wood turtle and slider acting strange

Question
QUESTION: I have a slider and a wood turtle living together in the same tank for about a year now.  The slider is about 4 inches and the wood turtle is a little over 5.  For a few months now they have been doing something strange.  They get face to face then the slider pulls his head in, sticks out his arms and vibrates them in the others face. Then the wood turtle stretches his head out and vibrates it in the sliders face... what are they doing?

ANSWER: If they were the same species, it would be a courtship dance. Between different species, it can be either a failed courtship dance, or a sign of aggression.

The more troubling thing is that most kinds of wood turtles should not be in the same habitat as sliders. Wood turtles should be in a mostly land-based tank with water available.

A good site for cares is http://www.austinsturtlepage.com



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

QUESTION: We have a tank that is half water and half later, is that ok?

Answer
A 5" Wood Turtle would want a land space of about 50" x 10" with a water space about the size and depth of a paint roller tray, while the 4" Slider would want about 40 gallons of water to play in with a couple logs or something to crawl out on.

These two really have very incompatible needs- again, assuming it is one of kinds of Wood Turtles that like land.

(The North American and most Central American Wood Turtles like habitats that allow them to have 'wet feet and dry backs'. Asian Wood Turtles run the gamut from almost totally dry to almost totally wet.)

Give http://www.austinsturtlepage.com a try for care ideas for both species.