RES Companions and other Questions 10/27/09
Hello there! First I would like to say that I am a little bit of a fan of yours.
<Cool!>
While sometimes you guys can be complete jerks, personally, I find it funny.
<Hmm... not sure why you think we're jerks. Blunt, sometimes, and I'll admit to being a little unforgiving of willful ignorance, but I don't actually set out to insult people. If people do get insulted, I'm sorry about that, and if they tell me, I will usually apologise.>
I think it's great the way you speak your minds.
<Indeed we do.>
I know that many people ask this question, and I have seen your responses to this question, but I still am unsure if I should take the plunge because of the mixed responses on the internet and even my own forum. Here goes...
<Fire away.>
I have a 1 year old red eared slider (RES) he is healthy, and extremely spoiled in his 210 gal aquarium. About 3 months after owning him I got him a plecostomus, My turtle Bowser seemed to really enjoy this companionship (not kidding).
<Unusual, but happens.>
While he ate the other fish that were in the aquarium, he did not eat the Pleco.
<Do bear in mind live feeder fish are not a healthy diet for Sliders. Even as occasional "treats" you run the risk of introducing parasites, and used regularly, the fat and thiaminase inside feeder fish (minnows and goldfish particularly) causes serious health problems. An appropriate diet is based primarily on plant foods, Darrel recommends Koi Carp pellets, but I prefer to go with cheap aquarium plants (bunches of pondweed for example) and things like curly lettuce, augmented with small amounts of seafood and white fish. Whichever route you go, using a vitamin supplement designed for reptiles is a good idea.>
In fact they would sleep together, eat together, hide out together. The Pleco would even clean his shell - they were buddies. Well then, due to some stupid errors in water quality which have been corrected, the Pleco died. After he died bowser didn't eat him (pretty big deal if you ask me), but then bowser got depressed (again, not kidding). Bowser would swim to the glass whenever we came around, and he would just act strange. Like he was lonely (still eats okay and doesn't have any illnesses). I currently am a member of the All turtles forum http://www.allturtles.com/msgboard/ and every time someone asks about getting another turtle they say it is a terrible idea.
<Indeed, it usually is.>
The thing is that it is always the same (5) people saying this. I really just need an expert's advice. Can I get a painted turtle to be a companion for my RES?
<Do not bank on it. Sliders, particularly males, are aggressive towards other turtles. Furthermore, while animals often tolerate other animals already in their environment, if you add something new, that newcomer isn't recognised, and territory-holding animals are much more likely to view that newcomer as a threat. It's down to something called "dear enemy" theory, where territory holders learn to tolerate rivals in adjacent territories because there's little advantage to fighting with them, while incoming rivals are seen as much more threatening and there are tangible advantages to seeing them off.>
I have seen that you guys have said yes to other people asking the same question.
<Wouldn't have been me! While I have kept two different terrapins (as we Brits call them) in one tank, a Red-ear and a Yellow-ear, and the two largely got along. But only the Red-ear was the male, and moreover, the two were reared together from babies. So while it is certainly do-able, it's not something to undertake lightly, and you really need a Plan B just in case things go wrong.>
So I feel like I've been getting mixed messages from my research. Also If I do get one, should I wait until my turtle is older and matures sexually? Or should I do it now so that they can have time to bond before the sexual maturity happens?
<Reptiles don't form anything comparable to a pair bond, with the exception of crocodilians, which do pair up in some species and guard the nest together. In most cases, the males simply mate with whoever they can, as often as they can. Conversely, keeping females alone can cause problems with egg-binding if you don't understand the problem and take the necessary steps to work around it. So it's complicated. For most people, most of the time, a single male is the easiest choice. In a big tank, one male and two females can work well. Needless to say, introducing the animals to their new home as juveniles is the best, so they can gradually build up the pecking order.>
I've heard that having males together can be a bad thing, but also male and females together can be bad. While I know it is hard to actually choose male or female at this young age is one or the other better?
<Two males in a standard domestic aquarium can be bad. Males bite, and if there isn't space for the males to separate, including space above the waterline, you can have problems.>
I have heard that you can get your reptile neutered or spayed... Do you know much about this?
<Nothing.>
do they offer spaying or neutering for turtles? is spaying or neutering your turtle humane?
<I'm sure done by a licensed vet it's human. But is it practical or even useful? That's a whole other topic. I'd consult with a trained exotic animal vet before anything else.>
Also, would that potentially help keep the turtles from fighting?
<Likely, yes.>
I think I covered the bases for all the questions I should have about that.
<Great.>
Since I'm asking questions I also have 2 more, do you think letting turtles come out of their habitat to roam around the house (in areas where they will not get hurt or crushed or anything of that nature) is a good idea?
<Mine did from time to time. Confused our Siamese cats no end. Of course, they did tend to defecate on the carpet, so putting some newspaper down is wise. Even having an outdoor area is a possibility. Because they're adapted to wet habitats, they can dehydrate quite quickly, so unless they have access to water, it's a good idea to limit these out-and-about perambulations to an hour or so. This is especially true if you live in a dry climate (not something I had to worry about here in England...).>
I do try to take my RES out frequently so that he can get any extra exercise that he might not be getting, and also to dry out his shell in case he has been a lazy basker. In the summer I take him to the yard for
supervised visits so he can be in touch with his inner turtle. But winter is way too cold for that here.
Also, I use ReptiSun bulbs to light the aquarium, how do I know when these need to be replaced?
<Every year. Supposedly, the UV-B component drops off after that time, and since you can't see UV-B, the difference isn't noticeable. Even allowing for the tendency of manufacturers to encourage replacement as often as they can get away with, I'd still change them within 18 months.>
Thanks so much for all your help in advance!
Regards to you knowledgeable and funny people,
Natasha
<And my regards to you, too. Cheers, Neale.>

Re: RES Companions and other Questions – 10/31/09
Neale,
<Natasha,>
Thank you so much for your advise, you went above and beyond what I even asked.
<Happy to help.>
I especially like the information that you gave about the different types of plants to put in the aquarium. I will be using some of those for sure, Bowser seems to really enjoy the fake ones I have in their now and the Plecostomus would like the plants too (new Plecostomus). I know goldfish and feeder fish are bad, originally I had some of these in the aquarium but after finding they were bad I was going to take them out. Coincidentally my turtle went on a killing spree and they are all dead now, so that was convenient.
<Indeed.>
Right now I have some Green Barbs and Bleeding Hearts in there. But they are really not for food as my turtle would rather school with them than eat them (I didn't know about the parasites fish can carry though).
<Can be a very real problem, especially with wild-caught fish and fish breed cheaply as feeders.>
I buy any fish I have from a very reputable specialty fish store (not a pet store) so I doubt that they would have parasites, but that is good to know.
<It's not necessarily the retailer. A species like Bleeding Heart Tetras that are primarily wild-caught fish will have been exposed to worms and other parasites in their native habitat. While these parasites may or may not parasitise turtles, there *are* turtles in the Amazon, and therefore the risk of a turtle-specific parasite is there. As you perhaps know, many parasites need to pass through more than one host to complete their life cycle, and those parasites that affect reptiles often pass through a prey animal, like a small fish, first.>
I usually feed my turtle Wardley's Turtle pellets Fortified with Calcium, and I have a cuttlebone in there that he likes to eat too. If I did do a vitamin supplement what kind would you personally recommend?
<If you're feeding a good quality food together with fresh greens, vitamin supplements shouldn't really be necessary. So you're using a supplement more as an insurance policy than anything else. So get whatever is cheap and available.>
Also Do you think I should ditch the turtle pellets?
<No; as I say, at the very least, they provide a good source of useful vitamins and minerals. The main thing to remember is that once they begin to turn stale, the vitamins will have broken down, so they're less valuable. I like to freeze most of the dried foods I buy, and only keep by the tank small tubs of the stuff, enough for a few weeks at a time. That's an economical approach if you like to buy turtle or fish food in bulk.
While freezing food doesn't keep the vitamins stable forever, it's better than keeping them warm and moist by a fish tank, and should keep the dried food good for six months.>
I know as my turtle gets older he will only want vegetables one day, and I am prepared for that.
<Good. It isn't that they only eat vegetables, but as they get bigger and heavier, turtles are less able to catch food, so they get most of their calories from things that can't run away, like plants and carrion. There's no reason at all to feed them just plant foods, but certainly ensuring that their diet is rich with green foods is a healthy approach.>
Based on the information you provided me I will make sure I have another aquarium that I could set up as a home for the other turtle IF I decided to get another turtle.
<Wise; or at least, be sure you can find another home for the second turtle, should it be necessary.>
That way if they didn't get along I could separate them. In my current aquarium, space is no problem, it's a very long and wide 210 gallon.
<That should be big enough for two turtles, indeed, I'd perhaps go for three or four, one male, two or three females. That way the male would be less likely to fight, and while he would certainly pursue the females, he couldn't harass any one of them all the time. Building more than one basking spot is also helpful.>
But I will make sure that the other aquarium is in place before I decide to bring home a new turtle. Maybe I'll just get a tortoise instead, I think my RES will be fine with the setup he has now.
<Ah, now tortoises really are fun. A close friend of mine has three of them, though in England they're only out and about in the garden for about 8 months, spending the rest of the year in hibernation. Kept properly, these animals live a very long time, and it's great fun to watch them chase each other across the lawn. They're like animated garden ornaments!>
He seems to be infatuated with the new plecostomus that is in there now, so there are no more loneliness issues.
<Good.>
On a more personal note, I was hoping that you would be the one to answer my questions Neale. So I am very pleased.
<Cool.>
Can I ask what happened to the turtles and terrapins you had before?
<When I left to go to university in Scotland, they were taken to a tropical animal zoo called Tropiquaria in Somerset, a few miles from where my grandparents lived. That was some 20 years ago, so I have no idea if they're still alive, but I stopped by the Tropiquaria a couple of months ago with my nieces, and spent some time talking with the director of the zoo about the various reptiles they keep and breed. So I'm sure they had good lives.>
Thank you for your advice again, and I believe you are correct, "blunt" is a better word than "jerk" in describing your approach to idiots.
<Well, that's sorted then.!>
Regards,
Natasha
<Cheers, Neale.>

