New turtle!

[adamlikesbananas]

My friends dad recently caught a little red eared slider in a crawfish trap and my friend gave it to me since she knows i own a turtle. I know my 30 gal tank is not going to be big enough for him when he's older but he is much smaller than a quarter and looks like he just hatched so i will raise him up til he's a little bigger and then release him in a pond.
I am very confused with his color pattern, he has a light-ish brown top shell ( I get "carapace" and "plastron" confused) and he has a dark red/brown bottom shell. I'm thinking he may be a melanistic? All the red eared sliders I've seen have stripes on their shell but he has none. But I am certain he's a RES. I named him "carlito the spirit turtle "(dont ask about the name lol)

 

[SnakeyeZ]

Looks like a ninja turtle, lol. Cutey for sure.

 

[reyreytheturtlelover]

That doesn't look like a regular red-eared slider I think it's a " high - color " red eared slider or some sort of maybe morph. Awesome slider it looks nothing like my red eared slider.

 

[adamlikesbananas]

That doesn't look like a regular red-eared slider I think it's a " high - color " red eared slider or some sort of maybe morph. Awesome slider it looks nothing like my red eared slider.

Yeah, maybe "Gerards" will see my post, he knows ALOT about color morphs and stuff.

 

[Lou]

It doesnt look melanistic, the skin would be much darker.

But considering its just the shell that is of a orangy/red/brown colour, could it be iron staining?

 

[diamondbp]

That's a classic case of iron staining from its environment . It should clear up after a few months in captivity or after a few growth sheddings

 

[Anthony P]

Yep.. Amazing how that can happen so fast to such a small turtle that obviously hasn't been around or years for all of that to accumulate. Must be really high levels in that pond!

 

[adamlikesbananas]

That's a classic case of iron staining from its environment . It should clear up after a few months in captivity or after a few growth sheddings

Thank you!