Reptile & Amphibian Forums

There is this pond a few miles from my house, and it is all muddy, and the water quality is pretty poor. Very few plants are growing in it, but I have seen many turtles. Red-ear sliders, all sizes, and painted turtles, all sizes. There are also a lot of snappers in there too. Now here I am always checking the water quality, changing the water all the time, heaters, filters etc. Why is it that these turtles thrive so well in this dirty "swampy" water, and who knows what they eat there to make up a healthy diet. Just curious about this. Also does anyone know if I can put my Northern Diamond back in the same tank as the slider? She was always raised in fresh water. Thanks for any replies.

I wouldn't keep them together. We have a red-eared slider and a diamond back terrapin. The diamond back is very quiet and relaxed and not an aggressive eater. The slider, on the other hand is quite fast and aggressive. This is just an example of 2 turtles that I am keeping, however, I have known other sliders to be on the aggressive side when mixed with other turtles. You may also want to consider the fact that turtles of different species can spread disease to each other. Your terrapin could be carrying something (to which it is immune) and pass it on to your slider. Keep us updated on what you decide.
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1.0.0 Jack Russel Terrier: Skipper
0.1.0 Miniature Pinscher: Bambi
1.1.1 Eastern Box Turtles: Daisy, Dozer, and Magnum
0.1.0 Red Eared Slider: Rosie
0.2.0 Rats: Clementine and Elsie
0.0.2 Rainbow Cichlids

Everyone gave me the same advise. I am going to seperate them and see if my little slider will be better off. He hasn't eaten very well since I got the Diamond back. I will keep everyone posted. Isn't it awful that some man is selling these babies in a bucket in Manhattan? We went back there to see if we could find him but he was gone. I couldn't believe it. They will probably all die. Every time I think of it I feel like crying. Thanks again.

That is an interesting question that I have pondered many times. I would have to guess that the turtles living in the area you describe don't enjoy the same good health as a well cared for turtle, and probably has a greatly reduced live expectancy as well.
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0.1.0 ornate box turtle
1.0.0 eastern box turtle
1.0.0 Yellow belly slider
0.1.0 Red belly cooter
0.1.0 Australian shepard
1.11.0 chickens
3.2.0 children (do I still count the married ones?)
1.0.0 husband

Thats basicly how it gose in the wild. I have bin to many of these ponds that seem hard for the animals to live that have many turtles. The best way to put it is that there is lost of bacteria in the water but its under regulation with other bacteria the turtles that become more amune to this are the ones that live. The turtles that are in the ponds will feed on every thing they can, they will hunt down anything, frogs, fish, snakes, bugs, other turtles, birds, and any plants they can. The only real preditors for these turtles are other turtles the murkey water makes it hard for preditors to see the turtles. Turtles are very hardy and adaptable, in captivity we want to keep clean water to keep healthy turtles because there is few bactria in our water and in the wild its all kept in check with other bacteria eatting it keeping a balance. in captivity people have to keep the balance with water changes.
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