All Turtles Message Board

Nevfalath · Last edited by Nevfalath on Fri Apr 21, 2006 11:07 pm; edited 1 time in total

This post is just to help those out who often wonder whether they should keep two turtles of different sizes together. I have noticed quite a few people ask this question. The best answer is NO.

Pet stores always tell new owners that two turtles will get along fine. After working at a pet store, I realize that more than half the time, the employees who work there don't have any knowledge on the animals, and will say just about anything to make a sale, whether the information is right or wrong. And as we all know, wrong information can harm and kill the animal. So first of all, please NEVER reply on a pet store associate. Always do your own research before purchasing any animal you are not familiar with.

Even if your older turtle is getting along fine with your younger turtle now, he will eventually start to pick on him. I have heard of this and read about this more times than I care to. It's such a common mistake. Whether it is territorial or if the older turtle is literally trying to feed off of the younger turtle, it always ends out bad for the little one. I read about one situation where all the was left was the little turtle's foot.

I have also experienced this myself unfortunately. When I recieved my two baby Painted Turtles, but were exactly the same size. However, because turtles can grow at different speeds, one grew much faster than the other and was soon at least two sizes the other turtle. (I took the little one to the vet, and there was nothing wrong with his growth. It's very much normal). I figured since they grew up together and have been with another another since little hatchlings, they would be fine. I made the common mistake that unfortunately many people make. My larger turtle eventually, after living many months together, attacked the little one, ripping off half his shell. Sadly, the little guy died that night dispite everyones efforts.

So please, read this, learn from it, and remember it. The more we share with one another, the more we learn, and the better for the safety of our turtles.

If you still don't believe any of this, perhaps this picture will change your mind.

Click here to see the picture - Warning - Graphic image alert!
_________________
-= Shannon =-

Nevfalath · Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 10:00 pm Post subject:

Here is a good website that stresses not to keep turtles together with a very good aggression chart on different types of turtles: Aquatic Turtle Co-Habitation.

Here is another excellent website where many people wrote in with their questions and got professional answers: FAQs on Turtle Compatibility.

I hope this helps.
_________________
-= Shannon =-

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

Awww poor turtle! thanks for the info!

Nevfalath · Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 11:01 pm Post subject:

Anytime. I have heard a few people asking this, and have also seen this question come up on many other forums.
_________________
-= Shannon =-

deesygirl · Moderator Joined: 12 Sep 2002 Posts: 1228

I have tried to get people to understand that turtles are not social creatures and they do not have the emotions and feelings that we as humans want to place on them. They aren't lonely and they don't need companionship. My rescue is full of little ones who were bought like that only to have the turtles turn aggressive and the ones here are the lucky ones. What happened in your case is more common. Many times these little ones are missing limbs. I have also seen where the larger one has bitten the smallers head off. It is a terrible thing. Yet, I see it here and on other boards and in pet stores, people buying multiple turtles and then not having the room to keep them. They see that cute little quater size turtle or even the legal 4" ones are not bad, but many people don't comprehend these animals get the size of a dinner plate and they can get aggressive and no amount of holding or coddling them will change that. Turtles are not a domestic animal. We can enjoy them as a pet but we need to do this realisticly.
_________________

http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html

dixieee · Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 1:10 pm Post subject:

OMG this is so sad!!! is he alive?? i can't look at the pic again to check
_________________
Wed 10/27/2004 is the worst day..i lost my best friend Leo

so now i have a female RES, Green, and a cute stupid male YBS, Mint

5/4/2006 RIP Lemon, u were my first rescue and i'm so proud of u. will never 4get u

trtlduv · Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 2:26 pm Post subject:

Shannon's post said the little guy died that night. Ohhhh, that is so sad! I'm so glad I only bought one!
_________________
shade & sweetwater!

Nevfalath · Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 7:32 pm Post subject:

In that picture he was alive, but forunately not for long. He must have been suffering terribly and I am just glad he didn't have to stay that way long.

