.

For common turtles, whether aquatic or terrestrial, juveniles can usually be sexed by the following physical characteristics:

2. 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 cloaca is closer to the rear edge of the plastron, and the notch formed by the two anal scutes of the plastron is shallower with a larger angle.

3. 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 cloaca is farther from the rear edge of the plastron, and the notch formed by the two anal scutes of the plastron is deeper with a smaller angle.

What food do red-eared sliders eat?

Red-eared sliders are omnivorous turtles and can eat a lot. Try to provide them with normal, regular food. It is recommended to feed adults 3 times a week, while juveniles can be fed once a day. Besides meat, fish, shrimp, and insects, they can also readily accept green plants and aquatic plants. Commercial turtle food and cat and dog food on the market provide relatively balanced nutrition and can be given. This kind of turtle has very keen eyesight and sense of smell, so it is very good at grabbing food. Under artificial rearing conditions, they like animal-based bait, such as fish, pork, animal offal, clams, snails, bloodworms (chironomid larvae), red worms (aquatic earthworms), yellow mealworms (breadworms), maggots, etc. They also eat plant matter such as vegetable leaves, rice, melons and fruit. Red-eared sliders show no selectivity in feeding time and eat both day and night. When hungry, they may fight over food, and larger ones eating smaller ones can occur.

Are red-eared sliders harmful to people?

1. The main hazard is that red-eared sliders are carriers of Salmonella. Salmonella is quite harmful and can be fatal.

2. However, no one has been heard of dying from infection after keeping a red-eared slider. It is mainly a concern for children, and people with weaker body resistance may become infected after contact with red-eared sliders if they do not wash their hands frequently, but it is definitely not fatal. So after touching a red-eared slider, just wash your hands thoroughly.