Turtle chasing with claws out   12/10/06
I have had a red-eared slider living with 2 goldfish for about 2 years now.  All have gotten quite big and are in a 10 gal tank.
<Need much more room. Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/ressysfaqs.htm and the linked files above>
Lately turtle has been following fish constantly.  Often, it swims after them with its front legs extended straight out along the sides of its head.  It has very long claws and they stick straight out.
<A sexual characteristic... as you'll find from reading>
Do you know is turtle trying to spear them and eat them or what?
Melbourne, FL
<Mostly the eat them part. Bob Fenner>

Turtle Wants Out   12/3/06
Ok Hi, well I have a turtle. and its tail is getting very large, I have never had a turtle before and I'm just wondering if maybe that is a sign of pregnancy??? Also it has been digging a lot and its made many attempts to escape its tank. It has every thing a turtle needs rocks to crawl on and a lamp. But am worried that if it isn't a pregnancy then it may be a disease??.
<Turtles lay their eggs in damp sand. Provide an area where she can get out and dig a shallow depression to lay her eggs. Red eared sliders lay their eggs at almost any time of year.-Chuck>

Begging Turtle Driving Owner Crazy    6/14/06
I've had my turtle for almost a year now and in the past couple months he has been crazily flapping around in the front of the tank when he sees me.  I thought he might be hungry but sometimes the food ends up just sitting there. Eventually he stops once put my face really close to the tank or put my hand there. I was wondering if this was normal behavior or if it could mean something else. I love my turtle but it gets real annoying sometimes when I hear him kicking in the rocks all day long. I've tried putting something in front of the tank so he could stare at it which makes him stop but I feel bad sometimes. But its either that or trying to stay real still in my room because once I move, he swims to the front and goes crazy again. Thank you for your time!
< As your turtle grows he has different dietary requirements. When young, they like a more meaty diet. As they grow they need some vegetable matter in their diet. Try to vary the diet with some live insects, washed earthworms and add some vegetable matter like kale and spinach. These new items may take care of his requirements for additional vitamins and minerals.-Chuck>

Sulfa Block for Turtle  6/6/06
I have a beautiful two year old male RES.  About a  year ago I put a sulfa block in  his water to help keep him healthy.   The block was in the shape of a turtle.  After it had dissolved to a  smaller size  (maybe the size of a lima bean), my turtle ate  it!   For about five days afterwards he  had the worst diarrhea  imaginable.  I haven't tried a sulfa block since then.  Is there any way I can keep sulfa in the water without tempting my turtle?  Also,  are there any vitamins or other antibiotics I can put in his water  to help  keep him healthy? Elizabeth Walley
< When a turtle eats a Sulpha block it is a sign that the turtle needs additional minerals in its diet. Add some green leafy vegetables like spinach and Kale. They are a good source of calcium. Offer some other item like insects and worms.-Chuck>

Frantic African Mud Turtle  - 06/07/2006
Hello. I have an African Mud Turtle, given to me 1 year ago in July. Twice now, he has acted very unusual. He has been running up his ramp, jumping into the water, all the while looking frantic! Then he proceeds to try to climb out of the tank by way of the heater, filter, or from the top of the ramp. He has actually flipped himself over attempting this. I have seen what I assume is  his sex organ, and it seems to coincide with this crazy behavior. We have him in  a 40 gallon tank with a ramp and basking light. We keep the water temp at 80  degrees, he eats turtle sticks, and about once a month we give him a few fish to  eat. He does not eat while this behavior is being displayed.  What
is going  on with him? Do you think his living conditions are adequate? We have gravel in  the tank, which he digs in and tries to bury himself at the bottom of the ramp.  This is something he has always done, so I'm assuming this is normal. I have  never had a turtle before, so I don't know much about them. He is a cool pet, we  want to make sure he is healthy and happy! Thanks for your  help.
<Sometimes turtle get stressed out by being in captivity and need a place to hide. I would recommend a cave-like structure be placed in the tank so he can hide when he wants to stay out of site. The area should be big enough to allow him and his shell full movement with no danger of being stuck, but be able to provide some cover. Covering half the tank with plastic or paper may help too. The other reason may be a desire to find a mate to breed. Cool the tank down a few degrees and this should calm his hormones down.-Chuck>

Turtle Toys  - 05/17/2006
I was wondering if you guys have any ideas for turtle toys. Our 2 turtles (Tank and Diesel) get bored. I was wondering if there were any toys made for turtles or any thing that could be turned into a toy. Thanks, Lisa
< Turtles are always interested in food. I would recommend that you vary their diet with live earthworms, crickets, mealworms and kingworms. If they are somewhat larger you could add vegetable matter like spinach and kale. Zoo Med has recently come out with a floating turtle log. It is a hollow floating log that turtles can climb out on as well as go inside to feed. I am confident they will love it.-Chuck>

