About Yexalen Expertise I am experienced with the care, lighting, heating, breeding, sexing, species identification, and general keeping of mostly aquatic turtles. I also have experience with tortoises and land turtles and can certainly research any question that I do not know the answer. I can not answer medical related questions as I am not veterinarian certified. I prefer not to answer questions on animals that you or somebody else has taken out of their natural environment unless the animal was in danger, ill, or injured.
Experience I have owned six aquatic turtles and have been researching turtles for several years. I have been on several question and answer sites under this category. I also have started up a web site focused on reptile care with a portion of it for turtles.
Education/Credentials I have been around turtles sense a very young age and always found them fascinating and because of that it has lead me to researching day after day, reading book after book, and finding endless amounts of web sites with information.
Expert: Yexalen Date: 7/8/2008 Subject: Baby and Wild adult Red Ear Sliders-Safe?
Question Hi! About a year ago, my husband found a Red Ear Slider in the wild. We think it's about 13-15yrs?? (and adult turtle, non the less). a few weeks ago, we purchased a baby Red Ear Slider. is it safe to put them both in the same tank? we have a 50gallon. I just don't want the older one to eat the baby!
Thanks in advance for your help!
Cindi
Answer Cindi, it is not advised that you house them together, the adult turtle may be very territorial.
1: being raised in the wild makes him realize he has to fight for food and territory.
2: Being larger of the two he may be dominant over the small one and even without fighting this can stress the baby into not eating
3: a 50 gallon tank isn't even big enough for an adult RES and a bigger enclosure is better. Sharing a small space is not good
4: Being alone for so long the bigger one might se the smaller as a threat
- So all in all I do think its safe to house them separately. Especially if you dont know the gender of them. If you have two males they will definately fight to the death, in which case the larger would win
