female turtle attacking male turtle

Question
hello, we have had 2 red eared slider turtles for approx 2 months 1 male and 1 female, they are approx 5 years old and have always been together without any problems. for the last month the female has been attacking/biting the males back feet, we seperated them right away and have been dry docking him daily for about 2-3hours with betadine on his wounds. his wounds are healing really well and are looking great. our problem now is that whenever we try to reintroduce them she goes straight in and bites his feet again, she almost hunts him around the tank.
will they ever be able to be together again or are they destined to forever be seperated??
thank you for your time

Answer
Hi Jennifer,

If she caused significant injuries and continues to be aggressive towards him, I would be very cautious about keeping them in the same tank.  However, sometimes crowded conditions can cause territoriality, so consider the tank conditions first.  If you have a mature male and female slider, your tank should be very large--at least 150 gallons, and 175-200 gallons would be better.  A larger tank allows for bigger/multiple basking areas, which can reduce problems, and it also allows for more swimming room, hide areas, etc.  If your tank is small, upgrading to a larger tank may solve the aggression problem.  Another alternative is to build an outdoor pond if that's feasible.  If your tank is already roomy, try rearranging things completely--move the basking area(s), the tank accessories, and so forth and then try reintroducing them.  Sometimes making it seem "new" can eliminate territorial issues.  If none of this works, then I would separate them, because constant harassment can cause serious stress as well as physical injuries, and stress can lead to illness.  Good luck!