UK Wildlife Blog

They were originally imported to be sold as pets, as small youngsters that can be kept easily in a fish tank. But as they grow to adult size (up to 30cm) many owners can’t cope with its needs and they either escape or are released in local ponds, where they now can be found.
The Red Eared terrapin is recognised by its green flattened tortoise like shell and body, with yellow stripes on its chin and neck and a red ‘ear’ behind its eyes.

In North America is found naturally in the Mississippi valley USA, from Illinois to the Gulf of Mexico (Lever, 2003). They have also been introduced to other areas within the US including park in LA. They are nearly, fully aquatic only coming out to bask in the sun on warm days (RAUK, 2008)
They feed on both aquatic plants and animals like fish, amphibian and invertebrates. The young have a more carnivorous diet, around 70% of there total diet, compared to only 10% in adults. (Smither 1998)

In the UK They are now widespread, occurring most often in urban areas where released/escaped pets are most likely to occur. This fellow is in Regents Park.
Its has been estimated by the British Chelonia group that it was the most commonly imported reptile in the late 1970s and the early 1980s, with around 33,000 imported each year (Terrapin rescue, 2008). The numbers probably increased in the late 1980s/early 1990s when the ‘Teenage mutant Hero (instead of the US’s ‘Ninja’ – as that was to violent apparently) Turtles’ was released and demand from kids wanting pet turtles was high, and as the trend went the turtles were probably released (if the poor things had survived that long.)
There are myths about the red eared terrapins in the UK such as they have a Salmonella infected bite and are killing of native wildlife (Terrapin rescue, 2008). Although they can carry Salmonella, the risk is no higher than from most other animals.
The effect they are having on our wildlife is unknown, as little research has been carried out, but they may compete with or even eat native species and there has been some suggestion that they bask on waterfowls nests (NNSS, 2008). In the wild in the UK many terrapins are unhealthy due to an unsuitable diet and the lack of vitamin A in there diet. Too little calcium and protein is another common problem and can lead to a weak spongy shell.
Red-eared terrapins reach maturity 3 to 5 years in males and 5 to 7 in females, and are not always fully grown. In there native USA they breed between May and July, where the eggs are laid in a hole and buried and left hatch 2-2.5 months later. (Dewy and Kurht, 2002). However in the UK its is believed that the red eared terrapin has not bred in the wild (Beebee and Griffiths, 2000; Terrapin rescue, 2008; NNSS, 2008). This may be because the eggs require an incubation temperature of 25 degrees for 60 days (Terrapin rescue, 2008) and the mean summer temperature in the UK is not high enough (NNSS, 2008). Despite the inability to successfully breed, the long lifespan of these creatures in the right conditions can mean colonies can last for many years (Beebee and Griffiths, 2000). This is the small colony in Wake valley Ponds, Epping forest

However, with global warming, the UK’s summer may one day be warm enough for the red eared terrapin to breed – in fact recently it was reported a nest of eggs was found near Southampton, although no hatchlings were reported, the signs are we may have another naturalised species sooner than we think….





References

Beebee, T. J. and Griffiths, R. A., 2000, Amphibians and Reptiles: a natural history of the British herptofauna, New Naturalist series, Harper-Collins, London

Lever, C., 2003, Naturalised Reptiles and Amphibians of the World, Oxford University Press

NNSS, 2008, “Red-eared Terrapin (Trachemys scripta) also called the Red-eared slider” http://www.nonnativespecies.org/ GB Non-native Species Secretarial

Terrapin rescue, 2008, “THE BACKGROUND TO RED EARED TERRAPINS IN BRITAIN” http://www.users.waitrose.com/~terrapinrescue/index.htm

RAUK, 2008, “Red-eared Terrapin - Trechemys scripta elegans – Alien” http://www.herpetofauna.co.uk/red_eared_terrapin.htm

Dewey, T. and T. Kuhrt. 2002. "Trachemys scripta" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed June 17, 2008 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Trachemys_scripta.html

Smither, B. 1998. "Gulf Coast Turtle & Tortoise Society" http://www.gctts.org/care_sheets/red_eared_turtle/red.eared.turtle-2.html.



Also see

British Chelonia group: http://www.britishcheloniagroup.org.uk/




For more on the Non native fauna in the UK see here: Alien species