Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello Everyone,
Late June I adopted two new turtles to join my already established
at my house. I adopted a hatchling red eared slider and spiny softshell.
Right now they are both in a 20 gal, but the slider is about to move to my 40 gal. because he
is getting big real fast and my painteds and cooter will move to my 200 gal. My question is how fast does this
breed of turtle grow? Also the little guy used to eat in front of me, but now he doesnt seem interested during the day,
but he eats at night? I have heard that softshells are shy around humans but why would he change his habits. Also am i correct in saying
that when this turtle gets older he should be kept alone or with one other turtle of the same species but
opposite sex? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

NT

I Have a softshell turtle thinking about it now I THINK he grows about 1 inch. a year. It should have to do with what kind you have.

So their kind of slow growing turtles then, given that they have
a proper UV light and diet. My sliders and cooters have went from
one inch to 3-4 inches in a month.

if your slider grew 3 inches in a month they are in trouble. you are over feeding them (probably) and there is risk of shell deformities and long term renal and liver damage.
3 inches in a year is about average (though as much as 5 inches is not ridiculous) but three in a month is way too fast.
Granted, some individuals do grow faster than others but I'd slow the feeding down if i were you.

As far as goes the softshell thing:

I would get him alone as soon as possible. Other turtles tend to scratch them by accident.
They are secretive and so a large shaded area and hide log, cave or box is a must.
As he ages he will likley appreciate a few inches of fine sand to burrow in.
Some adult softies never really grow comfortable around people even if they were captive born. do you know what species you have?

Spiny's grow fast in my opinion (4"/yr in my experience). I got mine as a hatchling when I was living in an apartment, figuring by the time he got big I would have graduated college and gotten a house with plenty of room. Nope. Had to give him away. I still miss him...but i see him on my desktop everyday.

He is a spiny softshell turtle, and i was exaggerating on the 3 inches, but he is growing faster compared to what my western painted and my softshell, he probably hatched in May sometime, and is about 2 inches in length. They will be separated soon, I just had them together since they were both hatchlings and close in size. I will be moving my softshell to a 55 when he gets a little bigger, and then i have a 250 gallon lined up for when he is full grown.
thanks for the help

How much they grow does depend of how much they are fed. An overfed animal can put on lots of growth. They can grow as slow as an inch a year though as well.

Regarding housing with another softie. Well first off if you really want to risk it be sure that the animal is the opposite sex of the one you have. Still it is a crapshoot. Provide a large space and lots of hiding spots. Females tend to be alot larger than the males and if there are disputes she could do damage.