RES Hibernating  - 05/17/2006
My sister has had a RES for years.  She keeps hers in a tank.  I just got one and put it in my pond.  She keeps worrying about it going into hibernation.  She says it will die if it does.  Is this true?  The coldest that it would get in the pond in the winter is the low 50s.
< Hibernation is a normal process for many "Cold Blooded" animals to survive the winter. If you turtle is put out now it will slowly acclimate to being outside. As the fall comes and the air begins to chill your turtle will start to rely more on body fat than on actually eating. If your turtle has not accumulated enough body fat, then it will not make it through the winter. This year was a very difficult year for turtles being kept outside. Sporadic heat waves brought turtles out of hibernation. When the cold settled back in , many turtles could not find enough food to eat and got sick with respiratory infections and weak from hunger. Many turtle keepers resorted to bringing their turtles indoors until the outside air temps remained consistently warm.-Chuck>

Sleeping Turtles and Shell Rot  - 5/17/2006
Hi WWM, I just got two red eared sliders from a co-worker. She said she got them as a Christmas gift. I don't know how old they are though because I don't know if she got them from two years ago(2004) or last year(2005). Im guessing they're from the 2005 Christmas because they're both about five inches long. I've had them for almost a week now but something that bothers me is that she never had a UVB or UVA light or even a heat lamp. Anyway, I read about turtles closing their eyes being bad, both of my turtles keep their eyes closed for long periods of time underwater, they seem to be sleeping, This usually happens during the night. I thought all turtles sleep but I just wanted to make sure.
< Sounds like they are sleeping.>
And also, the smaller turtle's feces are more of a powder than a chunk (the larger turtle's feces look more normal). I feed them pellets (the amount that would fit into their head), and I toss in some chopped up carrots and green lettuce that they eat sometimes. The water temperature is usually near 80F during the day and 75F during the night. I keep a UVB headlamp on about 10 hours a day. I also have a water heater and a submerged water filter on all the time. I also change half of the water everyday and clean the tank twice a week. There is also little white specks and dark brown lines appearing on its shell. I think its shell rot, I was also wondering if you can send me some pictures of shell rot so I can see if it looks similar. Sorry for the long letter but I wanted to give you all the information I had in case it has anything to do with the problem and thanks for any information you can give me.
< The shell rot looks like little soft cheese like spots on the shell. Over time they get bigger and need to be cleaned out and treated with antibiotics. Some mottling, like the dark streaks sounds normal. The white spots should be checked out and probed to see if they are soft or hard like the rest of the shell.-Chuck>

Run Away Turtle   5/15/06
Hello, For a couple of months I have been letting my 2 yellow-bellied turtles roam the back yard each day for about an hour. I keep an eye on them and they usually go to the same places and sleep. The male is much more active, but follows the same path, where as the female finds a spot and digs in and sleeps. Well for the last week the female has been burying herself under bushes making it difficult to find her. And 2 days ago I lost her in the yard for good, I was working in the garden and turned for about 10 minutes and we can't find her anywhere. There's no access out of the back year since its all cement wall, so I'm thinking she's nesting. Is it that time of year?
< She may be looking for somewhere to lay her eggs.>
What I don't know is, is how long is the nesting process and will she come back?
< If she has found a way out then she may not come back.>
I have 2 pools in the backyard, all natural, no chlorine, and I figured she would head to the pool when done.
If she doesn't come back, I would like to get another female for the male but I'm having a hard time locating a 3 year old female of the same size.
Seems red sliders are more common. Is it okay to get a red slider female to put with the male? Or is the male better off alone? I assume they get attached to each other and he would like a companion, but I have no idea if turtles are "family-oriented".. Appreciate your help, Celeste
< Turtles really don't get along except to breed. The rest of the time they are considered competition to each other. I would still give it a few months before I gave up. Look at Kingsnake.com to find a replacement turtle.-Chuck>

Turtle Strikes Out At Everything   4/30/06
Hello, my name is Dianna. I have 5 red eared sliders in a tank, and I'm afraid that my turtle that is second from biggest to smallest is sick or something's wrong with it. It keeps biting everything. It bites the other turtles for food and it bites me, or tries to, when my finger is on the glass of the tank. It did not do this before, so am afraid something might be wrong.. and maybe if it keeps doing that its mouth will be too stretched out. do you know what's wrong with it? -Dianna
< With 5 turtles in one tank you have a very competitive situation. I think your turtles are not getting enough to eat and they are fighting each other and snapping at anything that resembles food. Feed them a little more and maybe vary the diet a little bit with some earthworms and insects.-Chuck>

