Urgent Care :: Turtle aggression

[texandrex]

Hi guys,
My male and female RES have been sharing the same tank for about 13 years now. I took them in from my brother last year and upgraded them to a tank about twice the size and they seemed to love life. But shortly after, the male (Tex) began to take chomps at the female (Rex). It didn't happen too often, but this past week it has almost been constant where I am forced to intervene and Rex even got a little chunk of her tail bitten off He usually goes for her feet and when he gets a hold, really holds on tight and whips his head around. It's horrible.

2 questions - are Tex and Rex just sick of each other and I need to separate? Tex has not been eating lately (we're talking weeks here) but I just tried the hard boiled egg tonight and he couldn't eat enough of it! I thought maybe he wasn't happy with his diet and taking it out on Rex...

Secondly, now Rex has the little bitty piece of her tail dangling. Should I apply any ointment? I don't want it to get infected. Will it fall off, regrow? It's a pretty small tip that got chomped.

Tank info:
45 gal
Water temp 75F
Basking temp - don't know, 90F?
Usual diet is pellets but they won't eat those anymore as of 8 weeks ago

Any advice greatly appreciated!

[steve]

I think you need to permanently separate them. The tank is too small and even a larger tank can't prevent aggression. What have you been trying to feed him? How long has the piece been "dangling"? Has the wound healed? Is it bleeding? Sorry, it won't grow back.

[texandrex]

I think you need to permanently separate them. The tank is too small and even a larger tank can't prevent aggression. What have you been trying to feed him? How long has the piece been "dangling"? Has the wound healed? Is it bleeding? Sorry, it won't grow back.

I have been regularly feeding (and they have been loving) the average floating log pellets. Only recently have they stopped responding to them. The male gobbled up the hard boiled egg, the female did not. Still need to find something she'll eat.

The female's tail got chomped on Tuesday night, and at first didn't look too bad. Yesterday was when I noticed it dangling. This morning it now looks like it may not fall of afterall, like it is trying to reattach itself. It was only bleeding a short while on Tuesday.

I hate that I'd have to separate them after this long. I don't know why moving to a larger tank would contribute to this behavior. It just bums me out!

[rana]

I had to separate my turtles not to long ago, bummed me out as well. But I had to do it because I had one aggressive female and one timid female and the timid female would not fight back and was constantly being picked on by the other. No way to live poor thing.

[AquaticLuv]

I am having the same problem. The one turtle has bitten the tail completely off the other. I have called different places, no one will take one of them. We were going to put them in a bigger tank to see if that will help. They are about 3-4 inches now. Will the bigger tank help?

[steve]

Sadly, no. In some cases moving to a larger tank might cause aggression. My suggestion is to get a tank large enough that you can divide.

[AquaticLuv]

We'll keep trying to see if we can give one of them away. I wish I would of just got one now. Didn't know 2 would fight. Of course they don't tell you that when you buy them. They said 2 would get along just fine ...

[steve]

Very few sellers know what they're talking about. They have very little incentive to tell you if they knew anyway.

[texandrex]

Steve, you have a great link under adoption that lead me to a RES resuce right in my town. I am really sad to have to take one away, but this place sounds really great - only adopts out to homes with a pond. Thanks for all of your input! I know they will both be a lot happier after tomorrow.

[Mo Milazzo]

I'm so sorry that you have to give one away....May I ask which you're giving up?

[texandrex]

I'm taking in the larger male and keeping the female. He could use a bigger home than I have, and honestly, I'm not happy with him after what he's done to my poor female. A little biased but he'll love a bigger home.

[Mo Milazzo]

Well, at least you're doing what's best. Some owners, for their own selfish reasons, would keep the both of them anyway. Once again, truly sorry you'll be giving up Tex.

[texandrex]

Thank you I understand the ability to be selfish, I think I have been for not having them in a pond, but when it comes to the aggression it's a no brainer. Tex will be happier and so will Rex.

[steve]

Sorry you have to give one up. I absolutely hated separating mine and it's such a pain to keep separate tanks. I even have to setup separate enclosures when they're out on the lawn.