Can my red ear slider mate

Question

i have five red ear sliders. they always fight while i am feeding them they all has lost almost all their claws. i think they all are mature but will the male broken claws stop them from doing the mateing dance or even mate

Answer 1

Can you say "NOT good?"

What is wrong with this picture?

Do you think it's normal for your turtles to have no claws?!!  HOW are they supposed to eat?!!

Do you see 8 turtles in the wild fighting, or basking peacefully in the sun, sharing a log?

Your enclosure/tank is too small.  Let's take an average, and say you have 5 8" turtles.  That means you have them in at least 400 gal. of water, right?

What size tank is this, or have you progressed to a pond?

Turtles don't fight for food, unless they aren't getting enough.

You have too many turtles in too small a space, and they are not eating well, in MHO.

Your focus should be far from mating, and more to individual care.

You obviously do not have happy animals.  Their basic needs are not  being met.  Why would you want to attempt to breed turtles which are fighting over food?!!

Do you not realize that producing eggs is draining on the female animal?  If she is fighting for food daily, her instincts will tell her mating is a bad idea.  Females are larger for a reason.  They cannot be forced by a male.

Before you attempt breeding, give the animals the space they need, and feed them more/correctly.

I can only hope you care, and will read these links.

This one opens water space, to relieve cramping:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxGhdVKJj...

This is general feeding:

http://reslider.free.fr/backup/feeding.h...

This is behavior:

http://redearslider.com/unusual_behavior...

This is basic habitat:

http://www.redearslider.com/index_habita...

I can't make you be responsible for the turtles in your care.  I can only post the links, and hope you will check them out.

YOU have them.  YOU put them where they are - TAKE CARE OF THEM.  They cannot buy a new Condo, or call Dominos.

I don't mean to be rude or mean, but - facts are facts.

I hope you will find this helpful.

Answer 2

The claws on your slider will not effect the female's choice. You shouldn't let them fight during feeding time though. Maybe you should find a way to feed separately. You could try taking them out and feeding one, then repeat until all of them are fed. Anyway, the male will still be able to mate. It won't matter. It isn't good that your turtles are fighting over their food. I think that your tank is too confined for them to be in. You need to give them lots of space and lots of food.

Answer 3

no it shouldnt stop them.

hope this helps!

Answer 4

not sure....

http://ca.answers.yahoo.com/question/ind...

thanks if u can answer.

Answer 5

You need to drop 30 guppies or goldfish or minnows in the tank before the turtles turn on each other and become canabalistic and kill each other. That would be sad. You can't stop the fighting untill they are in a HUGE tank with tons of food. For that many turtles they should be in a pond or kiddy pool or 100 gallon tank..

Did you know that they need to bask under a reptile light for  8 to 10 hrs a day for the vitamin D that  they need to grow.

Leave the heater on 75 to 78 degrees always.

Their water needs to be clean otherwise they get sick easily from dirty water cause they p**p allot.

You need a good filter system!

*****You need to feed them feeder guppies, goldfish or minnows for protein and calcium daily drop 20 or so in the tanks and watch them disappear!****

They need leafy greens for vitamins at least 3 to 4 times a week.

And a big tank 55 gallons or more.

Mating dance goes on allll the time. If the female is not ready she will fight if the male does not leave her alone.

Mating season is May thru June and eggs are laid and hatchlings appear in 80 to 90 dyas.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29035692@N0...

Answer 6

you need to have a big pond for all of those sliders, at least 200 gallons, anything smaller is animal abuse.