General Care Discussion :: turtle aggression

[Tara_]

Hi there,

I've had my red eared sliders for the past 15 years (They're at least 15 years old, I'm not sure how old they were when i got them - they were small)....

They've always been very friendly with people and eachother... They've had the same habitat and feeding schedule for years... Suddenly they've become aggressive, and I cannot put my finger on what's causing it. I went to check on them 2 days ago, and one turtle was clamped down on the others neck, and today I went down and one turtle was chasing the other with his mouth open ready to attack... The aggression is with both turtles, not just one.

Any suggestions???

[steve]

What are their sexes? Males and females can be aggressive, and sadly this behavior usually does not stop. You're looking at physical separation here... either with 2 tanks or a large tank divided.

[MVB]

Meanwhile, try feeding them separately. Also make sure they have enough space. How big are they and how big is their tank?

[puppylovejewelry]

what about two females living together for life? would they still run the risk of eventual aggression in their later years? sometimes I worry that Rain might feel lonely. Someone told me turtles are quite happy living a solitary life, but I still think about it with concern. I would never want to be in the position to have to get two large tanks though- that would be a difficulty in my small home. Are there cases of two females living together developing aggression? or is there perhaps another breed of turtle that is very compatible life long company for a female red eared slider?

[devilduck]

Still possible. You'll have to wait and see, there a few members here with 2 adult turtles that do get along. It's all based on their personality.
Don't worry about turtles getting lonely, I don't think that's an emotion they feel. They do like the thrill of the hunt, get some live food like minnows for them to chase down.