As pet owners, we often like to keep our pets in pairs. So, should we do the same when it comes to pet turtles too? Would it be better to have two turtles together instead of one?
Turtles aren’t better in pairs. In fact, a turtle would probably be happier to have the entire tank or enclosure for itself! Nevertheless, there are some exceptions. With that being said, turtles may still come together for breeding purposes. In rare cases, some turtles can live well with another turtle too!
As reptiles, turtles aren’t that excited when it comes to socializing. This shouldn’t be too shocking to you though, as nearly all animals in the reptile family are solitary animals.
While it’s not a bad thing to assume that our pets have the same needs, it may be a common misconception of ours towards turtles. Interested to know why turtles wouldn’t be better in pairs or what are the exceptions where turtles would be fine with living with another turtle?
Read on and I’ll provide you the answers that you’re looking for.
Why Isn’t It Better For Turtles To Be In Pairs?
We, humans, tend to value the company of others throughout our lives. Without social interactions, we would be left with nothing but boredom. Well, this doesn’t apply to turtles. Here are some reasons why turtles aren’t better in pairs.
Turtles Are Solitary Animals
Just like most of the other reptiles, a turtle is perfectly fine by itself. Still, worried that your turtle might feel lonely? Keep your worries to yourself because your pet turtle is most likely having a great time.
With that being said, turtles aren’t like us, they don’t have the same social needs that we have. Thus, not requiring any companions. The next time you think your pet turtle might be feeling lonely, know that it’s most likely not.
They Might End Up Fighting
Here’s a more solid reason why turtles wouldn’t be better in pairs. As solitary animals, turtles value their personal space a lot. Thus, having another turtle in the same enclosure or tank would seem rather intruding.
Moreover, turtles in the same enclosure or tank might also end up fighting with each other for their necessities such as food. Just imagine if another person happens to be living in the same room as yours, you’d be rather uncomfortable and annoyed… right? That’s how a turtle might feel when living with another turtle.
One Might Bite The Other
While male turtles tend to fight among themselves for various reasons, a female turtle might also bite the male turtle as a sign of opposition.
This can be commonly observed when a female turtle is approached by a male turtle for mating purposes. Aye, when a female turtle says no, it’s a no!
Can I Have Two Turtles In The Same Tank?
Now you know why turtles wouldn’t be better in pairs, can I still have two turtles in the same tank? As mentioned above, there are exceptions whereby turtles may be doing just fine with the company of another turtle.
Thus, you can have more than one turtle in the same tank. However, there are several factors that you should be taking into consideration before placing the turtles together.
Read on and let me share with you some of the factors that you should be taking into account.
The Gender of the Turtles
Just like male lions, male turtles possess natural instincts to assert dominance. Thus, they would often end up in fights. Well, another common reason for turtles to fight for would be to compete for female mates.
Having said that, a male turtle would do totally fine when paired with a female turtle. In fact, if you’re thinking of getting more than one companion for your turtle, always get females, instead of males.
Males and female turtles get along much better together. However, this may lead to the possibility of mating. So, it’s not advisable to pair your turtle up with another turtle of the opposite gender as you may not have the capabilities to take care of the youths.
If you’re thinking of getting a companion for your pet turtle, do take into consideration their genders. Remember to avoid getting another male turtle if your current pet turtle is also a male. The best pairing, however, is to only get female turtles. Always leave the breedings to professionals!
The Species of the Turtles
If you’re considering pairing up your turtle with another, it’s best to get another turtle of the same species. Nevertheless, if you’re hoping to get a turtle of another species, it’s a must for you to ensure their compatibility before actually pairing them up.
With that being said, both turtles shall require the same or at least a similar care. It’s not only that, turtles are commonly known to house parasites on their shells. These parasites will not do any harm to the turtles that the parasites are housing on.
However, the type of parasites that could be found on a turtle shell may vary from the type of turtles. Thus, some parasites that may not harm a certain turtle species, may be deadly to another species.
With that being said, pairing your turtle up with a turtle of another species might lead to serious consequences. So, try to get turtles of the same species, or at least one with higher compatibility if you’re thinking of getting another turtle.
The Size of the Turtles
Remember your school bullies back in high school? They’re usually rather big and strong. Now, think about the victims, they are relatively smaller and weaker… right?
Well, no one sane would pick on someone stronger after all. The same theory applies to turtles. A turtle of bigger size would likely be more aggressive towards other turtles.
If you don’t want to have the smaller turtle being at higher risks of being injured, never pair a bigger turtle with it. Instead, always opt for turtles that are of similar sizes.
The Personalities of the Turtles
Have you gotten multiple turtles before? If you have not, let me share with you one thing that you should know before pairing up your turtles.
As incredible as it may seem, turtles do have their very own personalities. Some may be more friendly and love to spend time with other turtles, while others tend to be the complete opposite.
With that being said, turtles with different personalities shouldn’t be placed into the same tank or enclosure as they would definitely not get along. Instead, you should always consider pairing turtles of similar personalities together.
The Space of the Tank
As mentioned above, turtles are solitary animals who value their personal space a lot. If the tank or enclosure that your turtles are living in isn’t big enough, they’d be more prompted to battle each other for space.
Just imagine having to share your personal space with another person, you’d eventually be annoyed right? So, don’t try to pair your turtles up if you’re not providing them with sufficient spaces to roam around.
When Should I Separate My Turtles?
If you’re currently having more than one turtle in the same tank or enclosure, you should begin to separate them as soon as they start to portray aggressive behaviors towards the other.
Be reminded to always keep an eye out for your turtles. Aggressive behaviors may lead to serious consequences such as death. If your turtle happened to be injured by the other, consult a vet immediately. You wouldn’t want serious infections to develop.
Can My Separated Turtles Spend Time Together?
While it’s not advisable to have more than one turtle kept in the same tank or enclosure, it’s totally fine for your separated turtles to spend time together. However, you should never leave the turtles unattended.
With that being said, you should always be ready to separate them. If you notice any turtle being in a rather stressed out situation or starting to develop aggressive behaviors, separate them immediately.
Don’t be disappointed if your pet turtles don’t get along during their first get-together. You may continue to try exposing them to each other every once in a while. The aggression might fade over time. However, do keep in mind that it’s completely normal for some to never get along too!
Conclusion
Turtles are solitary creatures and wouldn’t be better in pairs. Moreover, pairing them up would probably cause stress to them and they may eventually develop aggressive behaviors towards one another.
However, there are also exceptions. Having said that, some turtles would be fine with living with another companion. You should only pair turtles up only if they’re compatible with each other.
If things don’t work out, remember to accept the reality and never force any further interactions as it may bring harm to them.
However, you could always have your separated turtles spend some time together even if they do not do well living in the same tank. Just remember to always keep an eye out when you’re doing this!