Re: Lost Turtle Questions  - 04/19/2006
Thanks for the positive action tips...
Questions
1) How long can she go without eating or without being in the water?
< In direct sun , not very long. In shady moist conditions probably a week or more.>
Will she eat the vegetation in our yard or on the way to a pond?
<She could try but most likely will wait until in a body of water.>
2) I read that turtles can walk up to 1.5 miles to find a new pond.  How long would that take?
<In the heat of the day she would probably rest in the shade. Below 65 F is probably too cold for any movement. Stop and go movement would probably take a week to get that far.>
3) Can a raccoon eat her?
<Raccoons could probably eat smaller turtles. Larger turtles would put up more of a fight and may put off a young inexperienced raccoon. An adult raccoon is pretty smart and if hungry enough enough could probably take on a good sized turtle.>
4) Can an 8' alligator eat her?
< No problem. In one gulp.-Chuck>
Thanks again

Re: Turtle That Came Home   4/21/06
You had a note about a run away turtle on your web site.  Mine ran away for about two weeks, but came back on her (?) own and seems content. They may want to keep the kiddie pool set up, and make it easy for their turtle to get back in.
<Will post on the site to aid others.-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>

Turtle Waving  - 04/19/06
Hello!  My friend has a female yellow-bellied slider.  She has a certain ring that she will sit next to the tank and move it around in front of the turtle
she will put both of her front "paws" above her head and wave them around. Why does she do this? Thank you for your help!-Beki
< Males usually respond to objects that resemble other turtles in an attempt to mate. If the stone on the ring sticks out while forming a fist or closed hand then it loosely could be interpreted by the turtle as another turtle. See if he/she still does it later on in the year.-Chuck>

Courting Male Turtle  - 02/25/06
Have a ? for you all...I've had my turtle for about 14 months just recently he's started doing something kind of strange, he flips the rocks around a bit in the bottom of his tank and then puts his head down and his butt up in the air and turns his front legs (palm side out,) if you will and sort of taps on the certain rock he's chosen at the time. It's almost like he's in a daze while he's doing it. Just wondering if this is normal and what it is that he's doing?
< If he has long front claws he is a boy and is courting the large rocks that resemble a female turtle.-Chuck>

Turtles Biting Each Other  - 2/21/2006
I have 2 turtles baby red eared sliders I had one for almost a year now and my GF recently gave me hers which is the same age since we bought them at the same time. I put them together and the first few days they were together my GF's turtle was biting mine and hers was slightly bigger, but after a couple of days they got along fine and they were swimming with each other. I was wondering if this was ok?
< Red Eared Sliders are actually pretty aggressive as far as turtles go. When putting them together they are establishing a pecking order food and turf.>
My other question is that my turtle is about 1.5 inches and my girlfriend's turtle is about 2 inches bigger and as I said they were bought at the same time. Do you know why my turtle is much more smaller than my girlfriend's turtle?
< It could be she kept hers warmer and it had a higher metabolism or it could be a female. They get bigger then the males.-Chuck>
answers will be greatly appreciated thanks in advance!

Strange Protrusion From Turtle    2/17/06
My red-eared slider has just done something very peculiar.  I'm almost positive he is a male and is about 2 yrs. old.  He looked like he was going to the bathroom.  He put his 2 back legs together and something black was coming out from underneath.  When I tried to get a closer look, it was gone, like he just sucked it back in.  Can you help me understand what this is?  Thanks. Clifford Hetrick
< Could be a fecal pellet but more likely extending his sex organs in anticipation of breeding in the spring.-Chuck>

Strange Turtle Behaviour    2/17/06
Hello, I am writing to get some information. I have two RES and one is about one foot long from claw to tail, he is big. One RES is little and he is about 7 inches. They live in a pond in the back yard there is no heating element so they hibernate when it gets cold. They are hibernating now and have lots of caves and plants. I am writing to ask if it is normal for my RES to have their eyes swollen shut allot? When should I start feeding them? It has been really warm and the big one has came out to lay in the sun but the little one does not come out to much. Holly
< The weather has not been normal for much of the U.S. It is warm in Feb and tricking many plants and animals out of hibernation, only to have it go cold again. I would not feed them unless I was absolutely sure the weather would be warm for at least two weeks. If you feed them and it gets cold then the food will rot in their gut and cause problems. If it stays warm then they will have used up all their fat reserves and be starving to death. To be sure you could bring them inside, feed, light and heat them and then use Zoo Med Repti Turtle Eye Drops to clear up the eyes. Bad eyes are usually associated with a lack of Vitamin A. Feed them Zoo Med Adult Aquatic Turtle Food. When it is definitely Spring you could put them back outside.-Chuck>

