How do I prevent turtle dominance during feeding time?

Question

I have two male red-ear sliders. They're about 9 months old and are very healthy. However, even though they are the same age, one is almost twice the size of the other and shows dominance during feeding time- he doesn't let the smaller one eat so the little one scavenges the bottom of the tank. I've started taking the larger one out of the tank when I feed the small one to give him a chance to eat (which he does vigerously). Am I doing the right thing by seperating them or is there something else I should be doing to prevent this behavior?

Answer 1

Not much you can do about that besides feed them in seperate locations. Though turtles are among the smartest reptiles and can be conditioned to a degree, they will not learn to change this behavior like you can with a canine. They are reptiles, and the biggest always gets over on the little ones if they want to. It's the pure reptile instinct and suvival of the biggest.

With my box turtles it is easier to deal with because I can set them up with their own bowls of food in different locations and disract them from each others food.

Answer 2

There are two main reasons for this behavior:

1. Too small of a tank. If the habitat is too small, one will definitely bully the other and steal its food. Bigger tanks allow more natural behavior, easier care, and allow you to have two different feeding sites!

2. Bully. Some turtles are just bullies, and this is known to happen in Red-ears. About the only thing to do with a bully is to separate them.

Answer 3

When I fist read the question separting them was going to be my suggestion. This is just fine. This is the right thing to do. I had to do that temporarily with my turtles for about 2 monts but now they eat together and are fine again. Keep it up! There's nothing to really prevent the behavior, some turtles are just more dominant by nature than others.

Answer 4

Feed your dogs in separate rooms at particularly distinctive situations or have yet another kinfolk member feed the different dogs. Your Lab could be hectic that different are a danger to his nutrition. supply your Lab some toys (no longer with nutrition interior) to alleviate some rigidity...shop your dogs aside for an afternoon/week and deal alongside with your Lab kindly--supply your Chihuahua sufficient nutrition too.

Answer 5

Separate them during meal time. I faced similiar situation as u b4 and i blame myself for not detecting the prob soon enough. Now my RES are sizes apart, leaving always the small RES forever smaller in size than her. But apart from meal time, let them linger around and play, bask 2gether.

Answer 6

take the domiant turtle out of the tank when u feed the other turtle

Answer 7

Continue doing what your doing or get them their own tanks.

Answer 8

seperate with a plastic thing