Painted Turtles vs. Red-Eared Sliders: Which Is Easier to Keep and Better Looking? A Detailed Guide to Their Differences and Care

Painted turtles are small freshwater turtles with brightly coloured patterns that make them popular. There are species such as the eastern, western, midland and southern painted turtle. So how do they differ from the red-eared slider? Are they easy to keep? Which one looks best? What care methods are there? According to a painted turtle breeding base in Zhejiang, the ornate painted turtle, also known as the red-eared slider, originates from South America and was recently introduced to the Longtouge Animal Breeding Farm in Yuanhua Town, Haining City, Zhejiang Province, China. Because its colours are extremely vivid, it stands out among ornamental turtles. The ornate painted turtle can also be inoculated with basic branch algae to cultivate green-haired turtles. Green-haired turtles cultivated using it as the base turtle not only grow and develop quickly, but are also of good quality. They are very popular and also fairly easy to keep.

What is the difference between painted turtles and red-eared sliders?

The painted turtle can be considered a subspecies of the red-eared slider. The ancestors of the red-eared sliders sold today all came from the United States (not Brazil). The painted turtle is also from the United States, just from a different region, but part of the genes are the same.

Which kind of painted turtle looks best?

Personal preferences differ, so it is hard to say which one looks best. Below is a brief introduction to the eastern, western, midland and southern painted turtles.

1. Eastern painted turtle

Although many adults stay quite small, it can grow to a maximum of 16-17cm. The most distinctive feature of the eastern painted turtle is that it is the only turtle species found in North America whose carapace scutes are arranged in a single row. Unlike most turtles, whose scutes alternate with one another, its anterior vertebral scutes are actually aligned in a row with the costal scutes. This species trait makes it one of the easiest of all living turtles to identify. The eastern painted turtle has a clearly yellow plastron and yellow stripes on the head (these stripes may appear as large spots on top of the head), while on other parts of the body they become bright red stripes.

2. Midland painted turtle

Among all the subspecies of painted turtle it is the hardest to describe, because it has features of all the other subspecies. Its carapace scutes are arranged in the typical alternating pattern of ordinary turtles. The markings on the head, neck and body are similar to those of the eastern subspecies, but there are no large round spots on top of the head. The maximum size of this subspecies is also about 17cm. In the centre of this subspecies' yellow plastron there is a blurry dark black marking, somewhat similar to the dark pattern on the western subspecies. This marking does not extend to the edge of the plastron.

3. Western painted turtle

The western painted turtle can grow to 20cm, making it the largest painted turtle. The markings on the head and body are yellow, and the plastron is pink with a very large dark black pattern extending all the way to the edge of the plastron. Faint pale yellow lines can sometimes be seen on the carapace. Like the other subspecies except the eastern painted turtle, its carapace scutes are arranged in an alternating pattern. Wild painted turtles like ponds, and painted turtles love basking.

4. Southern painted turtle

The southern painted turtle has a distinctive red stripe running along the centre of its carapace. Although this subspecies has the same all-yellow plastron and body colours as the eastern painted turtle, it does not have scutes arranged in a row. Compared with the other subspecies it is smaller, growing to only about 15cm.

What care methods are there for painted turtles?

1. Because of their petite size and ability to adapt to captive breeding, painted turtles are often kept as pets. They have interesting personalities and occasionally do comical things. Painted turtles can be kept in an aquarium of about 4 feet, equipped with a UV lamp, incandescent lamp, heater, filter, and a basking platform and hiding place made of rocks, with pebbles spread underneath.

2. Generally speaking, turtles have extremely strong vitality. As long as you observe frequently, manage strictly, feed carefully and keep the breeding pond clean, they will generally not fall ill throughout their lives. To help them grow and develop faster and more healthily, especially at the juvenile stage, you can feed oxytetracycline and furazolidone 1~2 times a month, using 1 tablet per 5 turtles, dissolved in water. Use oxytetracycline and furazolidone alternately. You can also use 0.01% potassium permanganate for disinfection, which is extremely effective at preventing disease.