At Little RES Q, we primarily help to re-home and rehabilitate red eared slider turtles across Ontario and surrounding provinces (with help from Critter Cabs). We’ve been known to extend our facilities to other reptiles and in this case, other breeds of turtles.
We have three kinds of sliders and one red-eared slider morph to showcase for you. Some of these turtles have already been adopted while others are having pizza parties at Little RES Q while waiting for their forever tanks.
We have a red-eared slider named Otto, a Rio Grande RES morph named Coolio, a yellow-belly slider named Spike, and a Cumberland slider named Britto to help us tell the differences between these types of pond sliders.
The first turtle is Otto, the Red Eared Slider. This type of turtle is known as Trachemys scripta elegans and is the main type of turtle that you’ll encounter at Little RES Q .
These turtles are characterized by a solid red band beginning behind their eyes; it can vary from bright red-orange to deep scarlet. They can reach sizes of 5 to 11 inches and well-kept turtles can live up to 50 years.
These friendly pets make great companions and Otto is up for adoption>>
Next up is our Rio Grande Slider, Coolio. He is what is known as a morph.
In the reptile world, this means an animal with colouration that is different from the original. Often, it’s a mutation that is seen as desirable and turtle breeders try to isolate that specific trait in future generations.
In this case, Coolio is still a red-eared slider ( Trachemys scripta elegans ), but he has a specific set of characteristics that identify him as a ‘Rio Grande’ Slider morph to other breeders and reptile-purchasers. These traits include brighter colours with more definition to the turtle’s natural patterns and often a broken red-ear.
Most ‘Rio Grande’ sliders keep their bright colours as they age unlike regular sliders. Despite the pseudonym, these turtles are native to Southern Texas (specifically the Brownsville area).
‘Rio Grande’ sliders are not to be confused with a similarly named turtle that can be found in the waterways of the Southern United States and New Mexico: The Rio Grande Cooter ( Pseudemys gorzugi ). This turtle has unique bullseye designs on their shell in shades of olive, yellow, and black.
If you’d like to read more about Rio Grande Cooters,be sure to check out Herps of Texas>>: or an indepth look by inaturalist>>.
Click this link to view a side-by-side video comparison from above on Youtube>>
Meet Spike. He’s what is known as a Trachemys scripta scripta, or Yellow Belly Slider. Spike is 10 years old and has strong opinions about leafy greens and basking.
These types of turtles are native to the Southeastern United States (Florida to southeastern Virginia) and are considered invasive in different parts of the world.
Yellow Belly Sliders can be identified by their “S” shaped facial markings, lack of red ears, oval shaped shell, and of course, their yellow bellies. These turtles can reach the same size as Red-Eared Sliders and enjoy the same omnivorous diet. They’re great pets and many enjoy being in communal ponds or tanks. Please note that the above photo is not Spike.
Spike is currently available for adoption. You can check out his adoption page here>>
Britto is a Cumberland slider ( Trachemys scripta troostii) who has found their forever home through Little RES Q. These types of sliders can be found throughout the Southeastern United States, specifically the Mississippi and Tennessee River drainages.
This oval-shelled turtle has bright yellow markings on its ears, but is missing the “S” that the Yellow Belly Slider has. Sometimes these facial markings will have an orange or red tint that can help them pass as Red Eared Sliders.
In this case, look at the shell – the top will have yellow vertical lines on each scute and their overall appearance will be darker. Cumberland sliders also have a pattern on their skin that varies greatly from the Red Eared Slider.
If you’re interested in a more in depth comparison between a Cumberland Slider and a Red Eared Slider, check out this youtube video that shows the comparison between the two>>
These are only a few of the sliders that have come through the doors of Little RES Q. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment to meet a turtle, please contact us.
Please note: Morphs don’t usually end up in shelters due to their desirability amongst reptile owners.
