General Care Discussion :: maybe get a new turtle??

[edgerton]

so, i recently lost a turtle and have yet to find the little fella. which makes me very sad. i have learned from my mistake though... and i loved having two of them to watch the way they interacted... they never fought or anything and even seemed to enjoy each others company... now, Hector seems to be a little lonely.

is it a bad idea to put a hatchling in with him?

and i already know that you should keep the new one seperate if for 60 days to make sure it's not sick.

but, really, i havent decided if i want another yet... but, would a hatchling be a bad idea?? i kinda have a feeling it would be.

[BullDog]

Was your turt lost inside or outside? If inside, you may still have a chance at finding him! Have you checked out this page?
http://www.redearslider.com/lost_turtle.html

How big is your other turt? If he's grown (not a hatchling anymore) it's not recommended that you put a smaller turt with him. He could injure or even kill the little one, intentionally or unintentionally.
If you other turt is still a hatchling, you could theorettically put a new turt with him, but they may not get along, as the first one will have eked out his territory, and you could be looking at two separate setups...

[edgerton]

my current turtle is about 2.5 inches and i lost her inside... my house is incredibly clutered as my parents are kinda pack rats... ive looked everywhere and she's been gone a week and a half now

[BullDog]

Have you also looked behind large immovable objects? I lost Ralph for about a week once and he turned up downstairs behind a dinette cabinet, where there was less than 2 inches between the cabinet and the wall... And he managed to wedge himself halfway along!

I also lost Ralph for 2 weeks outside in the middle of summer when he was only an inch or two. My dog found him under the house, he was dehydrated but alive. He turned out to be the longer surviving of my two turtles!

I guess my point is, don't completely give up hope yet. These guys are incredible survivers

[industrial_girl_2000]

Anytime I have lost a turtle in the house, I literally crawled around on my hands & knees (almost darn-near dragged my chin on the floor) as I checked every crevice & possible area they could have squeezed into.

Don't give up hope. Keep looking.

[Hoooneylynn]

I would keep looking too... She could still be alive!

[DavidY]

A turtle's metabolism will slow down as they cool off. In this condition they can last for quite some time without food. The biggest danger is dehydration. Make sure to check underneath everything. They like to dig under things or wedge themselves under tight spaces.

If I were you, I would not get another turtle as a companion for your remaining one. Turtles are just fine on their own and enjoy having their own space. If you want to provide him with some company, get some minnows or guppies. After your turtle has finished playing tag with them, he can eat them! Seriously though, you're better off with just one turtle for now. Each additional turtle means more work, more time and more expense. Also, if you do find your missing turtle, you will have your hands full.