Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have two small turtles. They are the same size. One is a EP and the other is a RES.I was wondering if it is ok to have them in the same tank if it is the right size? There shells are about two inches. Both turtles are eating well and are provided with a seperate basking spot and a repti glow 8.0 uv light.Also what size tank would the two adults need?Thanx
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0.1.0. Green Iguana (Ziggy)
0.1.0. Bearded Dragon (Dina)
1.0.0. Mali Uromastyx (unnamed)
1.0.0. Crested Gecko (Ilik)
1.0.0. Leopard Gecko (unnammed)
1.0.0. Veiled Chameleon (Bonzaii)
0.0.1. Eastern Painted Turtle (Piccasso)
0.0.1. Common Snapping Turtle (Spike)
0.0.11. Hermit Crabs (unnamed)
0.0.2. Goldfish
0.0.2. African Dwarf Frogs (unnamed)
0.0.8. Assorted Tropical Fish
0.2.0. Dogs(Brandie & Molly)
1.1.1. Birds

It depends on the turtle. If you find that neither turtle is agressive then they can stay living together. If one of them becomes agressive then I would seperate them so no one gets hurt or dies.
Here is what I suggest. Get the biggest tank you can get (rule of thumb is 10 gals of water per inch of turtle full grown). Your tank when they are both full grown should be about 150-175 gals. Now that's just a guess (a small guess at that) because no one knows how big they will actually be when they are full grown as all turtles grow at differnet rates and stop growing at different sizes.
So get a 150-175 gal tank and set it up so that there are two basking areas and lots of plants and hiding spaces. The turtles need to get away from eachother if they feel threatoned. So get a cave or something along with lots of fake and real plants. This set up should make it so that both turtles won't feel the need to fight.
Good luck and keep us updated.

For those of us who cannot afford that size tank or have space for it what would u suggest? Right now they are each two inches,not aggresive at all have seperate basking spots and are eating well. I ganna get a 40 br tank for them soon. I was considering and outdoor pond. What would u suggest i do in the winter time if i keep them outside? I saw a nice 264 gal pond for a good price at a aquarium store i go to. I wouldnt put them outside until they were at least 5-7 inches. Or can i do it at a smaller size. I live near woods although it doesnt happen often i see foxes and there are always largers hawks and crows around. She i biuld a screen up over the pond? PLease be patient with al my ?'s thanx lol
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0.1.0. Green Iguana (Ziggy)
0.1.0. Bearded Dragon (Dina)
1.0.0. Mali Uromastyx (unnamed)
1.0.0. Crested Gecko (Ilik)
1.0.0. Leopard Gecko (unnammed)
1.0.0. Veiled Chameleon (Bonzaii)
0.0.1. Eastern Painted Turtle (Piccasso)
0.0.1. Common Snapping Turtle (Spike)
0.0.11. Hermit Crabs (unnamed)
0.0.2. Goldfish
0.0.2. African Dwarf Frogs (unnamed)
0.0.8. Assorted Tropical Fish
0.2.0. Dogs(Brandie & Molly)
1.1.1. Birds

it depends where you live. RES are native to the south but have been kept outside in cold climates. i live in PA and know of people that have kept them outside. i use to but now i bring mine in because i lost one, one winter. my pond is 400 gallons and has a fence around it and screen on top and chicken wire burried 6" underneath the ground so they cant craw out. i also live in the woods and deer, skunks, racoons, i have em all. hope this helps. i have 1.2 eastern painted turtles and 1.2 RES. i also have small ponds witha few baby turtles in.

nathan

Yeah if you can't afford a big tank or you don't have the room for one you should get a pond. Actually a pond is better if you ask me. That's usually what people aspire for. Anyway I agree with the above post with everything except keeping them outside all year. Since they lost one I think they agree. It's hard to hibernate turtles and there can be many complications. Since the turtles have to burrow down below the frost line it's hard to get the pond exactly how it should be for them to hibernate. I would bring them in for the winter and maybe put them in separate tanks so you can have smaller tanks and not one huge tank that you don't have room for.

Oh and if you want to get a 40 gal tank I would just get a 40 gal tank not a 40 gal breeder. If I am correct a breeder tank doesn't let you get the water as high because when you breed the female has to be able to breath when she is mounted. Anyway if you have room for a 40 gal breeder, you have room for a reg 40 gal tank so I would go for that instead.

I have a painted and a snapper in the same tank, and so far it has worked just fine (4 years). So it really just depends on the turtles' temperment.

I made an out door pond two years ago, but brought the "kids" in every night because I was afraid of the racoons! Now it is enclosed and they stay out all summer.

I bring them in during the winter. They are in a kiddy wading pool with caves, flower pots, and fake plants. They do very well in it.
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0.1.0 snapping turtle
0.1.0 painted turtle
0.1.0 ornate box turtle
0.1.0 Australian shepard
3.2.0 children
1.0.0 husband

I had my snapper with my painted awhile ago but i found that they almost immpossiblle to properly keep together just because the snappers need such shallow water and the painteds need deep water.and they would accidently nip each other during feeding but no wounds occured. I guess its possible in a pond but u would need a huge tank to accomplish this for both species. My res and painted are doing great neither has any infections but i read when kept together that often the painted will get a shell disease or some sort of infection?
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0.1.0. Green Iguana (Ziggy)
0.1.0. Bearded Dragon (Dina)
1.0.0. Mali Uromastyx (unnamed)
1.0.0. Crested Gecko (Ilik)
1.0.0. Leopard Gecko (unnammed)
1.0.0. Veiled Chameleon (Bonzaii)
0.0.1. Eastern Painted Turtle (Piccasso)
0.0.1. Common Snapping Turtle (Spike)
0.0.11. Hermit Crabs (unnamed)
0.0.2. Goldfish
0.0.2. African Dwarf Frogs (unnamed)
0.0.8. Assorted Tropical Fish
0.2.0. Dogs(Brandie & Molly)
1.1.1. Birds