Re: RES Companions and other Questions  – 11/1/09
Neale,
<Natasha,>
Thank you for the advice, I do plan on following all of your suggestions, and very much appreciate your taking the time to answer my questions. That is really cool that you took your turtles to the tropical animal zoo. I'll bet they really did have a great life.
<I think they did.>
I have one final question that I forgot to ask before... I went to the plant store to buy plants to put in the aquarium after your advice, but they didn't carry Pondweed.
<This is sold under multiple names: Elodea, Egeria, Canadian Pondweed, etc.>
Do you have any other suggestions on plants I can buy for my turtle?
<In terms of aquarium plants, Floating Indian Fern, Hornwort, Frogbit, Cabomba will all be taken. Plants sold for human consumption are often good as well. Curly lettuce and red lettuce are both good, together with small amounts of things like cooked carrots, cooked peas, and melon.>
Also, any plants that I should avoid?
<Among edible plants, things with strong flavours often have chemicals that can harm turtles. Spinach and brassicas (cabbages, etc.) are among the plants to be used sparingly.>
I like the idea of getting more female turtles, that's what I will do if I decide to get more turtles. I like tortoises too, especially the red-footed tortoises and the Sulcata tortoises, they are so interesting. I heard that you can basically set them up a habitat in your backyard and they will have their own little ecosystem back there.
<Pretty much. They're good at digging though, and vulnerable to predators including dogs, so a certain amount of planning is required. If you live somewhere with cool winters, you will need to overwinter them, either indoors in a heated vivarium or else let them hibernate. The latter needs to be planned carefully if it is to be done safely, requiring that the tortoises fatten up properly beforehand.>
I know a few people who have their tortoises set up this way. I didn't know about them chasing each other though, I would like to see that. Well I appreciate all of your advice so much Neale, I wish I would have had the courage to ask my questions earlier. I feel like I wasted a lot of time on indecisive answers.
<Ah, well.>
If we don't speak again, thank you for helping my family have a happier and healthy life! I learned a lot just from scanning the pages of this website that is for sure, but your answers helped the most.
<Kind of you to say so.>
Take Care!
Natasha
<And likewise, Natasha. Cheers, Neale.>

Red Eared Slider Aggression – 10/9/09 Hi there, <Hey there! Ho There!> My roommate and I adopted a pair of young male red eared sliders just yesterday from a rescue center. Their names are Timmy (6 inches, 2-5 years old) and Asim (4 inches, 0-2 years). <I assume Asim's last name is not "Metrical"?> Their home is a 90 gallon tank filled 2/3 with water, with a couple large rocks piled on one end for basking, and some ornaments scattered about. There is a fake, hollow log at the other end which I think Asim slept in last night (Timmy doesn't fit). I've attached a photo of the set up (without the log). <That's a nice setup. You're doing well. Now get rid of the log. It's a sad fact that turtles often do get caught on things underwater & drown, so nothing they can get caught under, over or around. Worst case scenario is that Asim BARELY fits in when he goes to rest and barely DOESN'T fit when trying to get out. Think like a turtle and check out the space. > <"NO CAPES!" -- Edna Mode> <"NO LOGS!" -- Darrel> When we put them in the tank they seemed to be getting along fine; Asim followed Timmy everywhere he went. After a while, Timmy climbed up on the basking rock, and Asim followed. Even though they have more than enough room up there, Asim crawls onto Timmy's back and stands there whenever they are on the rocks at the same time. Sometimes Timmy stays put, and other times he jumps into the water, sending Asim flying. When we feed them they each seem to be eating the same amount of food. <So far, you're describing normal turtle relationships.> Timmy has been eating the gravel incessantly, even though we have provided him with more food than he can eat. <Another easy fix. No Gravel Small Enough to Swallow. They can eat enough that they get impacted and die. Change to small river stones from your local building supply store.> Today, we noticed that Timmy was acting strangely towards Asim. He head-butted him once. On more than one occasion he put their heads together and shook his front claws in front of Asim's face. I noticed that someone reported this in an FAQ question already, but the response was that it was a normal courtship behavior for females, and for males it could signal an attack. Not soon after, Timmy bit Asim's neck and refused to let go for some time. <Ouch!> I had to intervene out of fear that Asim would be seriously hurt. <Wise move> I held Timmy out of the tank until we could be sure that Asim was okay. Since Timmy has been back in the tank, Asim has been frantically swimming at the front of the glass. Timmy was acting normally, aside from some lightly aggressive lunges toward Asim. We have taken Timmy out of the tank to try and give him more food (thinking that hunger may have been the problem) but neither turtle seems to like eating out of water. <No, they don't. At best they grab food and drag in back in> <I assume that we've ruled out that Timmy has the long front claws of a male and that perhaps he's trying to mate with an immature female?> Some advice on how to cope or fix the gravel-eating and aggression would be greatly appreciated. <What you've come across is just that particular set of parameters that encourages aggression. It could easily be simply the mix of those two turtles. Could be that Timmy is a whole new person around a turtle his own size. Or not -- maybe Timmy is just a jerk (don't laugh, it happens!)> <What you should try first is just CHANGE things. Lower the basking temperature a few degrees -or- lower the water temp (obviously harder to do). Rearrange the entire tank (Basking rocks in Right Front as opposed to Left Rear -- and remove all decorations. Or add some. Mix things up and see what combinations you can change that make Asim less frantic and/or Timmy less aggressive. Add a third closer to turtle Timmy's size (a bit more dicey, but worth a try). Build a partition, add a second basking platform and give Asim his own room, so to speak.> <As you can guess, *I* am guessing. As keepers we run into this sort of thing from time to time and there's no one cure for it. Do different things until you find something that works!> Thank you, <No charge> Michelle <Darrel>