I agree with deesygirl. I know turtles are adorable and that people never want just one. For people new to owning turtles, please start out with just one, especially if you do not have the room for a 100+ gallon tank.
_________________
-= Shannon =-

Pia · Level 3 Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 183 Location: Malta

How horrible... Sad

he looked like a nice turtle.
_________________
LOVE Animals Very Happy

... MyAnimals -> 1 Budgie, 2 Hamsters, 2 Gerbiles, 13 Cats, 2 Turtles, 2 Pet Rats & 1 Parrot(of my Mother)

Nevfalath · Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 10:49 pm Post subject:

He was, he was a sweetheart. Because he was so young, his shell was still a little soft and as you can see, didn't offer much protection at all. Sad

_________________
-= Shannon =-

dixieee · Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 4:13 am Post subject:

yes i meant if he was dead in that pic or not. i'm so sorry for him, can't stop thinking of the tragedy Exclamation

_________________
Wed 10/27/2004 is the worst day..i lost my best friend Leo

so now i have a female RES, Green, and a cute stupid male YBS, Mint

5/4/2006 RIP Lemon, u were my first rescue and i'm so proud of u. will never 4get u

Nevfalath · Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 11:06 pm Post subject:

Oh, no, he was alive in that picture. Crying or Very sad

_________________
-= Shannon =-

trtlduv · Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 10:06 am Post subject:

OMG! I can't imagine how painful that was for the poor thing! Crying or Very sad

_________________
shade & sweetwater!

dixieee · Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 2:49 pm Post subject:

it is heart-breaking
_________________
Wed 10/27/2004 is the worst day..i lost my best friend Leo

so now i have a female RES, Green, and a cute stupid male YBS, Mint

5/4/2006 RIP Lemon, u were my first rescue and i'm so proud of u. will never 4get u

Nevfalath · Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 10:16 pm Post subject:

I know.

But he is comfortable now and resting peacefully.
_________________
-= Shannon =-

deb · Level 1 Joined: 24 Apr 2006 Posts: 10

I've just been reading all your posts and its just so horrible!!!!!
I am still very new to owning turtles ive had them about 4 months. I bought them on a whim not really knowing anything other than what the pet store told me. I was there to buy fish and fell in love instantly with the turtles and i just had to have one.......until the guy in the pet store told me 2 were better as they like company. I don't really know what to do now as mildred and murtle were the same size when i got them but now murtle's shell is about 2" and mildred's is about 3". I have never seen any aggression between them but they are still very young. Should i just leave them and see how things turn out or should i separate them straight away? Another thing i wasnt told is the size they get to!! i was told a maximum of about 6" from head to tail!!!!! I have that covered for now as i went straight out and exchanged my 2' tank for a 4' one but i know that won't last forever. Turtles are not that commonly sold as pets in this country as i have toured many a pet shop for my various other animals and have only found that one shop that sells them. I am now gonna make a point of going back there and catching the sales people out on thier lies as it makes me so mad!!! This isn't the first time this has happened either. When i bought my rabbits from another shop i asked for 2 males and unfortunatley they produced 6 more bunnies....

Is there no laws or rules about lying to customers???

If not, why not? and is there anyway to change this?? Evil or Very Mad

dixieee · Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 2:26 pm Post subject:

hmm ok i know what u're talking about cz i suffer from that too. pet shops in here are so ignorant and 90% of the pets they sell are unhealthy and kept in miserable conditions. buying a pet from here is like gambling, the chances are always 50-50..either u're too lucky for the pet to survive or it just passes away within few days. so it depends on where do u live
_________________
Wed 10/27/2004 is the worst day..i lost my best friend Leo

so now i have a female RES, Green, and a cute stupid male YBS, Mint

5/4/2006 RIP Lemon, u were my first rescue and i'm so proud of u. will never 4get u

turtbert · Level 3 Joined: 14 Jan 2006 Posts: 272

Poor turtle Surprised

I've read lots of horror stories recently about putting turtles together. However I've never had a problem.

