Talk:Red-eared slider
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"Google test" means that it matched an apparently copyrighted page found on google; some people upload material they don't own, so we check from time to time.
On to more specific questions: I found Trachemys scripta elegans as a scientific name; there's also a genus Chelonia, which includes C. mydas, the green sea turtle, and the broader term "Chelonian" is used for turtles in general. I edited accordingly, but would be glad for someone to verify.
More non-UK info would be useful, in particular the species' native range. Vicki Rosenzweig
Trachemys scripta elegans of the genus Chelonia, is correct to my text books and Mike at the Claifornia Tortoise and Terrapin Club. Another is the Red Bellied Slider - Trachemys scripta scripta, which will interbreed with the Red Eared. Most of our Terrapins in the wild (3 species that I know of locally) are public "donations" from Stateside imports (running at 250,000 per month at it's height) when the Ninja Turtle craze was going on. I believe there a several farms in the Florida / Louisiana area still breeding for export.
I beleive Slider and Terrapin as names are interchangeble, country variants of the same animal ?, Slider in the US and Terrapin in Europe. Perhaps someone in these areas could help with further info with this and the species. TerrapinDundee
Since the Red-eared Slider is native to the US and not the UK, would it not make sense to have the article appear under Red-eared Slider, with a redirect from Red-eared Terrapin? -- Adam selene 13:19, 27 Jun 2004 (UTC)
I agree, it really should be under Red Eared Slider. Slider is a more specific term, and most of the species in that genus are called sliders. I'd never heard of it interbreeding with the Red Belly, but in the US, it's common to be interbed with the Yellow Belly Slider. It also should be mentioned that the RES turtle has become a large problem in many countries, especially in south-east Asia. It's much warmer there, and the RES has taken over native habitats. Nicole
I didn't know they were called "sliders" or "terrapins". When I was growing up in Texas, where they are extremely common, we just called them "red-ears". Angr (talk • contribs) 08:18, 19 April 2006 (UTC)
- Might be a Texas thing. I grew up there and called them that too. Jason Quinn 23:26, 5 May 2006 (UTC)
Chelonia and Trachemys are seperate turtle Genus. Chelonia contains only the Green Sea Turtle, while Trachemys contains the Sliders of North, Central, and South America. I cant see where the confusion would arise. Trachemys scripta scripta is the Yellowbelly Slider, not the "red Bellied Slider". MFuture 22:50, 31 May 2006 (UTC)
Contents |
[edit] Keeping as pets
Would somebody with experience like to start a section about proper care of them as pets? Jason Quinn 23:26, 5 May 2006 (UTC)
Done. The section isn't exhaustive, but then again this might not be the place for that sort of thing. Basic info to keep a new owner from killing the thing before they figure it out. 171.66.152.246 22:30, 11 June 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Were RES illegal?
I recall my parents many years ago telling me that for a time in the United States it was made illegal to own red-eared sliders, but I don't recall why. Others I've talked to share the same sentiment. Is this rooted in fact? Ameltzer 22:32, 23 June 2006 (UTC)
They're not illegal to own, but they are illegal to sell if they're under 4 inches. Thus, you'll see many pet stores giving them away for free when you buy the aquarium and related accoutrements.
[edit] Cleanup
This article could really use some cleanup and organization. I tried to do some minor work on the intro, but I'm not sure how much it helped. The intro is very information heavy with a wide variety of subjects that should really be broken down into sections and expanded, IMO. Looking at some similar articles for inspiration, some possible sections are
- Biology (Size, sexual dimorphism, characteristic appearance, diet, lifespan)
- Behavior (Sliding, aquaticism, hibernation)
- Distribution (Whereabouts in US, UK invasion, possibly related species and interbreeding?)
- Husbandry could be broken down further to be more useful
- Intro
- Salmonella
- Housing (Tank size, filter, lighting, heat, basking area required)
- Behavior
- Health
I don't know that I have enough knowledge myself to flush these out very well but I'm happy to start if no one has any objections... Blurble 22:45, 13 September 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Organization
As I wanted to add a few parts, I took your suggestion (Blurble) and changed the layout of the page as well. It still needs some work, but I hope it helps! --Tadpole667 20:20, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
This was the logical breakdown of the Husbandry section anyway, but now all of the actual information is gone. What was the point of this? Sliderman 17:17, 8 November 2006 (UTC)
I see now that the Husbandry section was blanked on a previous edit. Restoring it as it was as of 10/4/06, with appropriate section headings as supplied by Tadpole667. Sliderman 08:41, 13 November 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Colour Morphs and Melanism
What do you guys think about either a new section about colour morphs and/or melanism, or working it into the article as a subsection of the Biology section? I bring this up because pastel colour morphs, for example, are interesting RES variants, and also, and more importantly, because melanistic sliders, which, I am told, are far more common in the wild than in captivity, are very often unrecognizable as red-eared sliders, to novice herpers - and oftentimes not only to novices! See picture here[1] which I know is too dark but you get the idea.(Click on thumbnails for bigger images, of course.) (Can put up a different, better picture if need be, after batteries for camera recharge.) Hi There 16:35, 4 November 2006 (UTC)
[edit] RES Feeding Habits
The article contains this statement: Young turtles can be fed live fish or crickets and generally prefer to eat while in the water. But according to what I have heard and read, RES's of any age must be fed in water because they produce no saliva and therefore, unless they are in water they can not swallow food at all. Hi There 13:55, 5 November 2006 (UTC)
Well here is a source, accessible to everyone here, that states that RES do not produce saliva and must therefore be fed in water, irrespective of the turtle's age. http://www.redearslider.com/index_nutrition.html I am going to change the section to reflect this but if anyone has access to a different source that they consider more reliable and which states otherwise, please let us know. Hi There 02:46, 5 December 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Mini sticks
What are “mini sticks”? Wikipeditor 12:31, 20 January 2007 (UTC)
- See mini sticks and they are gone now. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 12:53, 20 January 2007 (UTC)