Aggressive male RES to female 10/2/2009
Hello,
<Hello,>
Thank you for all of your information. I think I have found most of my answers from piecing together different question FAQ's but i would like to verify.
<Fire away.>
I have two RES 1 male 1 female and have had them for about 5 years. We have been doing fine until recently. The male fans the female and strangely the female fans him back but they get along fine. two days ago the female was on the docking station and as she was sliding off the male grab her by the neck in his mouth and they flipped under the docking station but he would not let go. We finally got them separated but she had some skin missing on her neck. She is bigger than he and has always held her own in fact she was the dominant turtle until now. If he comes up behind her and climbs up on his back we can see he is stretching his neck to maybe bite again but she panics and drawing her front feet in she spins until he falls off and then she faces him backing up away from him still her front feet in the shell. She will also bring her head in for protection. He has bitten at her a few more times.
<What you describe is not all that uncommon. If the habitat is big enough, adding another female or two will help, by dividing out the amount of time the male can pester any one of them. But apart from that, the only real solution is to keep the two turtles separately. They aren't "social" animals as such, and don't get lonely.>
We separated them for awhile and then got them some shrimp in a jar because I had heard they will get aggressive when they need protein. We normally feed them pellets and floating sticks. We were afraid to give them much else because we had given them goldfish and they got worms and the vet said $200.00 later, that if was from the fish.
<As you'll see on WWM, we do warn people about this. Feeder Goldfish make pet animals sick. There's no excuse or reason to use them. None. Nix. Nada. In the case of turtles, these animals are herbivorous for the most part, so leaving them a bunch of cheap aquarium plants (such as Elodea) or a few leaves of romaine lettuce is fine. Sure, they might ignore it for a while, like fat kids brought up on candy who've suddenly been presented with a salad. But you know what? They'll get over. When they get hungry enough -- which may take a few days -- they'll eat the green stuff you give them.>
We tried giving them boiled chicken lettuce and carrots at the vet's suggestion but they would only eat the pellets and floating sticks.
<Chicken, and indeed any meat from a warm blooded animal, should be avoided. The problem is this: any fats in warm blooded animals are liquid at warm body temperature. But in a cold blooded animal, those fats turn solid, and in doing so, clog up the blood vessels or wherever else they are. In the long term, this can cause damage. So, when feeding cold blooded animals, you generally stick with cold blooded prey: small pieces of white fish, shrimp, earthworms, and so on. Cold blooded animals adapted to eating warm blooded prey, such as venomous snakes, are different of course, but your turtles would not fall into this category. Their diet in the wild is largely plant material, carrion, and various invertebrates such as snails, aquatic insects and worms. Koi pellets -- not reptile pellets -- make the best staple, augmented with fresh green foods, at around a 50/50 ratio. Meaty treats like unshelled prawns, snails, and whole lancefish would be good sources of calcium and could be offered once or twice a week.>
They don't seem to be eating anything for the last couple of days since these attacks have occurred. I am believing it is because she does not want his advances and he doesn't care so he is going to grab her and force his way but just wondering if it could be something else. I am going to remove her to a bucket to temporarily get her some treatment and then swap them out taking turns on who gets the tank and who gets the bucket.
<Don't really see how this is going to work in the long term.>
I do not have any other way at this time. They are in a 100 gal tank with a Fluval 450 filter and a good heater but I notice the filter does not keep it that clean we need to clean at least once a week and sometimes redo the water in just a few days could this be from not eating their food?
<Do you mean a Fluval 405? Or a Fluval 4? I'm not aware of a Fluval 450 and can't find it on Google. Anyway, a Fluval 4 (or indeed any internal canister filter) would be hopelessly underpowered for turtles. Been there, done that! When I started with turtles back in the 80s, internal canisters were widely sold but I quickly learned they were useless for such messy animals. The Fluval 405 is a big external canister filter rated at about 340 gallons/hour. For a 100 gallon tank, you'd need a turnover rate of 6 times the volume of the tank, minimum, to keep the water acceptably clean, and realistically 8 to 10 times the volume of the tank. In other words, you'd be looking at 600 gallons/hour as a baseline, and anything up to 1000 gallons/hour for crystal clear water. So the fact your water is murky and the filter needs cleaning very frequently doesn't surprise me at all.>
Ok now that was a long paragraph but I have more. I have seen the female lay her eggs in the water and I have tried to take them out immediately to dispose of them (I do not want to hatch them) but she will drop an egg and immediately spin around bite it and then the male eats it. I never know when she is going to lay her eggs. I try to watch her behavior but do not always catch it in time. How bad for them is this behavior.
<It's harmless. In fact, if she wasn't laying eggs, that would be worrying, because egg binding is a significant cause of mortality when females are kept alone.>
She has done this every few months for the last 2 years. I thought maybe he was waiting for her to lay some eggs because she is not eating, lays on the bottom of the tank and basks a lot first thing in the morning but I
have not seen her lay any eggs and thought maybe he was pushing to do so and she won't?
<I wouldn't read too much into this.>
To reiterate: 1) What should I feed them on a daily basis. I have read so many things I would just like one simple answer as to what would be best and what to add to their diet periodically.
<Koi pellets and fresh green foods (most cheaply/easily, bunched of Elodea pondweed left in the tank until it's all gone).>
2) What does this aggressive behavior seem like with all of the different scenarios in place
<Males by their very nature want to mate as often as possible. Females can only mate when they ovulate. So there's a tension there. In the wild the female would be able to leave the male's patch, or the male would wander off and find a more responsive female. But in your terrarium, neither can happen. The easiest solution is to add one or more females, so that he can't pester any one female all the time. Alternatively, egg crate could be used to create a divider. Provided there were two basking spots under UV-B light sources, this would work fine. You can also lower the temperature in winter. Males are friskier in spring, and become less interested in mating in winter. So by introducing seasonality -- within reason, given the
tolerances of the species -- you might simulate this in captivity.>
3) What should I do about her injuries
<Very minor wounds should heal by themselves. If the skin is damaged such that the turtle is bleeding, apply Neosporin or similar topical antiseptic daily and keep the turtle on land (warm, wrapped in a towel to stop
wriggling) for, say, an hour to allow the medication to soak in. If that doesn't help, you may need to have the vet take a look.>
4) What should I do until she heals
<Ideally, keep the female away from the male.>
5) Should I try to reintroduce them after she is better if I have to keep them separate
<Separation has advantages.>
6) What about the eggs as I do not want to keep them but are they harmful to the adult turtles
<Not harmful.>
Anything else you can tell me considering all the scenarios going on would be appreciated
Thank you
<Do review here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWsubwebindex/RESCareBarton.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWsubwebindex/treating%20RES%20Dis%20DarrelB.htm
Re: RES turtle questions
ok.
thank you so much for your help.
( you all really have a great website!)
<Glad we could help. Cheers, Neale.>

