Well, I have fish, snails, and have had a few wandering bullfrogs pass through my pond. This last winter my pond finally shut down from lack of cleaning, I had back problems and couldn't really have cared at the time. I did lose a bunch of gold fish, all 24 of them and figure I had about $300 worth of large gold fish. Anyways. I've since re-edged the pond, it's smaller, it has a new water fall, and I just put 6 shubunkins and 6 snails in. I was at the pond store getting the fish and snails and saw a container with turtles, and I thought it might be neat to get one. I read through some of the pages on Robyn's site, but is there anything specific I should consider for my pond? I also have a young dog and a young son if that has any bearing on what I should do.
Pond size, approx. 1200 gallons.
Pond depth, 30" at deepest.
Zone 7.
Aerator and pump/filter run all winter and keep holes in the ice in winter.
Lots of vegetation.
Pond is edged with natural rock, so I don't think escaping will be too easy.
It sounds like your pond should be okay for a turtle or two. My page on turtle ponds is at
http://www.fishpondinfo.com/turtles/turpond.htmYou'll want to be sure the turtles can't escape. I only put one turtle in my pond, and she ran away about three days later forever. So, I can't have turtles since my family won't let me fence in my pond. The pond should also have a basking area, preferably an island for the turtles. Expect that they may nibble some of your plants and eat a few small fish from time to time. Turtles are really interesting. I have one turtle that I keep inside. He just loves to eat and eat!
There are several sloping rocks at the edge of the pond where a turtle can crawl out and bask, and I'm pretty sure that there isn't any way for him or her to be able to get out unless they can climb steep near vertical inclines easily. I can alway build up areas around the edging to make sure it's escape proof. Would I also build up a few bricks or something in the middle to make sure he or she had enough out of pond room?
You should have a few basking areas so, if there aren't many, then you can build one in the pond with bricks, milk crates, rocks, etc.
| QUOTE (Robyn @ May 23 2007, 02:51 PM) |
It sounds like your pond should be okay for a turtle or two. My page on turtle ponds is at http://www.fishpondinfo.com/turtles/turpond.htm
You'll want to be sure the turtles can't escape. I only put one turtle in my pond, and she ran away about three days later forever. So, I can't have turtles since my family won't let me fence in my pond. The pond should also have a basking area, preferably an island for the turtles. Expect that they may nibble some of your plants and eat a few small fish from time to time. Turtles are really interesting. I have one turtle that I keep inside. He just loves to eat and eat! |
Great turtle pond info/site . I found it by accident than found this forum
Turtles can escape pretty easily, just one slightly tilted rock and the turtles off into the wild!