Turtle Eating Sulfa Block   2/13/06
Hi,  I tried to find an answer to my question everywhere else you suggested and am not having any luck.  I have a black knobbed Sawback map turtle, female about 2 years old, approx. 5 inches long (shell).  She is normally a very voracious eater, all of her living conditions are correct ( heat lamp, basking area, large filter, UV light, good varied diet, Reptisafe in water, etc...)  anyways --- 2 days ago she decided to eat her Dr. Turtle sulfa block.  Now she is not hungry and hiding under her dock, VERY unusual behavior for her!  I have had her since she was little and she has never been with a male so I know she is not egg bound.  Is that sulfa block that she ATE like a goof going to hurt her?  Jessica
< A turtles get older their dietary needs change. They need less meat and more vegetable matter in their diet. Your turtle needs minerals. Add some kale and spinach to the diet while feeding Zoo Med Adult Aquatic Turtle Food. It may take awhile for the turtle block in the stomach to dissolve.-Chuck>

Turtles Not getting Along   2/1/06
I work at a museum where we have two Red-Ear Sliders with a Painted Turtle in a large pond that is indoors. Suddenly the Painted Turtle has started biting the Red-Ear Sliders. They have been together for over a year. We have created a caged area within the pond to separate the turtles. Now the Painted Turtle does not seem happy. Do we need to just permanently separate the turtles altogether? All the turtles are approximately the same size. Thank you, Tiffany Jackson, CVT
< Large adult turtles can be very aggressive towards each other. They see the other turtles as competition for food and resources. To be on the safe side I would recommend permanently separating the turtles. If one gets a bite on the tail or leg then they really become very poor display animals.-Chuck>

Turtle Eating Fecal Matter    1/25/06
I have had my turtle for about 3 weeks to a month and have never seen it poop. This morning my son noticed that it was little green balls in the tank (poop) and the turtle was eating it. Is this normal behavior? How often should they poop. This was his first time since I've had him. Also the little antibacterial thingy (shaped like a turtle) that you drop in the tank, he eats that too. Is this normal? Please help!! April Wilson
< Your turtle is craving minerals and vitamins. Vary the diet with Zoo Med Hatchling Aquatic Turtle Food, Zoo Med Turtle Treat, washed earthworms, mealworms, kale and spinach.-Chuck.>

Turtle "Shedding" Shell  1/21/06
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I was given a turtle who is roughly 3 years old.  The previous owner got him in FL at one of the many shops.  He is a small turtle with a red spot on the side of his head so I am guessing that he is a red eared turtle.  
<That's red eared slider>
Anyway, about 2 weeks ago, his plates on his back started coming off.  Now it looks like the skin on the bottom of his shell is shedding. I am no idea what it is! I took him from her because she was not taking care of him.  Please tell me what to do! He may be just a turtle, but he is still a pet!
<Not just a turtle if God made it & you love it!  Not to worry, shedding it's scutes, is how it grows.  Be sure it has lots of swimming room & clean water.  Add vitamins to it's food & a calcium block to it's water.  It also needs a nice basking spot under a light.  Good luck with your "flaky" friend!  ~PP>
Rebecca

Turtle Looking For Something   1/17/06
Hello, I don't have any dirt in my tank I have a 25 gallon tank with a basking ramp and a fish tank light. One of my females has been staring at the bottom of
the tank would that be a sign of something.
< I suspect that she is either looking for food or looking at her reflection in the bottom glass thinking another turtle is down there.-Chuck>

Determining A Turtles Age
I was wondering how to tell how old my Red Ear Slider is they are pretty small only like 2 inches but I still don't know how old they are please help be very explanative I am kinda slow! Thank you .ML.
< Turtle are "Cold Blooded". That means the warmer it is the faster they grow and the more they eat. Under normal captive conditions a  little turtle can get up to 2 to 3 inches in a year. Wild turtles would hibernate and may only get to be 2 inches because they did not grow while hibernating.-Chuck>>
How Old Is My Turtle?
> I still don't understand how to tell how old they are please help!
< I would guess almost two years old.-Chuck>

Turtles and Their Behavior This Time of Year  12/08/05
Hi, I have a RES who was given to us just recently. He is about 5 inches long and was only in a five gallon tank. I have put him in a 20 gallon tank with a basking area - he never had one before. He has started digging frantically in the corner and has piled all the rocks up. He has also stopped eating. He won't stay on his basking area and insists on staying in that one corner that he has dug up. 
He also keeps trying to jam himself under the water filter pipe. I am pretty sure that I need to warm up his water so I will go and get a heater for him. He also seems to have a large lump on the underside of his throat. I don't know if this has always been there or if I am just now noticing it because I started to worry about him. 
Is this something that you know anything about? Is he just trying to hibernate and if so should we just allow him to follow his seasonal instincts or should we warm up his water and hope that helps? Thank you.
<Hibernating turtles in captivity should be left up to more advanced hobbyist, I would definitely get a heater for the water. Warming up your water should also encourage him to start eating. Keep an eye on this lump, if it does not get any better you should take him to a vet. Turtles will often dash towards the back corners of a tank when startled. If your turtle is constantly trying to dig in the tank you might consider adding some more places for your turtle to hide. For more info on captive care of turtles check out the following link. -Gage http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/redearsliders.htm > 

