Colorful Turtles: You Must be Kidding

Red-Eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)

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The Red-Eared Slider is also known informally in the UK as the Red-Eared Terrapin. It is semi-aquatic and a subspecies of Pond Slider.

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It is endemic to southern US but has become common in various areas of the world due to the pet trade. They are very popular pets in the United States, the Netherlands, Canada, Japan, and the United Kingdom

Western Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta bellii)

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This pretty turtle is a juvenile Western Painted Turtle discovered alongside a pond in Washington County, Minnesota in the US.

D’Orbigny’s Slider (Trachemys dorbignyi)

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The D’Orbigny’s Slider on the picture above is a relative of Trachemys scripta better known as the Pond Slider, a common species familiar to anyone who knows pets. This Pond Slider is a medium sized aquatic turtle.

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The beautiful and colorful turtle on the above photo is an adult Trachemys dorbignyi.

Nicaraguan Slider (Trachemys scripta emolli)

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The Nicaraguan Slider has one of the most unique coloration and carapace pattern amongst turtle. This lovely and peaceful-looking animal is a subspecies of Pond Slider. The Nicaraguan Slider on the above photo is a hatchling.

Pond Slider (Trachemys scripta)

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The Slider Turtle or better known as Pond Slider is a common species familiar to anyone who knows pets. It is a medium sized aquatic turtle and there are three subspecies of sliders in the United States. It occurs in every type of wetland and is frequently observed basking.

Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin)

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Undoubtedly, the Diamondback terrapin is one of the most colorful turtles in the world. It lives in brackish water. Their number had declined due to indiscriminate harvesting for human consumption. Diamondback terrapins were heavily harvested for food in colonial America and the years that followed. Terrapin harvest has continued on a small scale and includes an export market.

Zhou’s Box Turtle (Cuora zhoui)

The bright and glossy Zhou’s Box Turtle is native to China and Vietnam. This beautiful and colorful creature is only known from pet trade specimens to date.

Red-Bellied Short-necked Turtle (Emydura subglobosa)

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The Red-bellied Short-necked Turtle, also known as Jardine River Turtle, can crawl on trees and can be found in Australia and Papua New Guinea. Majority of the time it is around shallow, muddy areas of water. It is an endangered species of Australia.

Ornate Slider (Trachemys scripta ornata)

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Ornate Slider is a relative of Pond Slider scientifically named as Trachemys scripta. It is a common species familiar to anyone who knows pets. This subspecies of Pond Slider is a medium sized aquatic turtle.

Cumberland Slider (Trachemys scripta troostii)

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The bright yellow Cumberland Slider or Cumberland Turtle is a semi aquatic terrapin or turtle. Cumberland Slider in captivity if kept properly can live from 40 to 60 years.

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This turtle is a communal basker. It basks on protrusions out of the water and may bask in stacks or with other species.

Yellow-Bellied Slider (Trachemys scripta scripta)

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The Yellow-bellied Slider is popular as pet and is a semi-aquatic turtle and a subspecies of Trachemys scripta commonly known as Pond Slider.

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This turtle is indigenous to the southeastern US, specifically from Florida to southeastern Virginia. It is the most common turtle species in its range. It is found in a wide variety of habitats, including slow-moving rivers, floodplain, swamps, marshes, seasonal wetlands and permanent ponds.

Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)

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As you can see, this turtle is not green but it is commonly called Green Turtle. It is a large sea turtle that can be found throughout tropical and subtropical seas around the world. There are two distinct populations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Its common name is derived from the green fat underneath their shell.

Meso-American Slider (Trachemys scripta venusta)

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Meso-American Slider which is also called the Belize Slider is a subspecies of Trachemys scripta commonly called Pond Slider, a common species familiar to anyone who knows pets. It is a medium sized aquatic turtle.

Yellow-Spotted River Turtle (Podocnemis unifilis)

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This turtle is also known at the Yellow-spotted Amazon River Turtle and is one of the largest South American river turtles. It can grow up to 45 cm long and weigh up to 8 kg.

Cuatro Cienegas Slider (Trachemys scripta taylori)

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Cuatro Cienegas Slider is a subspecies of Trachemys scripta or commonly known as Pond Slider. This turtle that is familiar to anyone who knows pets can be found in Coahiula, Mexico. This Pond Slider is a medium sized aquatic turtle.

Indochinese Box Turtle (Cuora galbinifrons)

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The Indochinese Box Turtle can be found in Hainan and Guangxi in China, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Other common names for this species are Vietnamese Box Turtle and Flowerback Box Turtle

McCord’s Box turtle (Cuora mccordi)

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McCord’s Box turtle is found in Asia and is highly endemic to Chinese Guangxi Province. This is one of the most endangered Chinese endemic turtle species, highly sought after by the traditional Chinese medicine and turtle hobbyists. McCord’s Box Turtle grows up to 18 cm in length.

Florida Redbelly Turtle (Pseudemys nelsoni)

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The Florida Redbelly Turtle range is in Florida and southern Georgia. It is mainly herbivorous, and can be found in nearly any type of aquatic habitat. It reaches particularly high densities in spring runs, and occasionally can be found in brackish water. This species is active year-round and spends a large portion of the day basking on logs. They are noted for sometimes laying their eggs in the nest mounds of alligators.

Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta)

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The Loggerhead Sea Turtle reportedly grows up to 800 lbs (364 kg) and 3.5 feet (1.1 m) long. Their shell color is a reddish brown color, and the color of their skin is brown yellow. They are named for their disproportionately large head. They are also the state reptile of South Carolina.

Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta)

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Painted Turtle is common in southern Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico and is related to other water turtles such as sliders and cooters. This turtle lives in ponds, lakes, marshes, and in slow-moving rivers that have soft, muddy bottoms.

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The maximum carapace size, or shell length, for painted turtles is or 25 cm (10 in.). Its shell is used to protect it from its predators.

American Red-Bellied Turtle (Pseudemys rubriventris)

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The American Red-bellied Turtle is endemic to the US. The current range of the Red-bellied Turtle includes a colony in Massachusetts which was previously a separate species (Pseudemys rubriventris bangsii) as well as the coastal areas of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina.

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Florida Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina bauri)

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The Florida Box Turtle is native to Florida in the US and the extreme southeastern portion of Georgia. It can be found in damp environments, such as wetlands, marshlands, and near swamps, but usually does not enter water deep enough to swim. It can also be kept as a pet.

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See also

•  Bizarre and Exotic Pets: Weird and Unique Turtles