General Care Discussion :: Adding another turtle

[drummer queen]

I know there's a similar post below, but mine's a bit different. I have a 2.5" long RES and got another one that's no more than 1" long. I'm going to add the little one to the aquarium and I'm very worried about how they're gonna get along.

The big one won't try to eat the little one, will he? Any advice?

[steve]

The size is too great now. Wait till they are similar in size before trying to keep them together. It shouldn't take long for the 1" fella to do some growing.

[drummer queen]

Thanks! Does their growth slow down a bit? I'm just wondering if the little one will ever catch up. The 1st one doubled in size in about 4 months, so I hope he won't be growing so fast anymore and the little one-incher will be able to catch up

[missibsu]

Amount of growth will depend on habitat conditions, diet, and genetics. There is no good way to determine how much your turtle will grow and when. That being said, the general guideline that people tend to follow suggests an inch a year for captive turtles, and a little extra the first year.

Eventually yes, the growth will slow down. My guess is that you will be able to put them together fairly quickly. Putting them together doesn't mean that they are going to get along. Be prepared for the idea that they may have to be kept seperately for life. Also, it's generally a good idea to keep your new turt quarantined for at least 90 days. You don't know what kind of illnesses or disease your new turt may be harboring, and you don't want to infect your other turt.