Painted Turtle Look Alike
The red-eared slider is often mistaken for the painted turtle due to their similar red and yellow striping. However, the red-eared slider is a distinct species, identifiable via their bright red spot on the sides of their head, and happens to be the most invasive turtle in the world. Being popular pets like painted turtles, the red-eared slider has been released by humans into the wild, competing against native species in Michigan and being all around aggressive. In the Bog Gardens on campus, a healthy population of red-eared sliders can be spotted sunning themselves on the rocky shore.
Nest Temperature and Sex
The temperature of a red-eared sliders nest determines the sex of the hatchlings laid! Cooler temperatures will produce males, while warm nests produce females. This is common across many turtle species, as turtles lack sex chromosomes and do not pass them down like humans and other animals do!
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