Indian roofed turtle

[Mr turtle1]

Hi,new here. I had a pair of turtle which I got yesterday. Bigger one is eating food but smaller one is not. Some time bigger one tries to bite smaller one. They both r spending most time outside the tank

Bigger one

Smaller one also, is it normal that smaller one is going underwater and opening it's mouth? Here is a vedio. They both r active and following each other

If it not eat it's good till night, I think I have to return it

 

[mark1]

they may be wild caught , you need to make them feel safer than a bare tank , and try lots of different natural foods ....... plenty of wild caught turtles don't make the transition to captivity ..........

 

[Mr turtle1]

they may be wild caught , you need to make them feel safer than a bare tank , and try lots of different natural foods ....... plenty of wild caught turtles don't make the transition to captivity ..........

One is eating great but that smaller one.. how can I make smaller one feel safe? It is exploring whole home.

 

[zovick]

One is eating great but that smaller one.. how can I make smaller one feel safe? It is exploring whole home.

What you have described is called aggressive or "bullying" behavior. The two turtles do NOT want to be near each other. The "following" and the biting are attempts by the larger one to drive the smaller turtle away. The "exploring" by the smaller one is an attempt to escape from the larger one's aggression.

You need to separate the two and keep the apart all the time so the smaller one will not be threatened and stressed by the larger one. Otherwise it will most likely never eat and will eventually die from the stress of the larger one trying to drive it out of its territory by chasing and biting it.

 

[Mr turtle1]

What you have described is called aggressive or "bullying" behavior. The two turtles do NOT want to be near each other. The "following" and the biting are attempts by the larger one to drive the smaller turtle away. The "exploring" by the smaller one is an attempt to escape from the larger one's aggression.

You need to separate the two and keep the apart all the time so the smaller one will not be threatened and stressed by the larger one. Otherwise it will most likely never eat and will eventually die from the stress of the larger one trying to drive it out of its territory by chasing and biting it.

I hv seperated smaller one but still not eating. I hv offered prawn,grapes and small piece of apple and cucumber. I probably visit that pet shop

 

[Mr turtle1]

I think it is also running from me and my family so we left it open and big one is under the water. Smaller one is also not coming to us whereas big one comes up for food

 

[zovick]

I hv seperated smaller one but still not eating. I hv offered prawn,grapes and small piece of apple and cucumber. I probably visit that pet shop

The smaller one should not even be able to see the larger one at all. Is that the case now?

Also even after separating the two, it may take a few days before the smaller one feels "safe" enough to want to eat.

If you don't want to take any chances, just return the smaller one and keep the larger one which is acting more responsive.

 

[Mr turtle1]

Thx everyone, mission successful! I just let Smaller one explore home for about 3 hrs and then it ate 3 pellets(probably pet shop owner has feeded it). Don't know they both just find a way to find each other. Still both wants to be together. Now smaller one is putting it's hand on bigger one's shell🤣. I probably had got a male and a female(one has thick and one has large tail)

 

[Mr turtle1]

Smaller one ate in a small bucket and found some great places to hide

 

[Mr turtle1]

Here is a small vedio

 

[Mr turtle1]

How long should they both be in water? I'll be soon getting uvb lights too. Today,I took both for sunlight. If they had uvb, they will still need sunlight? Now I saw bigger one biting smaller one's feet so again saperated them. It misbehaves under water with smaller one

 

[Ray--Opo]

If you have the correct UVB. The sunlight isn't necessary. Plus if the sunlight is coming through a window and then through the glass aquarium. The UVB is pretty much filtered out. So you are not getting much UVB from the sunlight. I would keep them separated and not next to each other. They will be able to see each other through the glass. You need hiding places and a platform so they can get out of the water when they want. Maybe later with a large aquarium, you might be able to keep together. What you have them in together is to small and no landscaping in the container. You need to achieve a atmosphere compared to what they would have in the wild.

