Urgent Care :: Biting and neck wounds

[siranlea]

Hi. I've 3 RES that were bought and raised in the same tank these past 5-6 months. Shelly and Speedy are about 8cm long each whilst PintSize is about half their length only !!! Recently, Shelly has been biting the other 2 RES' necks until the top green skin is off and the white flesh showing. Both Shelly and Speedy had previously bitten the each others tails and feet as well as that of PintSized but at that time it looked more like they were trying to get PintSized's attention to do the mating dance. But this time Shelly is really agrressive and the other 2 start swimming away from her if she's anywhere close. I only have a 2 feet tank filled with water to the 3/4 mark. I had to give Shelly to my ex to see to as I cant afford to buy another tank or any space to put a new one up. It broke our hearts to see her go but I'm not keen on any of our pets dying on us for reasons other than old age. What caused this aggressiveness? It's not like there is not enough food to go around for 3 of them (I feed them individually in another tub). Every fortnight, i also buy fresh prawns or live fishes for them to eat besides their daily dose of pellets. Funnily, of all the 3 RES, Shelly seems to be the docile one, laziest (always basking) and also the glutton with chubby legs. Is there any way to re-introduce her to the other 2 RES in the same tank again? We would love to have Shelly back but not at the risk of the other 2. What do I need to do about the wound on Speedy's and PintSized's necks? There is only 1 aqua doctor who specialises in aquatic animals besides fishes in Singapore and as such they are not cheap. Is there any OTC meds that I can use or change any aspect of their environment. Singapore is a tropical country so I didnt see any need to buy the water heater. Is it wrong to put the tank next to the TV? I also have 2 cages with 2 hamsters, so space is quite a premium in my flat.

[steve]

Is Shelly a male? Once aggression occurs, it never goes away. I've yet to see someone say they've found a solution aside from having a 2000 gallon pond. And aggression is not always related to mating, some RES are just very aggressive, especially as they mature. For most small wounds, a combination of dry docking, disinfecting (diluted betadine or chlorhexidine) and an antibiotic ointment (new/polysporin) should help.

[siranlea]

Hi Steve,

We think Shelly is a female cos of her stubby tail and she grew faster than the other two. I cant seem to get PintSized to drydock. He/She is always in the water or sometimes PintSized sinks to the bottom and stays put. We cant tell PintSized's gender cos it's kind of small about 1.5 inch only. I'll go and check on the disinfectant from the pet shop. I wish there was an obedience class for RES like they do for dogs hehehhe So even if I manage to get a 6 feet tank, Shelly's aggresiveness wont go away. Is that correct to say? The terrapins and hamsters may be kids' pets but I'm very attached to them too. Sigh, I hope I wont encounter the same between Speedy and PintSized. Thanks Steve.

[steve]

Yes, you are correct. Female aggressiveness does not occur as often but it can happen. RES in general can be aggressive and usually outcompete all other turtles.

[siranlea]

That is so depressing to hear, Steve. I'm in awe of some of the members who have more than 1 RES all homed together in a tank or an outdoor pond for many years. Thanks for the valuable advice.

[steve]

Most with multiple RES keep females or have RES that have not yet reached sexual maturity.

[siranlea]

There is no way to tell their gender when they are so itty bitty. I dont think either one of them is sexually matured, as they are below 7-8 inches long and less than a year old. Shelly, who was given away, is not eating at all it seems. Is that normal? I'm worried as she loves to be handfed but she's not even responding to it when my girl fed her by hand I've posted PintSize's tail at photobucket at SiranLea's page. Please help me verify if PS is female or male. Many thanks Steve

[steve]

Without fully knowing the situation, I can't explain why she's not eating. RES usually have big appetites, so not eating is a concern. It looks like the RES in the pics is a girl.

[siranlea]

Hey Steve. Ahm, it seems Speedy's tail was also uploaded. Ahm, so who's the male and the female?

[steve]

Speedy is a girl, I did not get a close look at the others.