Re: Aggressive male RES to female 10/4/09
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. I appreciate your advice.
<Happy to help.>
I did want to make a correction from my original post. I actually have a 50 gallon tank and a Fluval 405, not 100 gal and Fluval 450. So the Fluval 405 should keep the 50 gal tank clean for at least a week but it seems to get murky in about 2-3 days. What could I be doing wrong.
<There are two things to think about. Provided the ammonia level if zero, you have enough *biological media* in the filter, and the water isn't directly dangerous. But if the water is murky, that means you haven't got enough *mechanical media* to trap silt, bits of dead skin, faeces, uneaten food, and so on. If the filter you have doesn't keep the water clean with weekly water changes, then a good idea is to invest in another filter, and this time fill it exclusively with mechanical media, such as filter floss or coarse sponges. Choose a filter that's easy to clean, so you can rinse off the mechanical media, or replace clogged media, as often as you need.
In practise, it's almost impossible to keep turtle aquaria clean unless the tank is very large and the filter very powerful. It sounds incredible perhaps, but a 50 gallon tank with a Fluval 405 will likely just not be up to the job. Sure, the turtles are healthy, but the quantity of water (likely half the volume of the tank, if you allow for the basking spot) and the mechanical media capacity of the filter won't be adequate. So there's a decision to make here. Do you want a bigger tank and/or bigger filter to keep the water clearer, or can you live with things as they are, and just siphon out whatever much you can, as often as you can.>
Every week or 2 my son completely drains the tank, scrubs it down and cleans out the Fluval and replaces all of the media.
<Do remember not to replace the *biological media* all at once, otherwise ammonia levels will spike. If the media is just filthy black, and totally covered with revolting goo, then the thing is that the filter just isn't big enough. If the filter is the right size, the mechanical media strains out the solid particles of waste, so that the biological media in the next compartment along stays clean enough all it needs is to be rinsed.>
The water is beautiful and then 3 days later we have to change out half of the water. Also if I get test strips what should the ammonia content and PH be and what else should I be testing.
<The ammonia should be zero; the pH anywhere between 6 and 8, but ideally around 7.>
I also read that you are supposed to give them their food and whatever they do not eat in 5 minutes take out. Is this correct?
<For dried or meaty foods, yes. Live Elodea plants can be left in until they're gone, while fresh green foods from the grocery store, like romaine lettuce leaves, can be left a day or two without problems.>
We feed them turtle pellets and sticks twice a day just a small handful.
<Too much of this type of food!>
Could this cause the murky water.
<Yes.>
If I change to the food you suggested (Koi pellets, plants, lettuce shell fish etc) do I need to scoop out what they do not eat if so which of the foods and what can stay?
<See above.>
How often and how much should I be feeding them?
<A good baseline is that 4 days of the week you let them eat the green foods, and then the other three days you supplement this with Koi pellets, small bits of shellfish, frozen lancefish, and so on.>
You mentioned that I could turn down the water temp to reenact the winter and that may help calm the male down a bit. I have a heater that is meant for water turtle tanks and it has a preset temp so I am not sure how I can do this, however I do have another heater that I used originally that is adjustable I can use. What I need to know is what is the actual temperature for Red Eared Sliders?
<You shouldn't need to heat the water at all. The idea is that your basking lamp warms up the turtle, and then when it dips into the water, it cools down. In the wild, and in captivity, the optimal conditions for these turtles are where they alternate between warmer air and cooler water temperatures all through the day. The water shouldn't be much cooler than, say, 18 C (68 F) but unless your home gets very cold in winter, that
shouldn't be a problem.>
I have heard that it should be 78 degrees with a +/- 4 degrees and that this was critical.
<It's critical they have access to a basking lamp that allows them to warm up, yes. The idea they need heated water is old fashioned and increasingly deprecated by reptile experts. Among other things, they destroy glass heaters! (My specimens did this at least twice!) So, you concentrate on the heating light and the UV-B light, and forget about the glass heater. The T Rex Active Heat MVB lamp for example does the heating and the UV-B, all in the same bulb. Other brands may be available in your area. But note that UV-B isn't the same as UV-A, and it's UV-B turtles need.>
I keep it around 77-80 all year long and have for the past 4 years. The fact that the male is just now getting aggressive surprised me but maybe she is just less approachable.
<What you're describing just isn't uncommon, and male Red-ear Sliders often end up being kept either singly or in large groups. They don't work well in "pairs" since they don't form pairs in the wild.>
So how low of a temperature can I go to mimic the winter and what is the absolute lowest to not cause harm to the turtles?
<In winter you might choose to have the heating lamp on a lower setting or not on for so long, and you could use a standard wall socket timer for this. Instead of being on for 10 or 12 hours, as in summer, reset it for only 6 or 8 hours. A thermometer could be used to check the air temperature, and so long as it wasn't much below 18 C (68 F), you'd be fine. In summer, an air temperature around 25 C (77 F) is ideal. These reptiles come from the "Deep South" of the US, so that's the kind of climate you're replicating.>
Thanks again your crew and information is fantastic
Charlene
<Cheers, Neale.>

RES with tail infection of some sort/compatibility with Mississippi Map turtle   4/26/09
Hello, I'm Erin
<Hiya! Darrel here>
I'm in need of identifying/treating a skin infection that my Red Eared Slider has on his tail. I've had him for about 6 years now, and he is has been in good health for the majority of those years. I acquired him as a hatchling from a flea market, so I expected him to have issues when I first got him. At around 2 he began to.. expel..a tapeworm, which as a whole was about a foot long. I got medicine to kill it, and he was back to normal. At 5, I came home and noticed he was missing the longest claw on his right front leg. He has not seemed to be phased by this, as he has remained active as normal.
<You're very attentive. That's great>
Anyway, aside from past issues, a few months ago he began to develop pinkish gray areas of skin that became bloated and very unhealthy looking.
I limited time he was in water and after about a month of long hours of basking, the infected areas cleared up and I placed him back in his normal tank. Well, it seemed as if he was fine, still very active, still eating, but within a few days back in water, the skin problem reappeared on his tail, no where else though. I did not want to put him back in a mainly dry environment again, as I'm sure that, despite clearing up the skin issue, is not particularly good for him.
<Actually no -- it's just fine! With daily access to a shallow bowl of water for just a few minutes to hydrate, eat and poop, he can --and should--go indefinitely this way. Sunshine or UV basking in important, as is dry skin. As you've already found, warm and wet is a perfect place to grow a fungus>
He is currently in a 75 gallon long tank, and seems happier than ever. I have researched the symptoms of his tail and have not come up with anything. The end of his tail is bloated in two places and pinkish. The very tip of his tail is nubbish now, rather than pointed and is very pink and slightly yellow. Can you please identify this skin problem and help me treat it? If you need a picture to identify the problem, I do not have one at the moment, but can provide one if needed.
<A picture would be helpful. I'm leaning toward a fungal infection but the yellowness is atypical -- and external infections usually do not cause swelling, so I think there may be something else going on here.>
<Obviously a trip to an experience herp Veterinarian would be in order, but if you don't have access to one or the cost is prohibitive the continue the "first aid" approach that worked before. Three things: One is that you need to keep him out of water longer. Two is to treat the affected area topically with an over the counter anti-fungal cream from your local pharmacy. Lotrimin, Tinactin or any of the generic products will be just fine. Hydrate him, let him bathe, eat & poop, then take him out, allow him to dry off and then apply the cream. Let's do this for 6 weeks.
Third, if you can, take this opportunity to break down the 75 gallon setup and sterilize it. I use regular chlorine bleach when I do this, but I do it IN PLACE ... which is to say that after evacuating the desired living things, I pour in 3 cups of the bleach, leaving everything else as is.
What I'm trying to do is get the oxidizer into the filter, through the filter HOSES, into any gravel or substrate ... ALL the places that harbor bacteria and fungi.>
<A Mushroom walks into a bar and tries to order a drink ... the bartender says 'sorry pal, but we don't want you in here.' The mushroom responds with "well, why not? I'm a fungi!">
<After 24 hours, I dose again and then after another 24 I neutralize with Novaqua (or similar) and then I rinse by draining and refilling 3 times.>
<That only makes sense if you pronounce Fungi as ...... FUN-GUY not FUN-GEE>
<Doesn't make it FUNNIER though ......>
<As with all first aid approaches, what we're really doing is merely affording the turtle an environment more appropriate for healing itself and warm/DRY will do that far better than warm/wet. If the swelling doesn't go down within a few days then it may be more than a simple fungal infection and more serious medical treatment may be required.>
Another thing I am worried about is that a juvenile Mississippi Map turtle has been introduced into the environment. I do not know the history of the turtle, but it looks and acts very healthy. I have only had it a few days and it has already grown out of the initial relocation stress and responds to me and eats well. So far, the two turtles have gotten along well, aside form the larger RES frequently performing that vibrating-claw ritual at it, which I expected. Even though the map turtle is not as large, and (I'm assuming) is aware it is not dominant, it has not shown any hostility to the RES, even while feeding.
<Well, the vibrating-claw ritual is actual the male's attempt to interest the female in a more serious relationship, if you get my drift. He's over there going "Look! See? See how long my fingernails are???? Meanwhile she's on the other side going "Oh great! Look at him! I've been trying to grow a decent set of nails all my adult life and they keep breaking and
spitting if I just LOOK at them funny .... so here NAIL-BOY goes flaunting his in my face ..... and THEN HE WANTS A DATE ???????? AS IF!!!!!!!>
However, my main concern with this new turtle is that from being exposed to the RES's tail infection, that it may also develop the same issue. Do you think that this is likely, and if so, should I immediately separate the two? Also, should I treat both (that is if you can provide me with a treatment plan/idea) even if the map turtle does not show signs?
<The Graptemys (Map Turtles) have two things going against them here. First, they don't have as much natural mucus layers as the Pseudemys (Sliders) do, which can make them more susceptible to ANY kind of infection, but second they usually spend far more time in the water -- they bask less often and for less time ... both of which leave them more susceptible to any opportunistic infection. The bottom line on the Map Turtle is that water quality is a far more critical issue than for the slider. For this reason I strongly suggest you take an aggressive approach to sterilization and since the Map Turtle will not have a home during this process, I suggest that you give it the same hiatus as the Slider, just without the cream.>
One final concern I have with my turtles is that I am positive my Red Eared Slider is a male, and I'm not sure, but I believe the map turtle is female.
<That would be my guess too, the Slider is undoubtedly male, and we can both assume that since he's asking the Map Turtle for a date, we can assume she's female. Or at least really hot looking>
I know different species can mate and not reproduce. I was just wondering if Sliders and Mississippi map turtles are unable to successfully fertilize and reproduce.
<I don't think so. At least I've never heard of it. Sliders WILL cross with Cooters and Painteds (Pseudemys and Chrysemys) but I've never even seen discussion about Graptemys. And even if it WERE possible ... it would be like a cat wearing a pair of roller skates -- regardless of how it happened, you know it just wouldn't end well.>
I will be overjoyed if you can provide me with solutions to these problems.
I just want my turtles to live long, healthy, and happy lives.
<That's what we all want, Erin. The first thing is to treat the supposed fungal infection and a cleaning of the environment. Next, check your care and conditions against the suggestions in the link below and correct any deficiencies and finally, get them into a really good retirement savings account while they can still shell out the dough.>
<I can't believe I went for that cheap a joke>
Thank you for your time.
<Yer welcome!>
<http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm>

