All Turtles Message Board

almondjoy137 · Guest Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 2

hi. I have had a painted turtle for a couple of years now and one of my friends lives on the water and found a baby one that is the same kind. I tried to put them together and watched them carefully because I didnt know how they would react, and sure enough, the big one, Speedy, began to bite the little one. I guess he though the baby was food or something and I didnt know if I should separate them or let them get acclimated because i didnt want the baby to get hurt. any advice?

turtles1 · Level 3 Joined: 08 Apr 2006 Posts: 196

seperate them. i have read on another site that some different kinds of turtles ate another type of turtle that were all kept in the same tank. head feet ect. but yeah i'd seperate them.

turtle_grl77 · Level 4 Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Posts: 985 Location: Florida

I would keep them seperated. Sounds like the big one is kind of territorial

almondjoy137 · Guest Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 2

i was reading some other forums and some said to take the big one out and then put him back in after a while and let him see that the other one was there...iono i put a grate between them and they dont seem to be confronting too much...

Nevfalath · Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 6:51 pm Post subject:

Definitely separate them. Turtles should only be kept with other turtles of relatively the same size. I had two turtles together that were different sizes and the large one killed the smaller one after living together for 6 months. It wasn't until after this incident that I researched this and found that this is actually very common, and to never house two different sized turtles together. The little one is going to end up hurt. Also, I highly suggest you release the little one back where you friend found it... it is illegal to take Painted Turtles out of the wild.
_________________
-= Shannon =-