Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everyone -

My two sliders are over a year old. They started out the same size but one is about 3 1/2 inches in length (the shell) and the other is about 1 3/4 inches and doesn't seem to be growing. This seems to be small for a year old from what I have been reading. I'm wondering if after a year they can still grow or if this is as big as they are going to get, especially the small one as he sometimes gets bullied around.

They both eat every other day, usually Repto-min vegetable sticks and they snack on dried shrimp. They occasionally get live crickets or guppies. We feed them separately so the little one has a chance to eat. Don't know if this matters, but they both bask a lot and seem healthy otherwise.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

well as far as i know.... they should 'only' grow about an inch per year. some may grow slower, and of course some faster. but overfeeding is VERY harmful to the turtles, and it's also very easily done. you should only feed the turtles enough protein that would fit in their head everyday (if very young) and about every other day for mature turtles. All other times there should be greens readily available for them to chomp on! also a good source of calcium (such as cuttle bone) can also benefit the turtles shell along with help them possibly grow. You can tell if you are overfeeding your turtles because (if done for a long enough period of time) you will see pyramiding of the shell and also the turtles will be shedding A LOT. it's ok for the turtle to shed "sometimes".... but not everyday nor month. i hope this helps calm your worries!
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~ Evie

Pets:
RIP 0.1.0 German Shepherd {Dusty}
0.1.0 German Shepherd/Collie mix {Shadoe}
0.0.2 RES turtles {Booger & Snot}
1.0.0 African Clawed Frog {Bingo}
0.0.2 Snail {Gary & Larry}

Thanks for your quick response.

My biggest question, which wasn't articulated well in my last message, is whether my smaller RES has hit some sort of groeth plateau and is just not going to get any bigger. My 2 sliders are over a year old and have not grown much or at all in the last 6 months. I would be happy if my smaller one grew a little bit larger but my larger one stayed the same size. I am very curious in understanding at what age sliders stop growing and how or if you can control their growth.

Many thanks,

brad

At their sizes, you can start feeding them enough reptomin pellets that would fit inside their head every other day. Greens are very important from this point on so that they don't grow abnormally fast.

As for size, I think they're both fine for a little over a year old. Turtles aren't supposed to be fast growers. A slow and steady growth is better for their health. I rather think that your 3 inch turtle is a bit on the large side, but not by too much. My turtles are both about 2 years old and they're 2.5-3 inches long. Separate feedings are recommended, esp. if one is more dominant, so what you've been doing is good. Male red ear sliders can grow to an average of 9 inches, and female ones 12 inches.

Hope this helps!

Make sure the smaller one is getting a chance to eat but do
not over feed them.

You should not be able to see huge growth spurts as turtles
are suppose to grow slowly. They have a very long life span
so this is normal.

My 2 RES are 5 years old and 5 1/2 inches. That is about
1 inch per year.

Linda

Sounds good. Thoughts? Well you have to understand that turtles are sort of like humans and we all dont grow at the same rate, as long as it is getting the right amount to eat it will be fine, turtles grwo in spurts are certain times. I have had my two RES for 13 years and I noticed the same thing, the bigger one at 6 years is now the smallest one with the smaller one now almost 8 inches in length.