Sliders and Plecos   4/19/09
Hey,
<Howdy. Darrel here>
So I've had my yellow bellied slider (called Rambo)for about a year now, he's(guessing its a he) been a happy little thing. He was looked after by my younger sister for a while when I first went to university and seemed a little depressed as he wasn't eating, so I took him to university so I could care for him. That was at Christmas time, and since then he's grown loads and eats a ton of food.
<It just goes to show you how easily turtles will thrive if given the right kind of care!>
.About 3 weeks ago I brought a Pleco to keep him company, and thought he's not to small for Rambo to want to eat it.
<Umm, not really. Turtles and fish don't mix that well.>
In the same week I got some locusts (I hadn't tried them before) he loved them and seemed to give him a mass of energy and growth!!
<But they're LOADED with the wrong kinds of nutrients, fats & things, Carrie. Sliders are omnivorous (as you discovered, but primarily vegetarian. I grow mine from freshly hatched babies to grown, breeding
adults on Koi pellets and an occasional (once a month or so) earthworm.>
<Feeding the wrong type of food, or simply TOO MUCH food, will cause growth to the point of obesity, but even before that shows on the outside, fatty tissue diseases may take hold on inside.>
Last week I went away for the week but my boyfriend looked after them, and because he works during the day Rambo wasn't getting his lunch food and so he decided he would try and eat my Pleco!!
<Yeah, Turtles don't eat much fish because they can't catch them well. In fact, it's comical and entertaining to see them try... but every once in a while, base on sheer probability, the turtle gets lucky and the fish gets
unlucky.>
Upon realizing this, my boyfriend put plenty of food in and Rambo hasn't tried to eat the Pleco.
<Yes, but we could be over-feeding the Slider just to make him too lazy to eat the Pleco.>
However the Pleco has lost half his tail fin, his top one, I think you can see the bone of the fin and above his tail he has no fin and its gone white around the areas The Pleco seems happy enough and keeps clear of Rambo, but should I take the Pleco to the vet for a once over?
<If it were me, no. Fish in general and Plecos particularly have a tremendous ability to recover or compensate for physical damage as long as their environmental conditions are pristine. So as long as your water quality is excellent, the temperature is right and the food is nutritious, the Pleco will likely recover. THAT SAID .... I'm not sure the Pleco, who has an ideal range of 76-83F can survive long term with a slider that should have water in the mid to low 70's. On that same subject, it's hard to imagine keeping the water quality of a turtle tank clean enough for fish to remain healthy.>
The Pleco has a hiding place so he can get away from Rambo. I'll try and send a picture but I don't have a camera right now.
<Well, Carrie -- I think we've got the picture. What we COULD use the next time around is a truckload of Capital I's, apostrophes and other punctuation -- please remember that not all our readers are keyboard kids who can read & write in TXT. (LOL)>
<Seriously, Turtles and Fish do not share an environment, Carrie -- they merely live on the outskirts of each other's worlds and share seemingly similar needs. In the long term they will both be happier and healthier
if they have separate homes.>
<Read this and check all your care against the suggestions given:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm>
Hope you can help!
<We hope we did!>
Thanks
Carrie

Wild and tame Red Eared Sliders 4/16/09
Dear Crew
<Hiya Kaleb -- Darrel here today>
I am about to receive a captive born and raised hatchling Red Eared Slider turtle
<Congratulation, K -- of all my animals, I STILL regard my tiny green sliders as special. I hope you do, too!>
I was wondering if a Red Eared Slider hatchling acquired from the wild, like a local pond, would have any hope of compatibility
<In Sliders and their relatives, compatibility is mostly due to size. If two Emydid turtles (Sliders, Cooters, painted, etc.) are pretty much of the same size, any behavior problems usually get worked out and everyone gets along fine.>
Would I have to worry about diseases being transferred from the wild RES to the captive RES?
<Another stroke of luck Kaleb. Unlike so many of our more fishy friends, our turtle cousins are generally much less susceptible to induced pathogens (bugs & such). If the water is CLEAN and the care is GOOD then whatever diseases a wild caught animal may be harboring are unlikely to transfer to the captive raised .. and usually those excellent conditions will help the wild turtle fight off the disease as well!>
The plan is to raise them in the same tank that is big enough for both
<Excellent Idea. Read the link below and compare your care to the suggestions there. Write back and let us know how it works out>
<<Oops... forgot the link: RMF sent along: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm>>
Thanks,
Kaleb

More re: Wild and tame Red Eared Sliders – 4/17/09
Thanks a lot for the info before,
I am preparing my tank now for the hatchling slider and was wondering what plants (real or fake) will be best suited and the safest option for my turtle.
Thanks, Kaleb
<Hello Kaleb. Most Sliders eat plants, and in the wild, some 75% of their diet (when adults, at least) will be soft aquatic plants. So anything you add will likely be viewed as dinner! Elodea for example is a superb food for Sliders, and expert hobbyists add this stuff to the tank, leaving their Sliders to eat this stuff several days of the week rather than pellets or meaty food. If you want "permanent" plants, your best bets are going to be plastic plants, though floating plants can grow fast enough under bright lights that they provide both shade and food without problems. Cheers, Neale.>

Separating Red Eared Sliders 7/17/2008
Hello,
<Ave,>
I have been reading and scanning your site for any information pertinent to my situation. I have 3 red eared sliders, 2 females and 1 male. My male turtle is becoming aggressive towards my 2 females, and from what I have read so far it seems the wisest choice would to be to separate the male from the 2 females.
<May well be if the habitat is too small. Sometimes a bigger vivarium with at least two "islands" of land will mean the females can rest away from the female easily enough. Most problems happen when they are crammed into a too-small enclosure.>
My concern is, after doing a lot of reading, will the two females "miss" the male or will the male "miss" the females?
<They won't miss him at all. Though do be aware that females can produce (infertile) eggs away from the male, and this can lead to "egg binding" if they can't lay them, a potentially fatal situation.
http://redearslider.com/reproduction.html
Obviously this causes a great deal of pain to the reptile, so you should be aware of the symptoms and prepared to fix things should the worst happen.>
Is there such thing as turtle depression?
<If there is, it isn't something known to science.>
I got them as babies 4 and 1/2 years ago and they have never been separated since, and I don't want them to feel insecure or lonely by me separating them.
<Reptiles are generally pretty phlegmatic animals and Red-ear Sliders at least aren't social animals in the wild.>
Also, I have read that female red eared sliders are more aggressive than males.
<Not heard of this.>
Would leaving the 2 females together be a recipe for disaster?
<Nope, assuming the habitat is big enough for two dinner-plate sized animals.>
They have not had a problem with each other at all so far, only with the male. It seems that it would be ok to leave the 2 females together as long as they don't fight. Any advice and suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you so much for your time!
<Hope this helps, Neale.>

