General Care Discussion :: Signs of Aggression

[4Lancer4]

Today, while i was studying for my exams, i saw my big turtle whose only half an inch bigger than my other turtles harass my 2 other RES, At first it looked like they were playing because they whre just bumping each other. Then when my smallest turtle was trying to to climb up the dock the big turtle (luvbster) took a nibble at his foot, I inspected him to make sure there were no injuries or bleeding and then i had to take him out, Poor turtle. I now have to give luvbster to my friend who i hope will take care of him. Anyways, the question is, should i take my turtle to the vet ( i dont want to go there again if i dont have to ) even tho theres no sign's of bleeding?

[Pizza]

If your turtle looks and acts fine (no shock or sudden odd behaviour), and the area of supposed injury looks fine (ie. no white patches, flaking skin, growth or blood), then it is fine. Turtles are hardier than you think, just think of the wild RES, they travel through a lot more muck and don't have owners to look after them if they trip over a rock,

[steve]

How big are your turtles (shell length)?

[4Lancer4]

How big are your turtles (shell length)?

The 2 small ones i have are about a inch long, while the bigger one is only half an inch bigger.

[rocketright]

Hmm... Did you get them at diffrent times?

[industrial_girl_2000]

How big is your tank? Sometimes when the tank is too small, turtles tend to get a bit territorial (kinda like having 3 kids in the backseat of a car for a loooong car ride!). They will push each other around & sometimes bite each other. This fighting can get worse as they get older/bigger & need more room.

The rule of thumb on this board is to allow 10 gallons per shell inch of turtle. So two one-inch turtles would need a 20 gallon tank, or one 4-inch turtle would need a minimum of a 40 gallon tank to feel like they aren't living in a closet.

It sounds like a lot (10 gallons per inch of turtle), but when you see a 9 inch turtle in a 90-gallon tank and how well she can spread out & not hit the wall when she moves around, trust me, it makes a LOT of sense.

[marisa]

The "rule of thumb" of ten gallons OF TANK per inch of shell length, actually comes from some of the other older turtle forums, and the guide does try to provide maximum living space. How big is the tank they're in?

Have you noticed any agression/bullying before? If the turtle shows no visible signs of injury, a vet visit probably isn't needed.

[steve]

At that size I think it's too premature to give them away (which is why I originally asked). Getting a larger tank would be a good start....