ESC-20

LIVING SCIENCE NEWSLETTER

** HOLIDAY CUT OFF DATES FOR SPRING BREAK**


- Spring Break during week of March 7 through 11th, last day to order any 2 week animal checkout is Friday, February 18, 2022

- Spring Break during week of March 14 through 18th, last day to order any 2 week animal checkout is Friday, February 25, 2022



CRITTER HIGHLIGHT

Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)

The red-eared slider is a semi-aquatic turtle. It belongs to the family Emydidae. It is the most popular pet turtle in the United States. It lives in Southern United States.

They typically live between 20 and 30 years, although some individuals have lived for more than 40 years.


Here are a few more interesting facts about red-eared sliders.

  • The turtle can completely retract its head and extremities inside its shell if it feels threatened. (or if it just wants some alone time!)

  • Red-eared sliders do not hibernate, but actually brumate. This means that their body functions slow way down during winter or extended periods of low temperature.

These little critters are available to check out for a 2 week period through the Living Science Material Center CO-OP page to help enhance teaching activities or even just to have as a temporary visiting classroom pet.

Turtle eating habits:

While turtles do have salivary glands, they are not very developed and mostly release enzymes directly to aid in digestion but not much liquid to aid in swallowing food. Therefore, these turtles have to take their food back into the pond in order to swallow.

Hanging at the Turtle Pond

Our resident red-eared sliders live at the Education Service Center Region 20 located here in San Antonio.

These turtles are unable to regulate their body temperatures independently, they are completely dependent on the temperature of their environment. This is why you can always see them sunbathing to warm themselves at their pond.


For more interesting facts about turtles, click HERE to view our SCIENCE ALIVE! video on Turtlely Awesome Facts.