These semiaqautic animals are very popular as pets here in the U.S.A and all around the globe. They originaly lived in the southern United States and northern Mexico but people have been letting them go in other places and the turtles out compeate of animals. They got there name from the red marking around there ear and there ability to slide of of rocks and trees. They may be semiaqautic but they prefer to spend there days in the water and come up to land to lay eggs or just simply bask in the sun. They are afraid of humans and when aproched they will jump into the water. They have no saliva and have fixed tounges to eat under water. The females may be bigger but the males have longer/thicker tales, sharper/longer claws, and a darker color. They are omnivores so they will eat most things that live in the water inclouding plants. They brumanite instead of hibernate in the winter and colder months meaning they go to the bottom of the lake and become very inactive only going up for food and air. When over five years of age they can mate. So in 60-90 days some babies will be born. For this to happen the mother turtle eats differently when gaurding eggs and keeping them warm. She will eat more of one thing or less of another thing. Just so you know wikipedia helped me out a lot.