Turtle Hides  12/03/05
I have a RES about 3 inches in diameter. It is December now and he is kept in a medium sized tank about 75*F. I bought it a row of fake plants and he is using it to cover himself. He dug a hole beneath a large rock I provided and dragged my mini aquarium heater into it. He hides himself beneath the rock with the heater on top of him so he is out of sight. Is this "normal" or should I be worried?
< You turtle should spend a certain amount of time basking under a heat lamp and some time foraging for food. At night it would be OK to rest out of sight but not all the time.-Chuck> 

Ouroboros-type Female Turtle Bites Male's Tail Off (Or "Rectum? Heck, Coulda Killed 'em!)  11/7/05
Hello. My children have had 2 RESs for about 2 years now. There is a male and a female. The female has grown to be larger than the male, and I guess has grown tired of the male's constant "courtship" of her. Recently, the female bit the tip of the male's tail off! I have separated them, and am in the process of building them an outdoor pond. I give him 20
minute salt water baths and have been putting Neosporin on the "nub".  What else can I be doing to help this poor turtle? Could she have damaged anything else in his tail? Thanks. Sam.
< Luckily males have pretty long tails and as long as the bite was not as high as the rectum he should be OK. Watch for fungal infections. You may want to place a ZooMed Dr. Turtle Sulfa Bock in the tank to prevent infections.-Chuck> 

Sick Little Turtle May Just Be A Male - 10/24/05
I bought 4 Red Ear Sliders in May of 2005. 2 were around 1 1/2" in size an the other 2 were 2" in size. I bought a 40 gallon tank, finally figured out the Fluval 3 is the best filter. I have a 75watt basking light (use to have 100watt), a heater and the water is around 78 to 80 degrees always. I use turtle clean once a week to reduce the waste. Feed them daily or twice a day small amount. 3 have grown to about 4 inches the other remains the same size.
The larger ones have gotten the cotton film on them several times but have cleared up by bathing in the sulfa dip in a separate bathing tub. I am assuming this was to my problem finding the right filter. My tank was constantly getting dirty, started to get algae. The little one never got this and all 4 have always eaten. I did notice the 3 big ones (even when they were all the same size) use to push him away but we always put food by the little guy for him to eat.
Well I guess the other 3 received more food since they all grew to the same size. The l little guy has started to slow down on eating over the last month and now eats once a week from what we noticed. He does not swim much, just stays on the basking dock. He used to occasionally swim (not like the biggers but he did swim).
The only thing I have done in the last month was take out the rocks. Constantly getting algae and trying to keep the waste from laying in the tank, finally last week just put in a small amount so they have something to dig in. The big turtles like to move things (my filter, my heater, my thermometer, the rocks) the little one never did. 
I have put algae destroyer in the water . I had the heater out for about a week because it broke while cleaning (my big turtles like to move it). 
Tried taking the little guy out of the tank and feed by himself. He moves more in the bathing dish with no water but does not eat or grow. What do you think? Should I separate him from the 3 big turtles or is he sick? I do not see anything unusual about his appearance.
< I would set him up in his own tank for awhile as a precaution. Male turtles are smaller than females so this just may be related to sex and not his overall heath. In a separate tank I would set him up and keep him there until his appetite picks up and he starts acting more normal. If he is a he, the front nails will be very long and the tail will be longer than the others.-Chuck> 

Sexing Yellow Bellied Sliders 10/22/05
I got two yellow bellied sliders about a year ago. One is larger than the other and has longer nails. Which one is male or female?
< Usually the female is larger with shorter nails and a shorter tail.>
Also the smaller has seemed to be sleeping a lot is there an explanation for that?
< Could be sick. The larger turtle is dominating the tank and the smaller one is not getting the nutrition and care it needs.>
And last how can you tell if a yellow bellied slider is pregnant?
< Females are large, fat and have an incredible appetite. Especially in the spring time when things warm up. Though this is not always certain, adult pairs will usually produce eggs.-Chuck>

