Turtle Harassment

[ETTB1314]

For almost a week now I have noticed Sky harassing Ocean a lot. They are both still 1 & 1/2 inches. Sky likes to swim to the shell of Ocean and tries to bite her head/neck, only to release air bubbles from the mouth. The water is around 80 degress.

I think he is just playing, because when he does get the chance to bite, he doesn't. He would follow Ocean around at the surface and Ocean clings onto the basking platform, he would cling onto her shell. It just seems like he wants to get Ocean's attention. Ocean seems irritated and always tries to swim away or she would deliberately push or kick him away, sometimes in his face. Sometimes she just ignores him and stays where she is.

I know its too young to tell the gender, but are any certain male/female characteristics showing through?

 

[G-stars]

Turtles and tortoises don't play with each other. In the wild they are competition for food and only meet to breed with each other for the most part. Sounds like aggression to me and it would be best to separate the two before it gets worse.

 

[Yvonne G]

Separate them before one is seriously hurt.

 

[ETTB1314]

Alright thanks.

Also I noticed Ocean has difficulty shedding the skin at the neck? The part that's closest to the shell. There is a layer of skin, which is white and it is thicker over there. I don't Is think it was because she was bitten by Sky though. Could it be fungus? Because she loves to bask and get dry a lot. Thanks!

 

[Tom]

They should never be housed in pairs. I have literally seen them eat legs and tails off of each other. This will only get worse as they get closer to maturity.

Your neck issue is almost certainly the result of bites and harassment.

Your turtles will both be much "happier" living alone.

 

[kathyth]

I have had a turtle bit another on the top of the neck. it takes forever to heal, as the shell rubs on it, with neck movement.
agree with seperation, forever.

 

[ETTB1314]

Does that mean I can't put them back together even after they are over 4 inches?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

The stress alone is enough to make a turtle or a tortoise very ill. I think you'll find that they wont get along at any size or at any age. Sorry.

 

[ETTB1314]

Okay it was my mistake to think that getting one will make him lonely so I got 2 for company. I guess they're better off living individually. Thanks for the info everyone!