Red eared sliders can bite – and the bite can your skin. However, in many cases, it is nothing serious. There have been a few reports of more damage to younger kids with small fingder though.
So, why does my red eared slide bite me? In most cases, red eared sliders will bite as a result of being mishandled, self-defence or hurting.
WHY do Red Eared Slider Bite Humans?
As earlier stated, red eared turtles bite because of
- Mishandling
- Slef-defence
- Territorial defence or
- injury to body.
Why Do Red-Eared Sliders Bite Each Other?
Although not super aggressive, red-eared sliders may sometimes bite themselves because of the following reasons:
-
Dominance or Social Status:
Dominance is a thing, even with humans. A male slider can show domiannce to sub0rdinates by either:
Biting them or
Shaking their claws.
They typically create a social status using this and try their best to maintain it.
-
Territorial Issues:
Like territorial animals, turtles will bite and fight intruders so they can keep their territories.
-
Rejection for Mating:
Every living animal mates. But, when a male red-eared slider touches the female turtle for mating, an uninterested turtle will respond by biting.
-
Starving:
This hardly happens, but when food is scarce, cannibalism can kick in. If an older turtle become hungry and cannot find food, chances are that it will attack and eat the younger turtle in the pond to satisfy its hunger.
Now, that you understand why red eared sliders will bite, you know what to do to stop them from biting.
See you next time!