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Yellow-bellied Slider
Trachemys scripta scripta
Also called Pond slider (the species, Trachemys scripta), Yellow-eared slider (name for red-eared x yellow-bellied crosses)
From South-eastern United States: from south-eastern Virginia through the Carolinas and Georgia to northern Florida and eastern Alabama. It lives in calm, warm, plant-rich fresh water. Released pets have founded populations outside this range, including in Europe.12
At a glance the quick version
Looks how to spot one
Semi-aquatic turtle with a smooth, oval shell
A streamlined oval shell in brown and black, crossed by yellow bars. The olive-green skin has a broad yellow patch behind each eye and narrow yellow stripes on the neck and legs, which run more vertically than on other sliders. The underside is mostly yellow, often with dark spots near the front. Colours deepen with age, and some older males become very dark overall. Females grow noticeably bigger than males.12
Personality what they are like
Alert, social and active by day. Sliders spend much of their time basking on logs or floating at the surface, and are keen, energetic eaters, mostly in the morning.12
Daily activity how busy a day looks
A strong swimmer that needs deep water to swim and dive, plus a dry spot to bask every day.12
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Needs UVB lighting and a dry basking platform, with water kept clean and warm. Plan for an adult-sized setup from the start, since females grow large.1
Home where they are happiest
For an adult, an aquarium or pond of at least about 75 US gallons (around 285 litres), with water 40-45 cm (16-18 in) deep. Water around 22-27 °C (72-80 °F), a basking area of 32-35 °C (89-95 °F) and UVB lighting.1
Food basics what goes in the bowl
Hatchlings are mainly carnivorous, eating insects, spiders, crustaceans and tadpoles. Adults switch to a mostly plant-based diet (up to about 95% plants), while still taking invertebrates and small fish when available.12
Company who they like around
Naturally social and often basks alongside other turtles. In the wild, females bask most in May and June and males in September and October.2
The story where it all began
The yellow-bellied slider was described from material published in Johann Schoepff's 1792 book on turtles, and it is the original, nominate form of the pond slider. Like its red-eared cousin it became common in the pet trade, and released animals now live in the wild in parts of Europe and elsewhere.1
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
During winter it can stay underwater for long periods by taking in oxygen through its cloaca.1
- 2
Some males develop melanism and turn very dark, and these darker males can grow larger than the others.1
- 3
Sliders have a strong water-finding ability, though roads and other human-made barriers can confuse them.1
- 4
Crosses between red-eared and yellow-bellied sliders are sometimes called yellow-eared sliders.1
- 5
Females are the bigger sex: about 20-33 cm compared with 13-23 cm for males.1
Recognised by the official bits
- Taxonomy
- The nominate subspecies of the pond slider, one of three subspecies alongside the red-eared and Cumberland sliders; first described by Thunberg in Schoepff's 1792 Historia Testudinum1
- US FDA
- Since 1975, turtles with a shell under 4 in (10 cm) may not be sold as pets in the USA3
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Yellow-bellied Slider. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- FeedingHow often depends on species and agevaries
- Basking checkCheck the basking spot temperatureevery day
- Water changePartial water changeevery week
- Water testevery 2 weeks
- Filter rinseRinse in old tank waterevery month
- UVB bulb changeFollow the bulb maker's adviceevery 6 months
- Weigh inevery month
- Vet check-upFind a vet who sees exotic petsevery year
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at support@furrydiary.app and we will fix it.
- Yellow-bellied slider - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for range, size by sex, lifespan, colours, diet, behaviour, captive care, taxonomy, history, fun facts
- Trachemys scripta - Animal Diversity Web (University of Michigan) animaldiversity.orgused for subspecies markings, size range, diet, basking and social behaviour
- Red-eared slider - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for US FDA 4-inch sale rule
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.