 

[wellington]

Thx everyone, mission successful! I just let Smaller one explore home for about 3 hrs and then it ate 3 pellets(probably pet shop owner has feeded it). Don't know they both just find a way to find each other. Still both wants to be together. Now smaller one is putting it's hand on bigger one's shell🤣. I probably had got a male and a female(one has thick and one has large tail)

Thought you said you separated them? We can't help you if you aren't going to listen and take the advice given and then don't tell us what you really did.
Separate them into their own enclosure. The enclosure you have them in is too small for one let alone two, even though they are small. There is not enough room for plants, basking rocks or platform, etc. They both need their own bigger tank and not be next to each other.

 

[Mr turtle1]

Thought you said you separated them? We can't help you if you aren't going to listen and take the advice given and then don't tell us what you really did.
Separate them into their own enclosure. The enclosure you have them in is too small for one let alone two, even though they are small. There is not enough room for plants, basking rocks or platform, etc. They both need their own bigger tank and not be next to each other.

I separated them. Just I leave them outside on afternoon on a plant pot for some sunlight. I will be going to arrange big tank soon. I just read on net that sometime they don't feel safe so I just pet it on it's neck and it seems to love it them tried and it ate. I also let it come over my bed.

 

[Mr turtle1]

If you have the correct UVB. The sunlight isn't necessary. Plus if the sunlight is coming through a window and then through the glass aquarium. The UVB is pretty much filtered out. So you are not getting much UVB from the sunlight. I would keep them separated and not next to each other. They will be able to see each other through the glass. You need hiding places and a platform so they can get out of the water when they want. Maybe later with a large aquarium, you might be able to keep together. What you have them in together is to small and no landscaping in the container. You need to achieve a atmosphere compared to what they would have in the wild.

Thank u so much

 

[wellington]

I separated them. Just I leave them outside on afternoon on a plant pot for some sunlight. I will be going to arrange big tank soon. I just read on net that sometime they don't feel safe so I just pet it on it's neck and it seems to love it them tried and it ate. I also let it come over my bed.

Petting it is not making it feel safe, it's not a dog! It needs to be safe inside it's home, with plants and caves and without a bullying biting at it.

 

[Ray--Opo]

Thank u so much

Your welcome, try to stay away from pet store advice. Most people working there have no clue how to care for what they sell. Also I forget to mention that screens filter out UVB from the sun also. If you put them outside, stay with them. Birds,cats,,dogs and other critters might get them.Sunlight 2 or 3 times a week for a hr would be beneficial for your turtles. Have you given them names yet?
Good luck, you are on the right forum. 😁

 

[Mr turtle1]

Your welcome, try to stay away from pet store advice. Most people working there have no clue how to care for what they sell. Also I forget to mention that screens filter out UVB from the sun also. If you put them outside, stay with them. Birds,cats,,dogs and other critters might get them.Sunlight 2 or 3 times a week for a hr would be beneficial for your turtles. Have you given them names yet?
Good luck, you are on the right forum. 😁

Thx. I never trust Pet store. These people always give wrong advise specially in india. That lfs told me that he used to have them in a small bath tub(he has 12-14). He also said me only to leave them on land for 1 hr but these r looking like curious little animals so I let them explore for few days. He also told me to feed them only 3 pellets a day

Also, when I used to have little turtles before, that shop didn't told me about sunlight and they developed white fungus so I have to return them back after 15 days. Now this time I have read all articles. Though, those were really small one.

 

[Mr turtle1]

Petting it is not making it feel safe, it's not a dog! It needs to be safe inside it's home, with plants and caves and without a bullying biting at it.

Sorry missed this one. I'll do what u guys told me . Thank u so much for great advice. I hv dry reef rocks so I may place them there when I get big tank.

How many hrs should they spend outside water. Today they spent 4-6 hrs outside the water

 

[Tom]

They each need a separate large enclosure that is mostly water, but with a land section. There should be a basking and UV lamp over the land section. They will choose to go in and out of the water as needed. They should never be loose in the house roaming the floor. You should not be taking them out of the water for any amount of time per day. They should choose when to come on to dry land, and when to stay in the water. They will do this on their own to stay the correct temperature, get hydrated, and feel comfortable.