Red Eared Slider turtoise

Question
QUESTION: I have recently bought a baby turtoise and placed it with the other three (a big one and two a year younger).  They have well integrated it with them. But recently I have noticed that its tail has been cut off.  Still it is eating and swimming energetically.  What shall I do, and would its tail grow again?

ANSWER: The tail will heal, and grow back a little. The bigger problem is your big ones are bullying it- a common situation.

Red-ear Sliders really do not like company- unless they have a lot of room. If you already have three bigger ones, you really should be keeping them in about 200 gallons of water to give them all enough room as they grow up.

Try http://www.redearslider.com for more ideas and cares.

Good luck!

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thanks for your information..

some say it will grow up while others say it does not..  I have seperated the youngest from the other but all seem to want it back and even it!!

should i go to the vet - maybe is there vitamins i may give it

Answer
The tail will not grow back as long and attractive as it was. A small, stumpy thing will grow in its place- turtles do not regenerate limbs.

Vitamins will not help the growth process, and unless the wound seems infected, there is not much need for a vet at this stage.

You say they want back together- turtles do not like change, but become accustomed to it. You changed something, it will take them about a week to get used to it.

Wild Red-ear Sliders rarely hang out together unless they are sharing a basking site or mating- they spend the rest of their lives alone.

When we put them in a small tank, the bigger bullies the smaller ones because that is how it gets the most food and best spaces in the tank. This bullying is very, very stressful and the small turtles do not like it- they grow bigger and healthier without bullies.

In other words, they don't care if they are together or not as long as they get food, etc. What LOOKS like missing each other is just you seeing things with a human mammal eyes rather than a reptile's eyes.