Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Is this normal? THere was a RES in the back of the pet shop I used to work at, we got him from someone who moved to Puerto Rico. Anyway, we measured him, and he was 15.5 inches! He weighed a ton, well, it was a female, and she supposidly ate over 200 goldfish a week! I guess do to all that protein she got huge, instead of healthy vegetation? UNfortuanatly she was sold, so I counldn't take a picture!

How did you measure the turtle? The straight carapace length should be measured from front to back of the shell without the curve of the shell and without the head or tail. 15.5 inches would be a very large RES and it is certainly being overfed, probably won't get to live a long happy life.

I measured with a yearstick rom the front to end of its carapace. I imagine the total fish diet caused it's size?

yardstick*, not yearstick lol

It's certainly large...but I believe it. I live in TX and I've seen many 1-footers around. I guess they grow them big down in here..hahha.

I agree. I have seen them that large as well. She was probably a pretty old girl and all that protein probably helped her grow to such a size.

I just never knew they could grow so large, but imagine the cost of 200 goldfish a week?