General Care Discussion :: Brother is tormenting my turtles!

[oknow]

I have three red ear slider turtles, one is 4-5 inches, one is 7-8 inches and one is 3 inches.

2 weeks ago, my parents and my younger brother (8 yrs old) moved in with my boyfriend and me because their house was foreclosed.
At first when my brother saw my turtles he would stick his hand inside the tank but he would take it out when the turtles snapped at him.
But now, he constantly takes the smallest turtle and dangles it upside down from it legs and squeeze their little limbs. As well as that, he would throw it onto the ground and make it walk for him. And if that is not enough, he would flick his head and pinch its tail.

He does not bother the bigger turtles because he is scared of them.

I keep telling my parents to look after him to not let him touch it, but they seem to think it's cute/ funny. They just reply with, "Oh, let him be, he's having fun."

I had no choice the other day but to put the little turtle in a plastic bucket under my bed where my brother couldn't find him because I noticed he was swimming sort of lop-sided.

I have work from 9 to 4 and my boyfriend works from 10 to 7. So basically, it is only my parents and my brother at home on the weekdays.

Help, I really don't know what to do any more.

My brother is really stubborn and he does not reason with any one, he always gets his way and if he doesn't then he holds his breath until he faints/ starve himself for days.

Help please.

[amyandandrew]

Is there a way you can put them up higher? Can you lock the door of the bedroom they're in?

[sflemin2]

I agree. Go buy a door that you can lock and put the tank in your room. It doesnt cost that much..I got one on my bedroom door and lock it when I throw parties. Let him faint/starve. He is only making himself uncomfortable by doing that stuff. If he screams ignore him. Sounds like your parents let him do whatever he wants, thats why he acts like that. Ug I hate children.

[rsour24]

i agree, either try to find a way to lock a lid on the tank or just lokc the room its in. or just kick your brother out of ur house... but he is only 8..

[shortt]

can I suggest a cattle prod? I bet he'd learn fast with that

[tammi]

Hmmm let see... Hey Mom, Dad either you control him and respect my stuff and my wishes to keep him from killing my turtles or you will have to find somewhere else to stay. It's not much to ask since you were kind enough to allow them to stay with you in their time of need. It is completely disrespectful for them to disregard your wishes in YOUR home.

If your not willing to stand up to them then either lock them in a room where he can't get to them or just wait for him to kill your turtles.

Just my two cents.

[oknow]

So I relocated my desktop computer outside to the living room and the turtle tanks to inside my room.
It's an inconvinience, but I'd rather have that than 3 dead turtles.

[Miss Tee]

Howzabout one of those "invsible fences" around the tank? shocking!

one night in his dreams, a giant turtle is going to come and squeeze HIS little legs, dangle him upside down and flick his head...

P.S. I agree witth tammi....

[sflemin2]

LOL I think us turtle people all have a common dislike for children!!

oknow, I am glad you were able to do that! And I bet they are too!

Miss Tee, I second that whole post lol

[Love of Animals]

I don't think it's a common dislike for children. I have two children that are taught respect for all forms of life. They love my fish, two dogs and my turtle. They also love watching the wildlife outside and come to me when any animal seems to be in distress. I dislike the parents of children that are spoiled brats because the parents made them that way.

[sflemin2]

I dont mind kids that are raised right..but I dont see a lot of those. I live next to a very shady trailer park (which is a shame because it wasnt there when our family bought the four acres of this beautiful property that is now ruined by our trashy neighbors). I dont really see a lot of kids besides those. I am just one of those people that dont get along with kids (although there are like 4 kids of friends and family that I adore)

[steve]

Smart move. Make sure you have a good lock too because an 8-yo can be pretty obnoxious. It's your place and your pets... guests should show more respect.

[joeybsmooth]

That is outrageous. You need might even want to take the little guy to the vet if he is not swimming right. Give your parents the bill.

[Sora]

I second that joeybsmooth . I have a lot of younger cousins around(ages 3-7) and they used to bother Sora, until one day she just bit one of them when I wasn't around to moniter her(I swear she had a triumphant gleam in her eye lol). I felt bad, but hey, the job got done. They no longer bother her and have learned to watch her from a safe distance, from infront the glass of the tank . And surprisingly, Sora is not aggressive or snappy at all, before and after the act of her biting them .

(I don't condone abuse of children via animals or in any shape/form, but hey. Theres only one way to learn sometimes, and that's the hard way unfortunately.)

[sflemin2]

LOL I agree! Sometimes a kid needs to get bit to learn! Just like sometimes a kid wont listen that the stove is hot until they get burned. Thats just how humans work. I dont get kids who are mean to animals though. I have always been super gentle with them.. my whole family thought I would be a vet (but ..have you heard the things you have to do in vet school? horses on meat hooks? no TY)