Turtles

[mikedd]

Thanks everybody for your input, looks like a little more research required on my part before i commit to purchase, i found this site on line Dogs & Puppies - Cats & Kittens - Pets for Sale at Pets4Homes UK but all the turts on here look to have spent there lives in a tank, think it would be a tremendous shock to there system to put them in my pond after such an upbringing. Your views would be appreiciated? Thanks in advance Mike

ps also what would be the minimum height i would need for a barrier to stop walkabout? photo of my pond

 

[Mucky_Waters]

Larkin you are probably correct about those other turtles, I'm only really have experience with Western Painted turtles, and a little bit with red eared sliders, I was just repeating complaints that I've heard from people in some turtle forums, and yes, I believe they were referring to soft shelled turtles, which are commonly kept in aquariums where they are highly visible and observable, but in a pond setting virtually invisible because they hide under water all the time.

Mike thanks for posting the picture of your pond, I like your waterfall feature, could you post a close up picture of it?
It looks like you have a tall brick wall on at least one side, and maybe a fence? on the right. It is unnecessary, nor desirable, to build a barrier directly around the pond. As long as you have your yard secured so the turtle can't escape and wander away out onto the streets or off to the neighbors, it is ok if they wander around in the yard a bit. Any other barrier you need to build only has to be about a foot high as long as they can't climb over or dig under it. The biggest danger of having them wander around in your back yard is that someone might inadvertently step on them or you might run over them with the lawn mower. Other than that they would probably appreciate the freedom and space.
These turtles might not be too bad, all though I don't know if they would suited to your winters. Looks like you have researching to do.

 

[mikedd]

Larkin you are probably correct about those other turtles, I'm only really have experience with Western Painted turtles, and a little bit with red eared sliders, I was just repeating complaints that I've heard from people in some turtle forums, and yes, I believe they were referring to soft shelled turtles, which are commonly kept in aquariums where they are highly visible and observable, but in a pond setting virtually invisible because they hide under water all the time.

Mike thanks for posting the picture of your pond, I like your waterfall feature, could you post a close up picture of it?
It looks like you have a tall brick wall on at least one side, and maybe a fence? on the right. It is unnecessary, nor desirable, to build a barrier directly around the pond. As long as you have your yard secured so the turtle can't escape and wander away out onto the streets or off to the neighbors, it is ok if they wander around in the yard a bit. Any other barrier you need to build only has to be about a foot high as long as they can't climb over or dig under it. The biggest danger of having them wander around in your back yard is that someone might inadvertently step on them or you might run over them with the lawn mower. Other than that they would probably appreciate the freedom and space.
These turtles might not be too bad, all though I don't know if they would suited to your winters. Looks like you have researching to do.

Thanks for that info M W will take a close up of W/fall when the weather improves they are talking up alot of rain for the next few days.Regards Mike PSThink i might wait till next spring before i intraduce any more wild life to the pond, but will keep in touch for Q and Answers if you dont mind?

 

[HARO]

Mikedd;
I have four large Red-eared Sliders which I rescued from a "rescuer" who kept them under the most appalling conditions I have ever seen. They were all in the 15 to 20 year age range when I got them, and I doubt any of them had ever been in a pond before, but they all enjoy their summers outdoors. If you can get an aquarium-raised turtle, by all means do so.
John
P.S. I remember reading about a European Pond Turtle (Emys orbiculatus) when I was studying up on the subject, but I believe they are now protected by law.

 

[j.w]

What do you keep them in John when they are indoors? My friend keeps hers in her extra bathtub in the winter. But I noticed last time I was over there which was last week they were still outside in a kid type swimming pool. Wonder how much cold they can take?

 

[HARO]

I usually bring them in when they no longer show an interest in their food, around the 65 F. mark. They spend the winter in a large Laguna plastic tub set up with a heat lamp and basking rock. The tub is only filled half way to prevent escapes, so it holds maybe 75 gallons or so. Not quite ideal, but with frequent water changes it can be done. BTW, when I brought them in I put 12 feeder goldfish in the tub. 5 were devoured right away, the other 7 are still there, swimming around among the turtles as though they had diplomatic immunity!
John

 

[mikedd]

Thanks for that info M W will take a close up of W/fall when the weather improves they are talking up alot of rain for the next few days.Regards Mike PSThink i might wait till next spring before i intraduce any more wild life to the pond, but will keep in touch for Q and Answers if you dont mind? Managed to get this picture of the waterfall in between the showers

 

[Mucky_Waters]

Ok mike I gota ask, did you build that waterfall structure yourself, or was it one of those faux pre-manufactured things? Either way it fits in with the brick in the background nicely.

 

[mikedd]

Ok mike I gota ask, did you build that waterfall structure yourself, or was it one of those faux pre-manufactured things? Either way it fits in with the brick in the background nicely.

Built it myself from broken paving slabs and pamments,Looked at the manufactured type would have had to remortgage the house,one roughly that size around 500gbp

 

[sissy]

I love the close up look of it as could not tell exactly what it looked like before and neat use of a wine barrel and guessing it is fiberglass and not one with a liner in it and what is that in the front and how does the water go down by the sign .I have to say it is very pretty and you used a lot of imagination to do it .Oh wait is that one of the little buckets with the handles siliconed to it .

 

[j.w]

Wonderful job on those falls Mike! It looks perfect w/ the surroundings and is lovely

 

[brandonsdad02]

I have 2 red ear sliders that live outside year round. My turtles are currently sleeping peacefully somewhere in here.

This is there pond during the summer

 

[j.w]

So Ryan those turtles can handle those cold frozen temps all winter eh? We don't get that cold here and wondering why my friend up the road brings hers indoors every winter. She puts them in her bathtub. I'm gonna ask her why she doesn't keep them outdoors like you do. I think Mucky keeps his outdoors also all winter.

 

[brandonsdad02]

Yes, they are native to this area so they just sorta hibernate during the winter. My friend who lives close by has been keeping her turtles outside for 7 years.

 

[j.w]

So they don't dig down in the soil cuz you have a lined pond.........they just kinda sit on the bottom? Or do they need some kind of muck like leaves etc. to kind of scootch down under? Well 7 yrs for your friend doing it shows it's working right. How long have you been doing it?