The Hispaniolan slider or Haitian slider is a species of turtle

Turtle

Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...

 in the Emydidae

Emydidae

Emydidae, commonly called the pond turtles or marsh turtles, is a family of turtles. Previously, several species of Asian box turtle were classified in the family. However, revised taxonomy has separated them to a different family. Now, Emydidae, with the exception of two species of pond turtle,...

 family.
It is found in the Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...

, Haiti

Haiti

Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...

, Cuba

Cuba

The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...

, and Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...

. The Hispaniolan slider is a fresh water turtle and is a non U.S Native. They can live on land and water, but prefer to be near freshwater. These sliders are not on the endangered list but are considered vulnerable (B1+2c ver 2.3)

Diet

They have a particular diet that consists of insects (crickets), fish, vegetation, etc. When kept in captivity they can eat all of the same foods that they would eat normally with the add-ins of turtle pellets, carrots, tomatoes, pealed grapes, and spinach.

Appearance

Only found on Caribbean islands. Unlike Red-eared North American sliders, they do not have red patches on their heads. They have distinct light and dark stripes on their neck feet and tail. Top of the Haitian Slider's shell is brown and the bottom is yellow.

When handled

Whether this creature is found in the wild or in captivity, it has been known to urinate when picked up. This is considered a sign of distress. It also may bite or scratch, but has not been known to cause any sever harm. If found in the wild, the turtle may be more susceptible to do any one of these.

Pet

People tend to think that all a turtle needs is a bowl of water and a rock to live. However, the slider will live very poorly. If you are keeping one as a pet, please contact the local pet store provided in your area.

Source

• Tortoise & Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group 1996. Trachemys decorata. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 29 July 2007.
• Web. 05 Mar. 2010. .
• "Feeding Red Eared Sliders and Other Aquatic Turtles - How to Feed." Choosing an Exotic Pet - Care of Exotic Pets. Web. 05 Mar. 2010. .
• "World Chelonian Trust - Trachemys Gallery." World Chelonian Trust - Turtle and Tortoise Conservation and Care. Web. 05 Mar. 2010. .