General Care Discussion :: Turtle Freaking out for no reason

[jonathan1683]

hey guys

I have two 9 month res one male and female last night I came home late I had the light on I woke them up pretty late when they were sleeping. later on the female which is normally the calm one started swimming and freaking out frantically like it wanted out of the tank. it was so crazy I thought the turtle was going to hurt herself because it was freaking out all over the tank and rock waterfall. I never seen this one act like that before so I took it out of the tank and let it on the floor. it just ran quickly under something to hide under (normal when I take them out) anyone have an idea what may be going on ?


thanks!

[Impulse Shopper]

Mood swing? My George smiles & frowns...

[steve]

My RES sometimes do that, not much I can do to stop them. Not sure I would say mood swing, maybe just a bit irritated/startled?

[Paul]

possibly gravid

[penelope]

Could be gravid, or ramping up for it. Penelope had taken to trying to escape and going cuckoo at night. She doesn't quite fit gravid psycho mode, but she is on watch. Indoor turtles don't lay eggs at any particular time of year. So any thing is possible.

[jonathan1683]

Do you think she is old enough to lay eggs? Also how do you guys let them lay eggs? I don't have anywhere to put her besides the tank? If I put her in dirt would she do it quickly?

Thank you,

[steve]

9 months is a bit young, though this depends on their size more.

[jonathan1683]

she is growing very quickly almost twice the size of the male which I got at the same time.

[steve]

It's not unusual for them to be a bit bigger, but she could just be the more opportunistic eater.

[Jeremiah]

I assume you're keeping the turtles together. If that's the case, watch the male--he could be trying guerilla-warfare sexual harassment. My female occasionally displayed similar behavior on occasion when she lived with my male, and I later discovered that he would sneak up on her and try to mate, bite her, etc. Understandably, what I had written off as random exercise sessions was actually her surprised reaction to his behavior.

[jonathan1683]

I see him trying some times to mate but I think hes just too small and doesn't know what hes doing I don't think he's ever successful and the female is too much turtle for the little guy she knocks him around at will I never seen the little one bite hes pretty scared all the time and gets smacked around by the big turtle.

[steve]

The male would be more aggressive as he gets older. You need to start planning for a larger tank and/or multiple tanks.