Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi. This is going to be long, but I would really appreciate if you could please read and help me out. I need to start from the beginning. A year and a half ago my husband found a baby water turtle (a redbelly we named Sunny) in the lake we fish at. He knew my dream was to have a tank with water turtles, so knowing nothing about turtles, he took him for me. The following day, a friend at his work, gave him a red eared slider (Dopey) to take because eh wanted his turtle to have a friend. It was then that I learned you shouldn't take turtles from the wild, but if you introducde them to another turtle you should just care for them the best you can. I bought all the poper lighting and everything else to care for my turtles. Now, 1 1/2 years later, Sunny has died. Yesterday morning, I went to turn their light on (The UV one) and remembered we just put a timer on it so I walked away. After work, I met my husband somewhere and we didn't get home until 10 pm. He then turned on the heat lamp as we don't like it on when we aren't home because our cats like to try and knock it over. A half hour later, I actually looked in the tank and thought I saw my two turtles fighting, but that was not it. First, let me say that Dopey is about 4-5 inches long and sunny was still only about 2 as he had not grown much over the past year as Dope had. What I saw in the tank last night really upset me. Dope was eating Sunny. Sunny's back legs and tail were gone. The shell was missing in the back and his insides were gone as well. His front legs were tucked in to his shell and his head was peaking out. I have been a wreck ever since. Now I have loads of questions that will never be answered but I was hoping some of you could maybe help me with your opinions. Sunny seemed as if he may have been getting sick. I started feedign him dandelion leaves from teh supermarke and he loved them. I took him in another tank to feed him and the past tw times I put in different types of pellets, dried shrimp and things like that. I noticed the past two times he didn't really eat much. And the last time, I took him out of his take while he was sleeping and it took him a long time to wake up in my hands so I fear (even though at the time I thought it was cute) he may have been sick. He was also sleeping a lot more lately on his cool side of the tank, not under the heat lamp. So....

Do you think it is possible that Dopey killed Sunny or is it more likely that Sunny died and then Dopey decided to have a snack? Is this normal for one turtle to eat the other?
His shell seemed to still be hard, but how soft does soft shell get as Dopey seemed to eat some of his shell and I don't understand how he could have broken through it. Maybe that is why he seemed much more tired lately, but I felt his shell was still hard (of course I didn't squeeze him hard).
Is it possible Dopey will now get sick after eating him if he did have some sort of desease?
Does Dopey miss him and need a new friend?
I don't know how long he was dead, but we buried him last night and put a dandelion leaf on top of his grave. I miss him so much and feel like it is all my fault. I keep saying what if, what if......

Thanks for all your help. I am sure I will think of more I need to ask as the day goes on.

I am so sorry for your loss. It's funny how much you can love these little guys/girls. People without turtles just don't understand how you can love a "cold blooded creature." Anyway, there are certainly some better experts here, but it sounds to me that Sunny was already having some problems. If it's any consolation, he most likely was gone before your RES started nibbling on him. I don't think the recent change in lighting was the culprit--that's awfully fast for that kind of declne.

Thanks you. Is it normal for one turtle to eat another? Is there a chance that my other turtle will now get sick from this?

Sorry you lost your turtle. Your turtle was probably sick a long time before the other one decided to eat him. Many times in the best of indoor tank situations, turtles get sick. I'm a strong supporter of housing turtles outside. They are MUCH less likely to become ill housed properly outside. Even the best UVB lights are no equal substitute for natural unfiltered direct sunlight. If your ill turtle did have a respiratory infection or other infection, your other turtle has well been exposed. I strongly suggest you take him to a knowledgable vet for an exam or he may "suddenly" die one day. Turtles are resilient creatures and can be sick long before a novice owner realizes it. Many people on these forums think it's OK to house turtles permanently indoors but I don't agree with that and I'm not afraid to say it. I suggest in the Spring think about making a habitat outside for your turtle. They don't have to be fancy or expensive. Turtles are much lower maintainance if kept outside. Turtles don't really need "friends." Mature males will fight. Mature females will fight. Any aggression can't be tolerated. Females with no where to hide are stressed by males constantly pursuing them. That has to be considered too. Don't put any new turtles in with your turtle until he's been checked out and has shown no sign of illness for 3 months. New turtles must be quarantined for 3 months also. Here's a link to good care info.
GCTTS website and care info.

Thank you. We are moving out of our townhome in less than a year and I plan on making an outdoor pond for my turtle.

Good for you! Make sure you find out if your turtle can be allowed to hibernate in your area and how deep a pond you'd need to allow that. Make sure he has at least part of the summer to acclimate before allowing hibernation too. Good luck.

Thanks. I will post here fior some suggestion ideas when the time comes.

You will probably get several messges demanding that you conform exactly to a rigid care schedule without variance. Turtles are fairly adaptable, once they are past the juvenile stage, and can accomodate to less than ideal conditions, if necessary. Please consider a variety of suggestions, not just the most rigid, demanding and uncompromising ones.

I completely agree. I will get suggestions, opions, read care sheets and do what I feel is best after that.

"less than ideal conditions"??

Why in the world would it be considered OK to keep an animal in conditions that are not what is best for it? Permanent care should provide what is needed or a person shouldn't keep that animal. The quality of an animal's life shouldn't be dictated by convenience to or personal desire of the owner.

What you are saying is correct but extreme in that it blanketly eliminates one fact. You CAN keep an animal in an indoor enclosure with all proper lighting filtration and diet and it can live a very good life. If you take all the necessary steps to ensure this you are hardly do anything that would be considered convenient or an easy way out. Outside is best (I keep my cold hardy species -- sliders included-- out year round and take in the few that are not quite so hardy or are not looking in optimal shape for the winter) but it is not the only way to do right by your animal.

It will always be a trade off. Indoors you have to simulate conditions to make for the animal's happiness BUT you also eliminate any chance of predation.

Just a thought.

I keep many turtles in community tanks - sometimes they co-exist, sometimes the bite feet and necks a bit -----but---- when they die of natural causes, they are food and I sometimes find them completely eaten by their tankmates. Please don't blame Dopey. It was only following its natural insticts (although it may have been hrassing Sunny a bit beforehand, as RES are very agressive turtles). One of the premiere turtle keepers in America, refuses to keep any Trachemys because of their agression. Ask pjay.

At first, I did blame Dopey, but I have heard from many people that this is natural, so i don't blame him anymore. I just wonder if he would rather be alone or if I should get him a new tank mate.