Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2015 3:53 am I'm seeing a lot of activity from my turtles!!!
Hey guy. I just need some clarification on some stuff I've scoured the Internet for information before giving up and asking myself lol we have 4 turtles all RES here are their names and ages: 1) Hazard-10 years 2) Franklin- 1 year 4 months 3) Turquoise- 1 year 4 months and 4) Hazel roughly a year old. Turq and Frank have been together since hatchling days and grew up together a majority of their life. Hazard was being given away and needed a home so we adopted her she's had quite a journey she's originally a tourist novelty from LA who's made her way to Philadelphia in her 10 years of living. Hazel is a rescue some people were going to throw her down the sewer on their move in day the tank looked like it was full of motor oil and when I put her in fresh water she pooped out pink and blue decorative rocks had minor shell rot and she's recovered and doing great. So now all of the turtles range in size live peacefully I've never once seen any aggression in the months all 4 have been together we've seen the "babies" (the 3 turtles that aren't huge lol turq frank and haze) play with Hazard after they got comfortable they jump off of her back into the way they'll all have their heads by her and then swim around and she follows them and they get on her back again. Turq however is the second biggest and doesn't socialize with Hazard at all really they stay on opposite ends of the tank generally and when frank and hazel are playing with hazard I've seen turq go over and steal them away to play with them or socialize since people claim turtles can't play but is that an issue? Is there maybe a battle of dominance subtly going on there? Hazard is so big and unbothered by all of them tho and I doubt turq would risk self injury with a clearly oversized opponent but I'm not an expert. Also hazard and hazel are very close they are always together or should I say haze is always near hazard. Hazard let's her bask on her back when she's basking I've seen them sleep together haze floats over top of hazard when they eat to eat with her catch some food out of her mouth too lol and today I saw haze initiate fluttering with hazard. Haze put her front feet up to hazards face and was waving them shaking almost and then a minute or 2 later hazard did it to her. Should I be worried? I'm very scared because of all this aggression and violence talk I hear with this occurrence after all this happened they were right back to normal haze up hazards butt like normal. Is haze maybe seeing hazard as a mother figure and practicing mating? Or dominance? Is hazard maybe saying get away you annoying little bastard? Also frank is the only dude in the tabk would the other girls fight over him? Maybe this is happening because they are showing off to maybe mate? Or show frank they're interested? Also should frank be exhibiting some signs of mating? I kno it's a lot but any help would be much appreciated! I love my turtles and all animals and I'd love to learn about my little guys that my girl and I watch so much. Also do they enjoy to be pet? I put my hand in and they put their heads up smell my finger and I can rub their heads hazard mostly she even closes her eyes and let's me rub her head for 4-6 minutes straight my girl scratches her she'll where her butt is not the butt the the tail end and hazard wiggles and she's to enjoy it she almost seeks it's sometimes is all this normal?