Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey, I'm new here and I have a quick question! I have a RES, a mississippi map, and a river cooter (all males, all best friends)and I'm getting a Southern painted and maybe another turtle. First of all, what would be a generally small turtle that looks a lot different than my other turtles??? I just want one mainly that looks differently. And, could they all fit in a 90 gallon tank?? Thanks!!

J.L.

No all those turtles will not fit into a 90 Gal tank. Ask on the RES forum and find out more detail. I think you need like 10 gals per 1 inch of turtle but I am not sure.
If you try to put all of them in the same tank they will fight for food and for tank space.

Are you sure???? Because all of my guys are almost full grown and none of them are that big. Plus, they are all best friends. They play, eat, and sleep together. What size do you recommend, though?

J.L.

I suggest keeping the red ear slider in the 90 gal since it's big enough for just him. And then getting another tank maybe a 120 for the map and the cooter (I don't know how big they will get, but I am sure not as big as the RES). And then if you want another turtle in the 120 there might be room for one more, like a painted. But it's hard to get adult turtles used to new tank mates so if you don't want to get anymore turtles then maybe another 90 gal tank would be good for the cooter and the map.
I had two painteds in a 90 gal tank and they seemed to fight all the time. One of my turtles ended up missing part of it's tail before I got the hint and gave him to a better home. Now I just have one Painted in there. They grew up together in the same tank ever since they were hatchlings too. They just needed their space.

For some reson, my RES is really not that big and he is the shyest of all my turtles. He is almost fullgrown. I think he's just going to be a generally small RES. I have 2 other RES sliders outside and they are much bigger.

J.L.

He might be small because of the tank size. Even though it's a good size for a RES, there are other turtles in there so it seems smaller.
My Painted was captured by my best friend's boyfriend when it was a hatchling. My friend had no idea how to care for a turtle so she put it in a 10 gal tank with just a few inches of water and his "basking" (no light) area was just gravel pushed up into a hill. Poor little guy didn't grow an inch for a full year. Then she moved and left him with me. I did my research and gave him a bigger and better tank. When he was moved to a 20 long and given the proper light and basking area he grew as if overnight. He is now in a 90 gal all by himself and he is probably full grown. Although I cleaned his tank today and found tons of pieces of his shell (meaning he's still growing!). Anyway maybe your RES is not growing because he needs more space to grow.

Yes, I understand what you are saying, but turtles arw not like goldfish. They get however big that their full size is. I had two RES in a 20 and they got too big for it so I had to move them. Not all turtles get the same size. In fact, today with some friends we caught a 10 year old Eastern painted in a big lake that was way smaller than the average size they get. So not all turtles are the same. They are just like people.

J.L.

Sorry, wrote the last one on a hurry. Here's what I'm trying to say... Turtles don't grow to the size of their aquarium. If they are a small turtle, they grow to their small size. If they are a big turtle, then they grow to their big size, doesn't matter what cage they're in. I had two RES that I kept as babies in a 20 gallon tank. They grew and grew until that tank could no longer hold them. I know at least one's a male. My other RES that we were talking about is small. When the other was one year old, he was big. But when this little guy(Joe) was one, he was small. Both males, two different sizes at the very same age. About that Eastern painted, we set out a safe turtle trap in a good sized lake. We caught her and she was a small girl, but she wasn't young. She was over 10. And she lived in a big lake. So, turtles don't grow to the size where they live. They are like people, all different. Sorry to sound rude, but just voicing my thoughts!!

J.L.

You have a right to voice your opinion, but that's not always true. Years back RES's were popular but only if they were small. So they made that horrable container with the palm tree and made the RES live in that! These turtles never grew because their cage was too small. Turtles stay small if they don't have room to grow. I know this is true because I have researched it. Their shell stays small but their insides try to grow and they can't so they get cramped and some die because of it.
I researched it because everyone I talked to about my turtle were surprised that he was still hatchling size yet he was a year old. This was odd. So I studied it and found that he was in too small of a tank. I got him a 20 long and he grew as if overnight! My friend who had him before me was shocked at how big he had gotten in just a few weeks.
If you put that RES in a bigger tank by herself she will grow to her proper size.
I know some turtles grow to be different sizes and not all are going to be normal size but it's the normal size for a reason. Most RES's are 10 inches (that's the norm).
Please take into consideration what everyone has told you, and get them bigger tanks before you decide to add more turtles.
So many people are saying the same things, that should say something.

Ok, then, what size should I get???? My RES has lots of space now and hasn't grown alot. Sometimes I even leave him out in a kiddie pool, but he doesn't grow!!! I'm sorry to argue, but he's below average size. I think he'll be full grown, at the most, at 7-8 in.! Believe me, I know alot of people personally that are good with herps, and they all agree with me. I want my turtles to be happy. What size tank do you have your turtles in??? I don't want to give them too much water or they won't be able to keep their headsout of the water.

J.L.

Male 7" - 9"

That is straight from Austin's Turtle Page.
And if he's below average, then he'll be 5-7 in.!!!
Ok?

J.L.

Yes females are bigger than the males so if you have a male and you think he will only get to be 7" tops then a 70-90 gal tank would be great for just the RES. I don't know if they make 70 gal tanks. I have seen 55 gal and 90 gal. Anyway since you have a 90 gal tank that's great. Now you just have to move the other turtles into another tank. I don't know how big muds and whatever the other kind you have get so you would have to ask someone else how big of a tank to get them.
I have only 1 Painted turtle and he lives in a 90 gal tank (not filled all the way yet, but after he gets his new basking area it will be). He's in about 70 gals of water and he's only about 5 inches.
I know they need to keep their heads out of the water sometimes and that's why they need a basking area. They can sit up there and bask in the light all day if they want. My turtle is always basking when he's not eating or scavaging for food at the bottom of his tank (he's fat and thinks he needs more than I give him). He's spoiled too.
I don't want to argue either and I see you are making an effort and you love your turtles so I won't bug you anymore. Good luck with your turtles.

Thanks!!! I'm trying my best here tight on money. I lovr my turtles and just want them to be happy. Read my new post about my map turtle!

J.L.