Weird Turtle - No, Early Winter Turtle 10/22/05
We have a red eared slider, we have had him about 5 years. Early winter, in late November his eating goes way down he gets less active. But this year he is already slowing down his eating, and it is still October. He seems active, swimming around, climbing out to bask. He appeared to be digging at the bottom of his cage this morning, and it looked like he was posturing to his reflection (put out his front legs, puffed out his neck, and swayed back and forth). 
He is also doing a turtle love dance to his floating food, our fingers, and a turtle statue by his tank. 
Do you think his appetite is down because he thinks it is mating season? He usually does his love dance a lot in spring. He has a lot of character. He splashes to get attention, watches TV, and listens to you talk. Thanks or any thoughts, Katie
< As the air temp cools down for winter their appetite slows down. If they are caught with a full belly of food it may rot in their stomach over the winter and kill them. They store fat not food. With the strange weather we seem to be having this year, an Indian Summer type of weather pattern may be tricking him into thinking it is spring.-Chuck>  

Bigger Turtle Picking On The Smaller One - Watch Your Toes! 10/22/05
Hi. I have 2 red eared sliders, I am unsure of their sex. 1 is bigger than the other and I believe it is responsible for gnawing and tearing the nails off the other turtle. I noticed the smaller ones' nails were missing and has wounds on it's back feet. I started to watch them closely and noticed the big one was very aggressive towards the smaller one, it kept trying to bite it. I have now separated them but I am concerned about the wounds. What can I do to help with the healing and to prevent infection? I keep the tank very clean (Changing water every 1-2 weeks). Any recommendations will be helpful and appreciated. Thank You Janette
< Add a Dr. Turtle Sulpha Block by Zoomed to the water. It will help prevent infections. Keeping the water clean is a major step in preventing infections. Bigger turtles often pick on smaller tank mates. Separating them is a good idea.-Chuck> 

Little Turtle Can't See 10/10/05
Hello, We have 2 Red Ear Sliders. Don't know the sex yet, though. The larger turtle has about 3 in. carapace by bites the other turtle's, whose carapace is about 1.5 inches, back feet. The smaller turtle remains mostly on the turtle dock while the other turtle swims most of the time but comes out and basks. The larger turtle is more active and eats just about all of their collective food. How do I help this little guy out?
< Separate him from the big turtle. At least during feeding so he gets some food.>
He seems to bask with his eyes closed for a good part of the day. We have only had these guys for a few days. The smaller one seems more friendly and will allow me to pick him up. I have also tried "soaking" him on one occasion to see if that would help. He seemed more active but as soon as I put him back into the collective tank, he took to basking again with his eyes closed. Is he just too little and not active or is something else wrong?
Thanks for any of your help. I've tried reading the postings on your forum but couldn't find one that matched this situation. Kathy Z
<Probably been sick for awhile and that may explain the differences in sizes. I would keep them separated and make sure the basking spot is at least 90 F. The eye thing may be caused by a vitamin deficiency. Get some Reti Turtle Eye Drops from ZooMed. Once his eyes clear up he may start eating more normally.-Chuck>

Gassy Turtles  10/3/05
Ok I know this may sound like a very dumb question, but I truly want to know the answer to it.  When turtles crawl into there shells and hide, can they pass gas in there shells and if they do, do they smell it?
<There are no cavities within the shell for any gasses to migrate from the back half of the turtle to the front of the turtle. Once it leaves the turtle then it depends on which way the wind is blowing.-Chuck>

Turtle Needs Nails Trimmed 8/2/05
Hi, I have 3 red eared sliders, 2 males and 1 female...one of the males nails are very long, I was just wondering if they can be cut like other animals?  He doesn't have rough rocks or anything like that to "dull" them except when we let them play on the concrete floor in the basement.  I look at them and I can see the "quick" like other animals have.  Any suggestions would be great. You all have a really cool web site too. Thanks, Barb
R.E.S;  Buddi ; Scooby; & Button
< The turtles claws are naturally long and really should not be clipped. If they really are a problem then I suggest you start slow and clip only one off a short distance from the end. Clipping may actually make them sharper and create more of a problem. Nail file?-Chuck>

Red Eared Slider
My turtle has been acting up lately. When I let her out of the tank she goes to a rug and seems to be enjoying herself. Is it possible she is masturbating? Her tank has become real sudsy also? Please help!
<Hmm, I am not familiar with this behavior in turtles, you might post your question on some of the turtle discussion forums to see if anyone else has experienced something similar.  Best Regards, Gage
http://forums.kingsnake.com/forum.php?catid=32
http://www.turtletimes.com/Forums/default.asp >

Turtle Behavior
I have a red-eared slider, I've had him for a few years. But whenever someone enters the room he gets scared and runs into the water. and if someone touches him, he hides in his shell. he also seems depressed. what's a good way to make him happier? Would getting another turtle work? Or what?
<This is really just their natural behavior, I am not sure if there is a way to train it out of them, you could start hand feeding some yummy treats like night crawlers, after a while it will probably beg for food every time it sees you, which can get annoying.  My old slider would splash in her tank to wake me up to feed her.  I would not add another turtle unless your system can handle it.  Gage>