I bought 4 Cooter turtle hatchlings after popping into a shop and falling in love. I didn't know anything about turtles and was told they'd grow to a maximum of 9" ha ha! Anyway I had the 4 of them for a year before I had to rehome 3 bacause of space issues. I had them in a 50G and they grew so much in a year, the largest was about 8" and the smallest 4", apart from being like bumpercars in the cramped tank I never noticed any aggression between them, even at feeding.

After rehoming the 3 biggest I felt sorry for the little one all by herself (she didn't seem want to do anything!) so I bought a map turtle (researched this time to find a smaller species!) to keep her company. I put a hatchling in with a 4" turtle and they get on well, the little one follows the big one about all the time even in the huge pond they're currently in! They've lived together for 2 years now, the only time I got a little bit panicky was when I put live shrimp in they were so keep to get them and had to have the same one each time, I was worried they were going to bite each other!

Maybe I just have extra mellow turtles Confused

sunny41 · Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 11:40 pm Post subject:

OMG poor thing!!!!!!that made me cry.was that your turtle?well i think i need to seperate my turtles too.even thought they are babies but they are diferent sizes!but one time i saw my older baby turtle doing the turtle dance to the other little one.i was suprize but i dont think baby turtle dont do turtle dance.look like i got to saperate.i suggest that a begginer turtle owner should only have 1 turtle only.man why my mom have to say 2 turtles.i wanted one.well i gess i have to deal with this and separate them soon.my oldest turtle name Benz is almost 2 inch and the shell is 1.17" so he close to be 2 inch and the other one is 1.9" well i think cant tell it was so hard to measure them i did not want to put the measure tape on their shell cuz i knew they are not that hard and fragile.well at least i know what will happend.i dont want to end up like that neither.when Bez get right to 2 inch i am goign to buy an rubbermaid tub since it is cheap and aquarium are expensive and i will give him a 50 gall tank then.i dont know what to do when the other one get 2 inch cuz i know turtle grow difernt rates.i will reuniate them when they are both six inch in a pond.
_________________
[IMG]http://i9.tinypic.com/2rdhmq.jpg[IMG]

Bubonic · Level 2 Joined: 06 Mar 2008 Posts: 81

Like I've mentioned elsewhere, I'm adopting a RES, its a good size if seems, 7 inches long maybe?

And yes, the pet shop owner said they liked companionship, so I was thinking of buying a 3 year old slider, about 6 inches long.

It would be a 40 gallon tank, thoughts?

ryanandsuzyro · Level 3 Joined: 19 Nov 2006 Posts: 207

As I said in another thread, I am convinced that the turtle need for "companionship" is a myth. Your dude would be fine on his own. It's not wrong to have another one even if it's not "needed." And all the stuff said in various other threads about this subject. =)

The one real question is: If they don't get along and one turtle is being attacked, are you prepared/able/willing to separate them? It's pretty cruel to keep two turtles together if one is bullying the other. If you aren't, then maybe consider not getting that 2nd turtle.

Bubonic · Level 2 Joined: 06 Mar 2008 Posts: 81

I will get it under the condition that the pet shop agrees to take it back within ten days of purchase.
I assume this will be a big enough time frame to tell.

The risk are there, the one I am adopting is about 9 years old, and is substantially big, didn't get to measure it, but I'd say 9 long, 5 wide, and 4 high.

The other is said to be 3 years old, 6 long, 4 wide, and 3 high.

babylucifer · Level 2 Joined: 06 Sep 2008 Posts: 64

If anyone is interested in a social group of turtles, check out the East African Sidenecks (pelomedusa). My little pelomedusa is VERY social, she literally pines away if kept from other turtle contact. Having said that, she has canabalistic tendencies and will sometimes attempt to chew loose skin on the snappies, so playtime must be supervised. In general, I agree with all written here, DO NOT MIX SIZES AND SPECIES, consider the pelomedusa an interesting exception as a social turtle that can interact with other species, within reason. In a perfect world, I'd keep her with others of her kind, but they don't seem very popular here.