General Care Discussion :: Harmless Contact?

[Pizza]

Just wondering, my four turtles seem to like to stick together, and stay close together where ever they are in the tank. Just when they're swimming, or just moving away, very often one scratches another in the face (sometimes eye), so I am wondering, is this harmless, or could any serious injury occur? This is particularly evident in my largest turtle, she is swimming a lot, and often pushing the others around, just from her size and weight, and often gets another in the face with her front claws.

Turtle sizes are 12, 8, 8, and 6-7.

[myeeyore174]

i am noticing the same problem with my two RES. they have the same activities as you describe, but the male is biting the female (on occasion). can someone please help! ps; thanks for posting this!

[xsavingsaturdayx]

Just wondering, my four turtles seem to like to stick together, and stay close together where ever they are in the tank. Just when they're swimming, or just moving away, very often one scratches another in the face (sometimes eye), so I am wondering, is this harmless, or could any serious injury occur? This is particularly evident in my largest turtle, she is swimming a lot, and often pushing the others around, just from her size and weight, and often gets another in the face with her front claws.

Turtle sizes are 12, 8, 8, and 6-7.

Well just remember this when you have more than one turtle its always a possibility that theyre is going to be agressive action taking place even if you have more than enough space.Theyre is always a chance for an injury to occur.Just keep an eye on them,and if it gets pretty bad then its best if you take the trouble maker out and get him or her own enclosure.Good luck!

[industrial_girl_2000]

Just wondering, my four turtles seem to like to stick together, and stay close together where ever they are in the tank. Just when they're swimming, or just moving away, very often one scratches another in the face (sometimes eye), so I am wondering, is this harmless, or could any serious injury occur? This is particularly evident in my largest turtle, she is swimming a lot, and often pushing the others around, just from her size and weight, and often gets another in the face with her front claws.

Turtle sizes are 12, 8, 8, and 6-7.

Holy cow! How big is your tank?? Those are some big turts!

Turtles often have no idea how big their body is or what they are hitting up against (sometimes clumsy). As long as they aren't fighting, I wouldn't be concerned.

[industrial_girl_2000]

i am noticing the same problem with my two RES. they have the same activities as you describe, but the male is biting the female (on occasion). can someone please help! ps; thanks for posting this!

How big is your tank? How big are the turtles? I have had similar problems in the past & I had to separate them.

[Pizza]

Well my current tank is too small for them, right now they're in a 90 G, but I hope to have a bigger one, or a few more in the near future. The previous owner kept them all together, and said they got along fine, so I assume they are now.

There isn't really one trouble maker, they all just crowd together and like swimming into each other, particularly the smaller ones, they keep trying to get on top of the large one, often hitting her in the face, but she doesn't really care, just shakes them off and continues what she's doing.

Also, is it common for turtles to lose or break their nails? Two of mine had several broken, but regrown nails when I got them, so the nails look uneven.