The yellow-bellied slider turtle is an opportunistic omnivore, feeding on a wide range of animals and plant matter. Food preferences change as the yellow-bellied slider turtle matures, with the juvenile having a predominantly carnivorous diet, and the adult feeding mainly on aquatic plants (2).
The yellow-bellied slider turtle can live up to 30 years. The male matures between two to five years, and the female matures between five to eight years. The female can produce up to 3 clutches per year, laying between 5 and 20 eggs which hatch after an incubation period of between 60 to 91 days (1). Eggs are laid in jug-shaped nests, dug in soft, damp soil in open, unshaded areas. Females may travel over a kilometre from the water to find a suitable nesting site (2).
In the European populations, reproduction in the wild is rarely successful, although egg laying behaviour has been observed. However, successful breeding may occur in southern European counties where the summers are warmer (2).