One turtle biting the other turtle – 06/26/08
Hi Neale,
I have two red ear sliders. I got them when they were about the size of a quarter, that was last August. They are now about 3 1/2 to 4 inches long. One of the turtles has long claws in the front and the other one has short nails. Under there shell they are also different. So I am thinking one is a male and one is a female. The one with the longer claws also has a bigger tale. I upgraded my tank to a 75 gallon with two eheim filters, a 75 UVA light and a 5.0 UVB light. Things were going great. I noticed that they were doing that fluttering thing a couple of weeks ago. I thought that they were to young to mate. Now I also noticed that the one with the longer claws will not leave the one with shorter claws alone. It is always going after her and trying to bite her right foot. I feel bad for her. She has always go hide in the turtle log that is in the tank. Do you thing it best that I put a divider in the tank. I didn't want to have to because the 75 gallon tank was suppose to be for them to roam. Will this pass. Do you have any suggestions.
Thanks Christine
<Hi Christine. Almost certainly mating behaviour, though whether or not the female accepts the male is another issue. The nipping of the flippers is normal, and provided the skin isn't broken, is not really a problem. Isolating the female might help, as would adding another female to alter the social dynamic. Providing multiple resting sites above water can help. Turtles aren't social, so if worst comes to the worst, you can always get rid of the male. Keeping a big mature female with a smaller male is often a better way forward; when they're the same size, the male gets away with being "pushy". Cheers, Neale.>

RES in pond -04/11/08
Getting Rid Of Two Turtles
Hi, I have two red eared sliders that I have owned for about 10 years now, that are quite healthy and large. However, at the end of this month I have to move and can no longer have them in my new home. My aunt has a home made pond in her yard which is quite large and has some fish and frogs and so forth, but does not have any other turtles, it's mainly for her garden. I was wondering if it would be a bad idea to let them stay in there, as it will probably get to cold for them in the colder months (we live in southern Ontario Canada)? They also have never hibernated. The pond is roughly 800galons and about 2 ft deep, it have some water plants in it and leaves and things tend to fall on its surface, and quite a bit of mud on the bottom of the pond. My aunt offered to feed them over the warmer months as well, and I don't think it will come into contact with any of the natural wildlife as there really aren't any other turtle in this pond. Let me know what you think. My other option is to follow up with the reptile rescue and have them put the turtles up for adoption. Thank you for your time.
< During the warmer months they would create lots of trouble nipping at the others in the pond. During the cold winters they would probably not survive. I would recommend the reptile rescue.-Chuck>

Red ear slider questions. 3-24-08
Matching Up a Red Eared Slider
Hello, After reading your pages, I have found it very informative. We still have a few of the questions though. We have a female who we have had for about three years and her shell is about ten inches long now and was about 4 inches when we got her. She lives in an 80 gallon tank, kept about 76 degrees, with a heat lamp and a place to haul out of the water, and with a few minnows who have stayed clear of her and one large plecostomus in the tank. We were thinking about getting her a companion, but have heard conflicting opinions. Is the tank too small for two turtles?
< Two turtles can physically get around in an 80 gallon tank. The tank will foul twice as fast so you will have to clean it twice as often. If the turtles get very hungry they may fight over food. A male turtle will try and mate with her during the warmer months. If she is not ready them she may bite him.>
Will she be fine by herself because she has been for so long now?
< I personally recommend keeping a single turtle by itself. Two turtles may get along with an occasional nip of the tail or a foot. These nips heal but do not grow back leaving a slightly imperfect animal for you to care for.>
She has a very timid personality and likes to hide in the little underwater cave whenever someone is moving around the room (unless she wants food, then she is right at the edge of the tank). Also her diet is in question, she only ever eats the turtle pellets (the ZooMed, and the floating turtle sticks).
We have tried lettuce and various aquatic live plants and she seems not to be interested. Only the few fish who are not smart enough to evade her live and the few small snails that were place in the tank were ever eaten other then the food pellets. Is this an diet ok for her, it has worked so far, but would could be done better?
<The ZooMed diet is very complete. Look at her shell. It should be round and smooth. Turtles with too much protein in their diet tend to have very bumpy shells. I would still offer some Anacharis since it will absorb some waste from the water until it is eaten. I would recommend that you change the fluorescent light bulbs every 12 to 18 months. They weaken over time.>
We are also wondering if there is anything else we should do to keep her healthy and happy. Also what kind of fish would you recommend for the tank for her to chase and eat in her leisure time.
< Fast moving fish like the shiners or local bait fish should be OK. Stay away from stiff spined species like sunfish.-Chuck>
Thank you for any information

Slider and map turtle relationship... comp.  – 03/18/08
Hello,
<Hi there>
I have two young turtles (sex unknown): one yellow bellied slider, and one Mississippi map turtle. They're just over a year old (i bought them a year ago, when they were very small but i don't know how old exactly they were then). The slider is about a centimeter bigger than the map turtle, when measuring across or down the shell, but this is because last autumn the map turtle didn't want to eat for a while (the heater had stopped working as well as it had been and the slight drop in temperature made him stop. As soon as we got a new heater he was back to his old self again). They are about 7cm (slider) and 6cm (map) across the shell. They are both active and energetic, swimming and basking, and seem to be in generally good health. They have plenty of space to swim and bask separately.
<Good>
After a few months of having them there were a couple of small fights over food, both times with the slider attacking the map turtle (he is the more aggressive, and more hungry one). I now feed them separately, which has been working well, and i have had no more problems. When they were younger they used to just ignore one another, swimming and basking on different sides of the tank,
<Mmm, how big is this tank/world?>
but now they seem to have become friends, but i don't know if this is just to my uneducated eye. If one is on a rock, the other will come and sit next to it, and they will bask together, sometime posing with their necks slightly outstretched, crossing each other, as if hugging. They will often bask one on top of the other as well. Now sometimes when they are sitting together in the water, or hanging onto the side of a rock together, they will look at each, and the slider will stretch out his neck to reach the other one, and they'll just touch faces then just look away. When i first saw this i thought he was going to take a bite at the other but he never does. I have even seen them taking little gentle nibbles at each other when the other is shedding slightly - never actual bites, just taking the loose skin off - again, at first this really alarmed me. I'm just worried that all this 'friendliness' isn't friendly after all, and is maybe territorial or something else, and could lead to fighting.
<Me too>
I would say the slider is the more dominant one, but not excessively - barely noticeable really. From the sounds of it, do you think these turtles are happy to be living with on another and are they actually getting along?
<Mmm, most of the common aquatic turtles used as pets (including these two species) "get along" well enough by default of being placed together... esp. as small individuals... However, they do need room... psychologically... I think the root problem with these two is too little space.>
Is this normal turtle behavior? Thank you for reading all this - I am sorry if its a silly question, but i just want them to have the best lives i can give them.
Thank you again,
Leanne
<Then please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Turtle with Baby Fish   1/28/08
I have a Mickey Mouse Platy and 16 baby Platies. I purchased a two way breeder to protect the babies but I also have a small red eared slider turtle in the same aquarium. My question is, Will the turtle eat the baby fish? Please let me know ASAP!
Thanks,
<Yes, the turtle will eat the baby fish. Turtles and fish should not be kept in the same quarters for lots of reasons, the least of which are these: Firstly, turtles need a land area under a UV-B lamp for basking, which is not really compatible with a fish tank. Secondly, turtles produce a LOT of waste, and this will overwhelm most filter systems, meaning that there'll be ammonia in the water, and this will lead to Finrot or worse. So, your next step is separating the fishes from the reptile. Cheers, Neale.>

Invite a frog home for the holidays! Sys...    12/24/07
Hello,
<Hiya right back!>
I really hope you can help me out.
<We'll try>
A very generous friend of mine just gave me three red eared sliders, the aquarium, food, filters, all the trimmings.
<A nice friend!>
I've read a lot of information about these turtles on the internet, and I feel pretty comfortable caring for them.
<I'll also give you a link below just for more reference>
However, my ecology teacher begged me yesterday to take home her albino African clawed frog over winter break. She keeps her frog with two turtles at school, so I figured it would be okay to put Albie, as I began to call the frog, in with the turtles for the ten day break. I worry, however, that the bright heat lamps that the turtles need may hurt Albie's eyes, and that the rather noisy cascade type filter might be bothering his sensitive ears. Please supply me with peace of mind, and let me know if this living arrangement is okay for the frog and the turtles.
<It's nice to hear that you care enough to worry. Here are my initial concerns for Ablie 1) She needs a tight fitting top to keep her from deciding to go exploring 2) Unlike a turtle, a frog should have a hiding place where it can get out of sight and feel secure (it's called 'visual privacy') and if you can accomplish this it takes the worry out of the bright light issue with the turtles. 3) Lastly, and this is the big issue - just because Albie is kept with two other turtles doesn't mean that YOUR three turtles would look at Albie and think "Hey Scabber!!!! Look! Cuisses de Grenouille!">
<But there is good news. First, Albie and her brethren (African Clawed Frogs) are pretty hardy as frogs go and unless stepped on, run over or eaten Albie will make it through these 10 days just fine and return to class with a story to tell!>
I just can't take seeing Albie kept in the tiny carrying case my teacher supplied me with to bring him home for the entire duration of the break.
<My suggestion is that you split the difference -- Let Albie spend time in the aquarium when you are there to be a referee but put her somewhere else when you're not. I've rigged many a temporary home for all kinds of reptiles and amphibians from a cardboard box with a water bowl sitting on top of an ordinary heating pad set on 'low heat'>
Thank you for any help you can give me.
and have a great holiday. :)
<Thank you Amanda - may your wishes come true>
<http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm>

