Our story is such: On 12th May 2008 we got two small sliders from the local pet shop. We asked them to give us a male and a female, hoping that in a few months or years we'd have baby turtles of our own. We had no idea that it's impossible to tell the sexes apart at such a young age. We decided to name them Simon and Paula after our favourite American Idol judges. They were probably about 2 inches long when we got them.
The first Paula had shell rot when we got her, and she died within the first three weeks of being with us. That's when I decided to become an expert on red-ear sliders and that lead me to your page. When we got the next one, another female (so we were told, although this time we knew there was no way of telling), I had studied up on how to choose a healthy turtle, and we chose the most excellent, beautiful specimen you've ever seen - and named her Paula after the other one.
Simon and Paula are now just under 1 year old (presumably?) and live together in a 35 gallon tank in our living room/home office. They're healthy and benevolent; they appear to really enjoy each other's company; and they have grown to around 4 inches. We've also tried to keep an array of guppies, mollies, swordtails and barbs which seem to mysteriously disappear one by one - just like in an Agatha Christie novel! I've got so many great pictures I'd love to show you, but I haven't figured out how to upload them yet so bear with me. I'll master it one of these days.
Well, that's it I guess
I have been reading this forum for a long time already, and I'm looking forward to participating and interacting with all of you! Greetings from Manila!
. welcome! If you can afford it, i think you should get a bigger tank for the both of them. this may seem extreme right now, but a 100 gallon tank will give them LOTS of space & eventually they WILL grow bigger (especially your female, Paula).