Red Eared Slider Aggression
<Hi, MikeD here>
I have three red eared slider turtles and noticed that the two of them have been showing what I think are signs of aggression.  They take both of their front feet and vibrate them in front of their face while at the same time, aim for one another.  A friend of mine was wondering if this was a sign of courtship?<It sure is! Males have very long claws/toenails on the front feet and they "flirt" with females by placing their paws in front of their face and doing just exactly what you are describing.  Males MAY do this as a sort of "hand jive" with other males as a stylized form of a dance in lieu of real and possibly fatal attacks. You might also want to consider giving the female access to some dry ground for egg laying, where they dig a pit similar to those excavated by their larger, more famous marine relatives!>
Thanks!
<You're welcome>
Slider Fanatic

Red Eared Slider Turtles
<Hi, MikeD here>
First of all, thanks for the speedy reply!<You're welcome>  If it is a female and male and they are courting one another, than what do I do if I do not have a space for them so that she can lay her eggs?<That's a tough question that only you can answer. If she HAS to she may lay them on the rocks or even in the water, but there's an equal chance that she'll retain them and become egg-bound, which can be fatal. My solution, of course, is to get a larger container where you can build a dry land section to the terrarium>  They are all in a 20 long tank with about eight inches of water with about 10 inches of rocks piled up so that they can get out of the water and "bask" in the heat lamp.<Nowhere near large enough. They will grow to about 10"-12" long each>  Also, one of the sliders got out of the tank and fell to the floor!<Might I suggest a screen top as well?>  It's shell is cracked a little bit but its been eating and swimming fine.  Someone had recommended to put baby oil on the shell to promote growth.<I'd use a good antibiotic ointment for a day or so, then superglue along the crack, depending on the size of course>  The other two have been digging in the rocks quite a bit.<They'll likely injure themselves soon if you don't fix this situation as well>  I don't know if they are looking for a place to build their nest, but I don't know what I will do if I have turtle eggs!<I'd be more concerned with your turtles surviving than about any eggs, which certainly won't. They can be hatched and the babies raised quite easily, but not without a well designed enclosure, which you do not have. My honest suggestion is to do some reading and consider building a terrarium for your charges where they can be healthy and you will then truly enjoy them>
Thanks!
Slider Fanatic

Red Eared Turtles
How long can a red ear slider survive outside of water?
< They don't need to be wet all the time. They can survive a couple of days in a cool damp environment, like when they are being shipped. They re-hydrate rather quickly. In warm weather I would not let them go more than a day without letting them soak in water for awhile.-Chuck>

Turtle Fun
Yata-HEY! I read a lot and gain very good info from here.  Much appreciated.
Here is one to make you smile.
My Red Eared Slider was a road-rescue,   Friend of mine found it several months ago on a neighborhood street and knowing I'd kept turtles brought it to me.  She was the size of a silver dollar and has doubled in 7 months.
At any rate.  I'd tried not necessarily to tame her but I didn't want her afraid of me either.   She hides in her shell and sits and stares when I take her out of her tank but she 'chases' me thru the glass.  Paddling furiously over to the glass and following anything I might be doing outside the tank.   Just found out she has no inhibitions playing in her element as she followed my hand around the inside of the tank as I was pulling moss from the filter intake.  She let's me grab her by her tail or leg and drag her gently thru the water and will boost herself on my hand to get air.
Also noticed she loves the heck out of the little waterfall and bubbles coming from the filter and will park herself under it at the surface and take a Jacuzzi break,  ;)
Satanta the WhiteBear
< These little turtles have a personality you just gotta love.-Chuck>

Self-Abusing Turtle Bites Himself in Japan
Dear WWM , I have a male red eared slider that is about 2 -3 years old in his own tank. Recently (last few weeks) he has started to bite his left front hand/claw keratin bits. One of the pieces of keratin is starting to look a bit inflamed and pale pinkish, not like a normal white keratin piece - like he has had a good gnaw at it. Is this self-biting normal and do you think he has potentially infected his claw/hand by biting it? If it is a potential problem, what can I do to fix it? Thank you for your time. Regards, Farah
< At one point in time there was probably some food stuck on his claw and as he attempted to get to it he mistakenly bit himself. Now he probably thinks the reddish coloration is still food. I would clean the tank and keep it that way to help prevent the infection from getting worse. I would add a Dr Turtle sulfa block to treat the bacterial infection. I would then feed the turtle several times a day to prevent him from getting so hungry he will prefer the food instead of his claw. When the claw starts to grow back and turn back to a more normal color I would make sure he is well fed so he doesn't go back to his old bad habits.-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> 