Can I mix together with ? 12/15/2007
Hello ,
<Hi!>
I'm 19 , male , Yangon (Myanmar).
<I'm male, VERY old .... Southern California, USA>
I would like to some question to you Sir. I have 4 ghost fishes and 4 red ear slider turtles. I would like to mix together with the same tank. Could I do ?
<I do not think that is wise. Fish and turtles live in water worlds but have very different needs. What is best for Ghost and Knife fishes is not the best for Sliders. If you compromise to accommodate both, neither will be happy or healthy. The link below points to an article that has man suggestions on inexpensive ways to house turtles.>
Thank for reading my mail.
<I enjoyed it very much>
God bless you
<Thanks - I need all the help I can get>
From
Ichiko
<Darrel>
<http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm>

RES aggressive females 11/8/07
I have 2 RES females and one is slightly larger than the other. I have had both of them for about 4 1/2 to 5 years now. the slightly larger turtle has attacked the other in the past and bitten her foot, I went into the room that I keep my tank and saw them fighting again. This time she looked as if she was biting the smaller RES in the head. why would two females fight like this. thanks for any help you can give me
<Sadly this sometimes happen. Red-ear Sliders aren't really sociable in confined quarters. Your best bet is to separate them, or failing that at least make sure the vivarium is arranged so there are two separate land areas. Most of their fighting seems to be on land, so if they can bask under separate lamps on separate rocks, so much the better. Cheers, Neale>

Red ear slider and catfish 10/16/07
I recently set up a turtle tank for 2 Red Eared Sliders. They were babies and one died about a week and half after arrival.
<Sorry for your loss>
I also have in the tank a small catfish I purchased from Wal-Mart since the guy at the pet store told me that it would not hurt. However, since the fish has been in the tank the remaining turtle just does not seem as interested in hanging out in the water like he used to. I am thinking that maybe it's coincidental that when I check on it he's always basking. Although usually in a different position so I worry less when I see
this. Last time I changed the tank and took the fish out, Speedy (RES) instantly became more active. I don't know if it was the excitement of the new water or the absence of the fish. I have only had him for just a little more than a couple of weeks so I don't have much behavior history to go on. While at work I ask my husband to check on him and he tells me Speedy is swimming. I know he eats. I have witnessed it. What is your opinion on this situation? I feel so paranoid since the loss of the other turtle. I love this little guy.
I never realized just how much personality turtles had until I was able to sit and really watch one!
<Yes, I agree with you. Many turtles MORE than make up for their lack of conversation with tons of personality and for as many different kinds of wet, scaled and shelled creatures are around me, I always am drawn back to the little green Red Eared's of my youth.>
<Ahem. Now down to cases. My standard advice is to resist the urge to mix fish and turtles. As much as it may SEEM that they occupy the same environment, they really don't and their needs are quite different. In your case, I have no doubt that Speedy would rather bask than share the water with a catfish. Catfish are often the Disgruntled Postal Workers of the freshwater fish community -- a short temper, a scavenger's "eat whatever and whenever I can" mentality AND .... and this is the most concerning .... they're not very fearful. Most small fish would see a large (to them) green scaly thing with feet and claws & stuff and simply decide to move to the left, at least until they're large enough to see things differently. But the smallest catfish can look at a full grown turtle and try to see if it's for dinner. So I think you're on the right track. Find a new home for the catfish so you & Speedy can spend quality time together.>
<regards, Darrel>

Is my red eared slider lonely ... Nope . Is your English bunk? Yep   7/27/06
I  had two red eared sliders, we got them when they were little and they been together for about 4 years, recently my other turtle wondered
<And wandered?>
off when she/he  was in the yard and I haven't been able to find it, I need to no
<Doctor?>
if it would be a  good idea to get another slider because my other turtle is not eating like he  use to and he spends most of his time in the corner of his tank. Would a Western  Painted turtle and a Red Eared slider turtle get along in the same tank
<Mmm, about as well as a conspecific>
and if  so if one is bigger or smaller then the other would that be a problem.
<... about the same size is a good match. Please read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/rescompfaqs.htm
and the linked files above.>
BobF>

Tankmates For Turtles  07/02/06
Hello, I had a question about my 2 Red Eared Sliders. I know its not a good idea to put fish in the tank with them but I was wondering if there is anything else I can put in the tank with them like crabs or little frogs or anything like that. Please help. Thank you
< Unfortunately they will eat all the little critters you have mentioned. Anything in their tank becomes a potential meal.-Chuck>

"Snapping" Sliders!  5/31/06
Hello,
<Hi, Pufferpunk here.>
I have two RES I believe one is a male one is a female, they seem pretty healthy and happy: energetic and still eating and basking etc. The smaller male however bites the larger female, this has happened before but I thought it was an accident.  Reading your website I see that it is something that they do, however is it common for the males to attack females? (assuming I am correct about the sexes).  Should I separate them in spring? My real
concern is that the wound caused by the last bite is white and bleeds.  Is there something I can do to help her heal, some sort of cream or salve?  The bite doesn't seem to inhibit her in her daily activities but she's my little sweetheart and I just want to make sure she is healthy and in no pain).
<Are you positive they are a M & F?  Sounds like they could be 2 males.  Males have concave bellies & short tails, females have flat bellies (sometimes convex) & longer tails.  How big is the tank?  How big are the turtles?  Any animal can become territorial if not given enough room.  If this continues, you can try separating them & then reintroduction after a few weeks or so.  Make sure both of them have enough water space & land space to hang out in.  At LEAST a 55g tank (larger would be better for 2 turtles 5" or over.  For the bite, keep clean (lots of water changes).  Add Melafix to the water (found in the fish dept of the pet shop).  A few drops on the wound will help too.  If it looks a little infected, you can swab mercurochrome on it or an antibiotic ointment.  If it looks a lot infected, it will need a vet's attention.  ~PP>
Thank you-AK

Too Many Turtles  - 05/29/06
WWM Crew: I have a male slider, that I raised in a tank by himself.  He is very friendly and will take food from your hands and will stretch his neck so you can scratch under his neck.  Recently friends gave us smaller quarter size
sliders, now when we feed the larger turtle goes after the male by holding his claws in front of his head and mouth open, the smaller turtles swim fast and even turn sideways in the water to get away, our pond has a lip on it and the smaller turtles can escape, but were wondering if the larger male will kill the smaller turtles, also we have fish in the pond which is about 300 gals.  Is it possible that the pond is over populated (there are about 2 dozen fish and 3 turtles). Thanks  Chris
< Turtles see each other as competition unless they are looking to mate. Larger turtles will always try and intimidate smaller turtles by biting and nipping at their shell. It the size difference is great they larger turtle can definitely kill the smaller turtles.-Chuck>

Mean RES  5/14/06
Okay I have two red eared sliders.  Both of them are the same age.  I recently got another red eared slider the same age because it came from the same nest.  My friend gave it to me.  The two turtles I have are real nice but, the third one I got is always trying to bite the other two. I have them separated now, but what should I do.  They are in a 35 gallon aquarium. Help Please!!!!  Thank you
< RES's are actually pretty aggressive turtles. The newer one is trying to establish a pecking order. Keep them separated or get a bigger tank in which the others can get away. Older turtles seem to get worse as time goes by.-Chuck

