Thanks for your note, my pleasure.

Well, you’ve done something right…they are ultimate survivors, though – established in places as diverse as South Africa and Japan (I saw them in temple ponds in Kyoto – males chasing females, of course!). No danger with upgrades except radical changes in diet can cause problems. There are ways to maintain them in easy-to-clean plastic tubs..if you’d like to try that in order to temporarily house male, pleas let me know.

Good luck and please keep me posted.

It’s hard to believe that they have been with me so long. They haven’t had an easy life. I am a little worried that all the habitat upgrades might be rocking the boat too much. Is there any danger in changing to a bigger tank when they have been the same size , in the same small tank, for 15 years?

Thanks again,

Jeff

Thanks for your interest in our blog. Well, you’ve hit on an interesting but difficult dilemma. That’s a good record for sliders, by the way – near to the published longevity.
Better lighting, diet, more water etc. can indeed spark mating behavior – unfortunately, in male sliders this can extend nearly year-round, unlike many turtles (which is one reason they are so well-established worldwide). But with any turtle species, it’s nearly impossible to house males with females once hormones kick in. A ½ acre exhibit I worked with proved too small for a pair of Af. Spurred tortoises,; female sliders in a 50 x 10 foot pond I maintained got by only because it was heavily planted and they were able to hide.

Unfortunately, manipulating conditions so as to “turn off” the male’s ardor would not likely be successful – too fine a line between good/poor care, and also, once started, male sliders seem to breed even under bad conditions. I’m going through that right now with turtles of different species – the mere presence of any female seems enough to stimulate the male. I think you’ll need to separate them – you can try re-introductions as cool weather arrives, especially if you keep the tank at room temperature, but this does not always work.

Good luck and please keep me posted.

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.

I have a pair of red-eared sliders (5 inch male and 8 inch female) that have somehow lived for almost 25 years in fairly poor conditions. I have recently spent a lot of time and money upgrading their habitat and it seems to have changed their behaviour.

The male now tries to court the female relentlessly. He would try it every so often in the old setup, sometimes with success, but now he’s after her all the time. Unlike before, she has not been accepting and it usually ends in a fight. I have seen both of them throw the first punch.

In an earlier post, you allude that changes is conditions might induce breeding attempts. Is there any way to short-circuit this? Is there any hope that these turtles that have lived together for 20 years will peacefully coexist again?

Looks like they are doing fine in their adopted home!

Enjoy, Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.

Glad you found a site, enjoy and hope you see lots of interesting herps,

Good luck and please keep me posted.

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.

That was fast! Enjoy,

Good luck and please keep me posted.

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.