Hiding Turtles
I have a big pond and water fall.  It is 15 feet by 16 feet 4.5 feet deep.  A friend gave me two slider turtles for the pond one is a baby.  Then I bought one.  For the first day or so I could see them swimming on the top of the water.  But when I open my sliding glass door to get a better view they went to the bottom.  I have not seen any of them for a few days.  How long can they hold their breath?
< Up to a couple of hours depending on the water temp and their activity level. During the summer months it is up to about 20 minutes.>
I have a bunch of feeder fish in there too. I have a UV sterilizer that I just add and it is clearing up the water.  I still can't see them.  I have rocks and gravel at the bottom of the pond.  Do they dig in to hide?
< They do some digging but not to the extent you are suggesting.>
Do the walk away for the pond?
< It is totally possible for your turtles top walk away.>
It's in my back yard and there is really no where for them to go.  My pond has not a lot of shade I am waiting for the trees to grow.  How do I get them to come out if they are still there?
< When turtles get hungry they leave the pond to find food. I would put one of the turtles in a small kiddy wadding pool with some water, a brick to create a basking spot and some cover over the pool for shade. Leave the turtle in there for a few days. Walk up once a day and throw a turtle food stick in right in front of his face. After awhile your turtle will not be afraid and will learn that you are the source of food and actually come out to see you and be fed. Once one turtle does it then the others catch on pretty quick and they will all be out wanting food.-Chuck>

Red Eared Slider hibernation
Hello, my name is Kristen, <Hi Kristen, Gage here.> my concern with my turtle "Baby Ben Franklin" is that he has something over his eyes.  Now I got the turtle from my b/f's aunt and she said she has raised turtle's all her life and what it is is a protective cover because he is in hibernation she says. Now whatever is over the turtles eye does not look infected or swollen or anything but I have not found a place that has said anything about when turtles go into hibernation that they should get a protective shield over their eyes. Now is this something normal, have you ever heard of something like this, or is there something wrong w/ my RES eye's?
<hmm..., I am not familiar with this, but I also have never had a hibernating RES.>
Also, if in hibernation when do they come out, do they sleep in water while in hibernation?
<In captivity hibernation can be controlled by the temperature.  In the wild they spend winters in the mud at the bottom of ponds and rivers.  I would recommend a good book on slider care.  The link below has some good information on taking care of RES
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/res.html
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions.
<The pleasure is mine.  BTW, the number of a good reptile vet is always a good thing to have when keeping turtles. Best Regards, Gage>
Thanks,
Kristen  & "Baby Ben Franklin"

Turtle Shedding Too Much
<Hi, MikeD here>
I have a Two and a half year old female red ear slider that is shedding
a lot lately.  I have made sure the temps of the water and basking area
are adequate, being 78 degrees and 88-90 degrees respectively.<88-90 degrees F for basking...I assume this is under a full spectrum daylight bulb? I ask as they need some UV to keep fungal infections down>  I feed
her every other day with turtle pellets, some carrots or apples.
Occasionally I'll give her mill worms and have some gold fish in her
tank.  Am I feeding her too much?  Not enough variety?<It doesn't sound like too much, but I think I'd suggest leaning toward more meat/protein in the diet as these are primarily carnivorous>  Her skin comes
off in larger pieces than before, although they are still thin.  Could
it be too much chlorine and if so how do I solve that problem?<Any chlorine is too much chlorine, easily remedied by adding any one of several different dechlorination products to the water, available in the fish section of almost any pet shop. Is the water changed, filtered or otherwise cleaned? Use care as turtles were banned for sale as pets long ago due to the propensity to spread salmonella infections through their waste in the water.>  Thanks
for your help.
David

Snapping Turtle Shell Growths (continued)
Bob, Mike ????<It's Mike D here again>   I know that algae will grow on the shell but when I saw a
white film on my snapper's head, I became concerned.<Aha! I would too, but not knowing it was white, I was at a disadvantage! **grin**>  He has always eaten
very well but seemed to not be interested anymore.  Over the aquarium I
have a Slimline Reptile Fixture with super 15 watt UV lamp (it produces
3%+ UVB and 7%+ UVA) and a Daylight Blue Reptile 60 watt bulb.<I thought you probably would have, as you didn't sound like a novice, but had to ask>  I have put
some Neosporin on his shell and rubbed it on his neck and legs.<Now there's some creative thinking, although it shouldn't have much effect if it's indeed a fungal growth, with Neosporin being for bacterial infections>  Now that
the weekend is here I will put him out in the sun for a few hours while I
am at home.<Good idea, but use care as once his body temperature hits 92 degrees it could be all over. I'm assuming that you know NEVER to sit a terrarium/aquarium in the sun as the sun's rays are magnified by the glass creating a rudimentary Dutch Oven>  He seems to be perking up a bit but still has some algae
(fungus) hanging from his neck.<You might want to consider making up a fairly strong salt bath and soaking him in it for a few minutes at a time for several days. Many true funguses a