Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2010 6:36 pm Re: New Addition And Question & Other Info
It's always a risk placing two RES together so here's what I recommend. Fill up the 10 gallon tank to make sure the little one is comfortable with swimming (you can raise the water gradually if you'd like). If you're in a rush and want to house them together as soon as possible, I would say wait a 2-3 weeks until you try to introduce the turtles to one another. Most RES that have lived alone for a while tend to be territorial and will act aggressively towards another turtle that is introduced in their tank, so I recommend putting the bigger turtle in the smaller one's tank, or in a separate enclosure (different tank, rubbermaid container, bath tub, etc) that will be neutral territory. When you do put them together in the same enclosure, keep an eye on them: see how they greet each other, if one of them is obsessed with chasing the other one around. Ideally you want them to be indifferent and not pay much attention to what the other one is doing. Leave them in the same tank for about 20-30 minutes or for as long as you can watch them closely, and then you can return them to their own tanks. The next day you can repeat the same thing, and continue this until you believe that there is no aggressiveness between the turtles and then you can start housing them together.
From my past experiences of dealing with territorial problems, this method that I described above seemed to work the best in helping the turtles get accustomed to one another and avoid any catastrophes.
Check out my blog at: http://turtleaffairs.wordpress.com/
Tank #1:
~Charlie - 4 inch male RES
Tank #2:
~Charlotte - 6 inch female RES
. I was actually at the dollar store picking up some things for thanksgiving when i came across some hatchlings. I could not resist the temptation and i returned back home with a new baby Res. 
