Urgent Care :: My turtles are getting agressive!!

[kbeth]

My baby RES, piggy and twiggy are starting to get aggressive during feeding time
the other day twiggy bit piggy!
I have separated them when they eat, but I'm still worried
Also, twiggy seems to have a little bit of red bags around her eyes
her eyeballs are clear, but around them look slightly swollen and red
she has a lot of energy and seems happy
& they have looked like that for a while now
her water temp is between 75-80
she has clean water and a basking rock and lamp
and I want to know if its normal

[SpotsMama]

If your turtles are as tiny as they are in your avatar, then for the time being keep them separated while they eat, put things in the tank for one of them to hide in if he/she's being chased like some leafy plastic plants and keep a close eye on them for signs of harrassment (like one turtle refusing to bask or hiding all the time) or injury from bites. If it gets worse then they'll have to be separated. When they get bigger, you probably know they'll have to be separated so you might think about how you're going to handle it when the time comes.

On the eyes, try some Turtle Eye Drops. They are made by zoo med and you can get them at the pet store. Just follow directions. Let us know if that doesn't clear up those eyes.

[RunninWideOpen]

wow, that's one tiny turt! how cute!

Are you sure it was an intentional bite? I've seen Crush bite Squirt a couple times because they were going for the same piece of food, but it wasn't intentional. Crush was going in for the chomp and all of a sudden Squirt put her foot in the way.

[drometheus]

Hi, i am new here and lately ive had to seperate both my res from each other they`re both 3yrs old....well 3 days ago i woke up to see my res Leo with 2 bite wounds on both back legs its not too big of a wound just that his top skin has been ripped off but no bleeding or anything so i thought after awhile maybe i can put em together in the same tank today and ralph just went to trying to bite leo again....should i never put em in the same tank ever again? btw ralph has just been hising and stuff too when i take him out of the tank to feed him

[grey goose]

Also, twiggy seems to have a little bit of red bags around her eyes
her eyeballs are clear, but around them look slightly swollen and red

What type of UVB lamp are you using (is it a compact)?
Try turning off the UVB lamp for a few days and see if the eyes clear up. If they do, you may have to adjust the lamp further away from the basking spot.....

[powerofvoodoo]

No, you doin't want to put them together anymore. You really need to look into getting another full set up (if you don't have one already). Once turtles start getting aggressive, it doesn't stop.

[grey goose]

Hi, i am new here and lately ive had to seperate both my res from each other they`re both 3yrs old....well 3 days ago i woke up to see my res Leo with 2 bite wounds on both back legs its not too big of a wound just that his top skin has been ripped off but no bleeding or anything so i thought after awhile maybe i can put em together in the same tank today and ralph just went to trying to bite leo again....should i never put em in the same tank ever again? btw ralph has just been hising and stuff too when i take him out of the tank to feed him

With one turt acting aggressive towards the other you may have no choice but to separate them. How large is your tank? A tank thats too small for two turtles could be the cause.

[RunninWideOpen]

drometheus - welcme to the forum. sorry to say, but you most likely will have to seperate them permanentely.

[drometheus]

thanks everyone, right now i have a 50 gallon tank

[powerofvoodoo]

How big are they? At 3 years old, if they have been growing at a normal rate, I would think that they would be around 5-6 inches each, which would mean that a 50 gallon tank would be pushing it for one turtle, much less two.

[RunninWideOpen]

still....it would be a big gamble to go out and get one big tank for the both of them, because the aggression is very much likely to continue. it would be better to just keep them in seperate setups.

[kbeth]

they are a little bit bigger then in the picture now
( sorry it took me so long to respond)
but thanks for all the advise, they have been doing pretty well together lately, but if I see any more aggression I will definitly separate them.
thanks again!

[drometheus]

How big are they? At 3 years old, if they have been growing at a normal rate, I would think that they would be around 5-6 inches each, which would mean that a 50 gallon tank would be pushing it for one turtle, much less two.

yea they are both roughly around 6inches.....so since i have them seperated right now i would need to 75 gallon tanks? right now i dont have the ness funds to buy 2 tanks

[drometheus]

still....it would be a big gamble to go out and get one big tank for the both of them, because the aggression is very much likely to continue. it would be better to just keep them in seperate setups.

i live in new jersey so right now i am looking for someone to take ralph if its to big of a gamble

[megcornell]

If turtles are kept separately I think you can follow the 10 gallons per inch rule a bit more liberally. That's not to say an adult can go in a 40 gallon tank... but you could keep the 50 gallon for one and upgrade the other to a larger tank say a 75 gallon tank which would most likely be comfortable for life. Once turtles get past a few years, they grow much more slowly so the one turtle wouldn't be too cramped in the 50 gallon until you can get a larger one.

If you know in advance that two set ups aren't in your budget or plans, now would be a good time to start contacting local herp rescues and placing ads to check out possible new homes for one of the turtles.