This document provides information about red-eared slider turtles, including their habitats, behaviors, descriptions, diets, environments, and hibernation patterns. It discusses the author's personal experience owning a red-eared slider turtle named Scuba Steve since childhood. Images and details are provided about the species, such as their aquatic lifestyle but tendency to bask, omnivorous diet, and brumation in winter months by staying at the bottom of bodies of water.

1. SGP
Colin Quinn

2. Thesis Statement
• Turtles, Habitats, Inhabiters, coexistence.
• Direction is needed.

3. Personal Relevance
• Since i was a child i have always been
investigating ponds, creeks, rivers, and any
kind of stream with possible inhabitance. I
was about seven years old when my mom
took me to Al’s Pet Shop to buy my turtle.
He has been living in my room ever since
that day. While i was growing up my favorite
movie was Big Daddy with Adam Sandler.
Thus i named my turtle Scuba Steve.

4. Here is My Turtle
• Image of Scuba Steve Chillin’.

5. Research
• The specie of turtle i own personally is
named the Red-eared slider. (They get this
name from the bright colored red stripes
along each side of there heads.)

6. Behavior
• Red eared sliders are almost entirely aquatic but leave the water to bask in
the sunlight and lay eggs. Sliders are deceptively fast and are also decent
swimmers. They hunt for prey and and capture it in there jaws when the
opportunity presents itself. Sliders are very aware of predators and threats.
They are usually found basking on logs, rocks, or along the banks of rivers,
lakes, ponds, and creeks. They are very frantic reptiles and are seen as
skittish by people. The red eared slider is known to slide off rocks and logs
when approached. Thus the name red eared (Slider)

7. Description Info
• Female red eared sliders grow to be 10 - 13 inches
in length and males usually between 8 - 10 inches.
The top shell usually consists of a dark green
background with light and dark highly variable
markings. The bottom shell known as the plastron
is yellow with dark paired markings in the center
of the shell. The head legs and tail are green with
thin yellow lines running down them. Claws in
males are particularly elongated which helps males
facilitate courtship and mate.

8. Dietary Info
• Red eared sliders are omnivores and can eat a variety of animal and plant life
in the wild. Their main diet consists of but is not limited to Fish, Crayfish,
Carrion, Tadpoles, Snails, Crickets, Wax Worms, aquatic insects, and
numerous aquatic plant species. In captivity pet owners should vary their
turtle’s diet. A captive slider can be fed krill, vitamin pellets, worms, aquatic
vegetation. For Calcium intake Sliders can be fed Cuttlebone which has a
high source of calcium and will improve any turtle’s living condition. In
Captivity you can offer your pet slider a variety of treats, these include
shrimp, chicken, cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, and more. Larger turtles have
been known to prey upon smaller younglings.

9. Hibernation/Brumating
• Hibernation of reptiles. Reptiles are not known to hibernate
although they are known to Brumate. Brumation is like
hibernation although it is not a permanent state of sleep.
Reptiles during brumating will occasionally rise for food or
water. Red eared sliders brumate during the winter season at
the bottom of ponds and shallow lakes generally starting in
October when temperatures go below 50 Degrees
Fahrenheit. Sliders that are kept as pets should not brumate.
To prevent this from happening in an aquarium lights should
be on for 12-14 hours per day and water temperatures
should be maintained between 75-81 Degrees Fahrenheit.

10. Environment
• Red Eared Sliders can be found in ponds, creeks, cricks, lakes,
rivers, and streams. They enjoy large areas of fresh and clean
water where they are free to swim about. These turtles also
need basking areas to lay out in the sun. They need to have a
stable place where they can be completely out of the water.
Many times in the wild you can find Sliders aligned on logs
sticking out of the water usually biggest to smallest. They
absorb UV rays from the sun. The UV rays give the turtles
nutrients and energy if you are an owner it is wise to buy a
UAV Lighting system for your turtle. Most reptiles require
this.

11. Mini Activity
• Not sure on what to do with this just yet.

12. Research

13. Quote

14. First Hand Accounts

15. Research

16. Quote

17. Research

18. Application
Component

19. More and More

20. (Bigger) Class Activity

21. Works Cited

22. Conclusion