Description: 5 - 11 inches. Pond Sliders (Yellow-bellied and Red-eared sliders) have an olive or green upper shell (carapace), with a yellow bar with fine yellow rings around it on each scale. The bottom shell (plastron) is a light yellow color and may have a dark smudge on each scale. The head is dark colored with a pattern of yellow lines extending from the shell to the nose, as well as a large red blotch behind each eye (Red-eared Slider). Older Red-eared Sliders may become darker in color, and completely lose the red blotch behind each eye.

Similar Species: Painted Turtles do not have a large red blotch behind the eyes. Common Map Turtles, False Map Turtles, and Ouachita Map Turtles do not have any red coloring anywhere on the body, and have light colored lips.

Comments: Non-native / invasive. Please DO NOT release!