Urgent Care :: why does my turtle attack my other turtle

[djaaconn]

i have had my res for a year and the are both girls and they are 6 and 4 inches and they have been fine together and now the big one keeps attacking her back legs why would she do this all of the suden i have seperated them help please

[soopermum62]

What size tank/habitat are they in? RES believe it or not, are territorial and if they feel they are crowded they will attack the other turtles.
I have 4 and they get along fine outside in their swimming pool, but if I try to put them all together in 1 tank inside WATCH OUT! I have Scooter attacking everyone! So Scooter has his own tank. I have also tried to give Scooter just one of the other turtles as a tank mate in his tank and it again is a "no go". It happens. RES are perfectly fine as solitary pets.

The rule of thumb for a RES habitat is 10 gallons of habitat per 1 inch "SCL" (Straight Carapace Length) of turtle. I.E. 6 inch turtle requires a 60 gallon habitat.

Good Luck, your friends may need to be seperated permanently.

Soopermum62

[TexasJagsFan]

You said they were both females, but then you said his legs? Are you sure they are both females?

[diyabolo]

We have a similar situation lately. They get along fine--until the smaller one tries to bask, at which point the larger one will sometimes follow him up onto the basking area and bite him until he runs back into the water. They get along great in the water, though, so it's almost like he gets lonely and wants his friend back.

[djaaconn]

i fixed the typo my turts are girls i know what to look for

[nfnsprite]

I had a similar problem. My turtles shared a 90-gallon tank. They were a little over 3 inches and 1.5 inches, so they had plenty of room. I thought they were getting along fine, but my little one seemed depressed. I got home one day from work early and caught the bigger one biting the little one. Now a small piece of his shell is missing in the back. I had to separate them. Just didn't feel comfortable leaving them alone with that going on. They had plenty of room, but just like humans, they all have different personalities. The bigger one was always a bit "off" and I'm not sure why.

[djaaconn]

yes i seperated them and put the tanks together they are a little depresed and always swim up and down the side were they see each other oh well i guess they will have to deal i defently dont want the one hurting the other one