 Common Name: Red-Eared Slider Scientific Name: Trachemys scripta elegans Range: Southern United States Habitat: Aquatic -- ponds, streams, rivers, and small lakes. Average Preferred Temperature: 75F/23.9C Diet: Omnivorous, preference for meat in youth, vegetation in adulthood. Adult Size: 11"/27.9cm in shell length. Sexing: Males have elongated front claws, thicker tails, and a slightly concave plastron.