Aggressive RES  - 05/13/2006
Hi my husband and I have 2 male red eared sliders who are about 2 years old.
The one is slightly bigger than the other one. The smaller one keeps biting the bigger ones feet. The smaller one is not aggressive or mean towards us (They had a brother that we had to get rid of because he got mean both to us and the other turtles) but he won't leave the other alone. Is there anything we can do to stop this behavior? We tried feeding him everyday instead of every other day and that doesn't seem to be helping. We love them both and want to see then get along. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Lisa Edwards
< RES's are actually very aggressive turtles. This is why I often only recommend one per container. There is a constant competition for food. That is why one is smaller than the other. Now the smaller one needs to intimidate the larger one to get more food. I would recommend separating them.-Chuck>

Keeping Turtles Together  - 04/19/2006
I had a slider named Titus who turned out to be female when she was 25. After she started laying eggs she got more wild. One day in June  
when I was cleaning my house she ran out the door & went to live in the pond next door. Even though it was mating season, I used to think  
she was lonely sometimes because she was alone with no one else in the house a lot. I got her a male, Trajan, about 12, who didn't seem  
to think the pond was his thing last year, but this year made a bee line for it on the first warm day. That was why I thought 2 turtles,  
either 2 females or a male & female might work better. Due to Titus' size I have an extra large kiddy pond (maybe 600 gallons) with a ramp  
so they can run around the house if they want to. What is the problem with more than 1 turtle? Thanks, Stephanie
< Many times pet owners give human traits to animals. Turtles really don't require the companionship of fellow turtles unless they are ready to mate. As you have found out that the turtle's drive to mate can be very strong, but over a few weeks the drive will subside and the turtles will look at each other as competition. Over 90% of the turtle questions we get are dealing with younger turtles in a small aquarium condition. In this instance  I still recommend a single turtle per container.-Chuck>

Turtles and Fish 2/5/06
I have two RES and I was wondering if I can maybe get an algae eater to help me out in between cleaning.  If I can't then what kind of fish can I put in there if you can tell me everything I need to know PLEASE!!!!!!!!
<Hi, I would not recommend any fish for your Turtle tank.  Turtles are dirty and foul the water too quickly in average sized aquariums; this creates poor living conditions for your fish.  The turtles will also try to eat whatever fish you keep with them.  For cleaning the tank I would recommend a magnetic algae scrubber, the kind that float, it will do a much better job than any fish would.  Please see the link below and related links at the top of the page for more information on Red Eared Sliders.  Best Regards, Gage
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/redearsliders.htm >

Turtle Will Eat Fish  1/1/06
Hi, my family got a Red-Eared Slider Turtle and we also own a Chinese Fighting Fish. My family was wondering if it would be wise to put them in the same tank. I don't think it is a good idea but they are persistent to find the truth. Would my turtle eat my fish?
< In a heartbeat.-Chuck>

Fish Compatibility with RES
I was just wondering if there is any kind of fish that would be okay to put in the tank with my res turtle.
<Hmm, you will want to choose a fish that you will not get too attached to, incase it gets munched by the turtle, also, something that is forgiving to poor water quality, turtles are messy.  I kept some Giant Zebra Danios with a RES for years.  The second time I attempted the combination all the Danios ended up as food.  I think if I were to try it again I would try Rosy Barbs, they are active and colorful but I am not sure how good they are at dodging turtles though.  So my official answer is no, it is not a good environment for the fish, and there is a great chance they will be eaten.  If I were to try it, I would pick something from the fish store that is very common, very cheap, and a fast swimmer.  Best of luck, Gage.>

Question about baby red -eared sliders
Hello,
    Hello my name is mike, I have 2 red eared sliders that I bought in May,
and they have gotten bigger since. One is about 4-5 inches and the other 4
inches.  And just recently I bought two more babies (red eared sliders).  I was
wondering if it is ok to put them with the bigger ones. Thank you for taking my question.
< Turtles should all be close to the same size. They are incredible eaters and the larger ones would eventually pick on the smaller ones as food items when they got hungry and you weren't around. They may not be able to kill the smaller ones but the could bite off a leg and then you will be taking care of a imperfect turtle for the next 15+ years.-Chuck>                                                                            
              greatly appreciated,                                                                              
                      Mike D

TURTLES WITH FISH
Hello. I was wanting to know if there are any kind of fish I can put with my red- eared slider? Another question was that I was reading your info on red-eared sliders and the staff said not to feed them feeder goldfish, which I did for the first time last night is this bad for them?
< Large active fish that stay off the bottom work best with turtles. They will eat anything that they can catch. Fish are part of a turtle's natural diet but it should have other things in it too. Too much protein forces the turtle's shell to grow at a different rate than the rest of the turtles body. Earthworms, crickets, mealworms, kingworms and commercial aquatic turtle food make for a well rounded diet.-Chuck> 

Red- ear slider
My Uncle works for the water dept and last year brought a turtle to me and asked to put it in my 500 gal pond. It appears to be a male, long tail short claws. He just found another one in the street and brought it over, I think it is a younger female, long claws, shorter tail, will they get along? I have several koi and about 6 smaller goldfish, my original turtle never bothered them and I'm hoping they will all get along. Any problems with this situation?
<Shouldn't be - though you may want to feed them from time to time with prepared foods, or they may snack on your goldfish if they can catch them (which isn't too likely). M. Maddox>

Red- ear slider - part deux
Thanks for the quick response, but I went this morning and checked on everyone and my larger turtle has the little one cornered and is biting at its head, feet, tail whatever he can get a hold of...I got worried for the little ones safety and took her out. Is this a mating thing or is he that aggressive??
<Hmm, no luck with them together I guess...if he doesn't like her, I would wait until spring to re-introduce her and see how it goes. Good luck! M. Maddox>

Red-Eared Turtle with Catfish
I have a 75 gal. plastic pond in my backyard, is it possible for my red ear slider turtle to live with my catfish?
< Your turtle will probably constantly be taking nips and bites out of your catfish. It may not kill it but it may damage the catfish enough so that it gets sick and dies.-Chuck>

Aggressive Turtle
I have two Red Ear Slider turtles.  One has red markings and the other has
yellow markings.  I have raised them for approximately 3 1/2 years, since they
were babies, both probably the size of a silver dollar when I got them.  They
started in a 10-gallon tank with a wooden stand to sun themselves on.  As they
grew, I slowly upgraded the tanks, and now have a 60-gallon tank with a custom
built 6 x 6 inch platform.    The yellow ear has grown to approx 5 inches
long and the red ear has grown to approx 4 1/2 inches.  For as long as I have
raised them they have been healthy and happy and cohabitated beautifully.  I have
over time vacillated about their sex, however I believe them both to be
males.  They both have very long front nails, and long tails.  Additionally, over
the last couple years they both have performed what your site refers to as the
male mating ritual, i.e. the wiggling of the nails in front of the other's
face.  From my reading, it appears only male turtles do that....I think?
< Yes>
Anyway, now that you have sufficient background of my turtles and their setup, I am
hoping you will be able to diagnose the problem.  Specifically, the red ear
(slightly larger turtle) has in the last 6 months become extremely aggressive.  
He will approach the yellow ear as if he were about to do his mating routine
and then bite the back of the yellow ear's neck and hold on to the point that I
must physically separate them.  Over time he actually drew blood.  Thus, I
bought a separator and kept them apart for about two months thinking he would
grow out of it and allowing the yellow ear to heal completely.  Unfortunately,
although the yellow ear has completely healed, the red ear has not grown out of
the behavior, and the second I take down the barricade, he immediately goes
after the yellow ear.  It is odd, both are very friendly to me.  I feed them by
hand often and they are very gentle, and the red ear even pretty much leaves
the fish in the tank alone.  Nonetheless, I can not leave the tank separated
permanently and am now pondering giving the red ear away.  Please advise.  Is
there something else I can do?  Is there something wrong with the red ear?  If
they are both males, is that the problem?  Any help would be very much
appreciated.  Thank you.
< You are treating you turtle well and they are indeed displaying a breeding behavior. It is springtime and males are looking to court females and drive other males away. You could separate them for a few months and then try and put them back together again but I am afraid you will have the same problem every spring. For a long term solution I would cut back to one turtle.-Chuck>

Aggressive Turtle - II
Thank you Chuck for your help. I contacted a local Pet Store and they have agreed to adopt the red-ear. Hopefully he will find a good home with someone eventually. I know he can be a good pet, especially if he has a tank for himself.
< Sounds like a win/win situation for all.-Chuck>