Habitat - Outdoor :: This is weird!

[colinjwp]

OK. So when I bought my 2 baby RES's at the end of December 2009, I was excited. But a month later one got a RI, and within hours, died. The other one was eating, growing, growing more, and eating more. Again, a couple months later, my second baby developed the same symptoms. I IMMEDIATELY drove to the vet, got a shot and was given 2 weeks worth of medication. RD (Ray-Dawn) literally came back to life. So since then, RD has grown to where I just spent $150 to upgrade to a 20 gallon tank, new filter, heater, plants, ramp, etc.. (Note: I've spent over $500 between food, vet, habitat--I'm obsessed with my turtle) I'm dragging on... Here's what's weird. A student in my school (everyone knows how much I LOVE turtles) just walks into a classroom I was in with a baby turtle he had purchased at a fair over the weekend. I asked him if he could get one for me. The next day, he came to me and told me his Mom said I could have his. YAY. So now...I was nervous over the size difference... I was sure to keep an eye on the tank. I put the little guy in and can I tell you---RD was trying to mate with my quarter-sized little newbie! I still can't tell if RD is a boy or girl (hence RD--Ray Dawn) and he was fluttering his arms, forcing the little guy to face him by pulling him closer and head-on in the water. He was flapping his arms at him and when he tried to swim away, RD followed, getting in his/her face again. Is that normal? I caught RD doing it again the following day and haven't seen it since. They are fine now. They get along and I make sure I see Junior eat on his own. Has anyone seen or heard of this before? OH... I have a question. Can RD get a RI again? I'm afraid the little guy may get it and pass it to RD. Is RD immune to it after getting all that medicine?
Thanks!

[Diamondbacks4Life]

Their not trying to mate, the fluttering is not just the dance for mating it also their dominance dance. So RD is actually trying to show the other turtle he is boss of the tank and this is his territory. Make sure really do watch because that is the first sign before true aggression.

Yes RD can get RI again, it can be passed to him again if the little turtle were to get it. So incase either one would get it again seperate them ASAP so the other turtle wont catch it.

[Terryo]

Whenever you get a new turtle there should be a quarantine period of at least 6 months. It takes a long time for a turtle to die, so symptoms don't show for a while. I have seen many small RES with missing feet or part of their shells bitten off, from being in with a larger turtle. Very sad thing that these babies are still being sold. If you walk down the street in Manhattan near the ferry, there's always someone selling some in little plastic death traps for $5.00. Maybe you could set up your small tank for the baby until she grows a little bigger.