General Care Discussion :: Mood Change!!

[larqw]

So, most of you read of the "rescue" - Tiny and Taffy. They are both doing very well - eating, swimming, basking etc...

NOW: in the day time they are always together, like I said eating, basking, swimming together and all is well. WELL TONIGHT, with the lights very low, I was just looking in on them - they couldn't see me and the strangest thing was happening! They stare at each other and it's like they are about to "kiss" then Tiny (the male, who is smaller) opens his mouth like he's going to bite Taffy and she backs up. Now, this happens several times...and I have no clue what's going on. It's the first time I'm seeing this. What's going on?

Remember, they are best friends and they are always together - but when no one is looking and it's darking this "different" behavior occurs.

[Chrisbarnett]

Aggression, or a mating response.

[larqw]

Yeah?
So, I guess I'll keep watch more often.
These two are extremely feisty. They see me and they are so excited - splashing water all over the place and they eat like pigs! Tiny also snaps to bite at anyone and ANYTHING. Taffy, the female, has a big appetite too.
I hope it isn't aggression. I doubt it - they don't sneak around trying to bite each other - it's just when they go face to face...

thanks

[TheComputerGremlin]

Remember, they are best friends and they are always together - but when no one is looking and it's darking this "different" behavior occurs.

It sounds like aggression and they need to be separated asap. Turtles are solitary creatures and cannot be described as "best friends". Just because they tolerate each other doesn't mean that they love each other. It's time to get them their own tanks ... And don't think that you can watch out for them and catch them before they hurt one another. It only takes a minute, a bathroom break, and one could be seriously injured or dead.

[larqw]

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree.
I have seen aggression and this isn't it! I have put Toutolina and Taffy together and they get aggressive - Toutolina bit her! So, they had to be separated.
I continued watching after I wrote this entry and I think it is more mating...Taffy always initiates the "kissing" and sometimes Tiny will just do it and then sometimes he wants her to back off. If it is really aggression though, they will have to be separated.

[megcornell]

From what you described it sounds like Tiny and Taffy are testing each other's limits. And from what I've seen happen with other cohabitating turtles on the forum, it's a slippery slope. Turtle "kissing" is never such a positive interaction- it's usually a precursor to something pretty bad for one of both turtles.

If it were me, I'd separate them before something happened. I'd much rather be proactive than be regretting my decision to keep them together after one of them has been killed or maimed by the other.

[zoologist]

i, too, would have to agree that you need to seperate your turtles. put the tanks right next to eachother and that way they can still see eachother and be near eachother but cannot get eachother.

the time has come. the habitat is too small to contain two adult turtles.

[larqw]

What size is an adult turtle?
According to what I read, they are both still yearlings.