Animals

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Age Differences

These are 2 male red-eared sliders. A good comparison of how the males of this species change as they get old. On the left is a young male with bright red ears and bright yellow stripes on the head, legs and tail with light colored eyes. Male per long toenails and fat tail. On the right is an old male. His eyes are dark and his skin has darkened with no yellow stripes or red showing. His shell on the other hand has lightened up with much more yellow showing. A color pattern often seen on the shells of old sliders. He is male per the fat tail and the fact that the females don't darken like this. Dark males like this are called melanistic and it is a sign of age. Melanism is defined as "a development of the dark-colored pigment melanin in the skin or its appendages" Don't let the age fool you, the old guy is just as eager and able to breed and produce baby turtles as the young guy & with his experience, may have more success than the young guy. (Note the smile on his face)
Male Red-eared Sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans)

white rock lake dallas texas turtle aquatic turtle water turtle moss reptile slider Trachemys scripta elegans red eared slider creek between lower spillway steps and lower spillway basking herps rock below me close up male turtles male red eared sliders old turtle young turtle melanistic comparision