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Pond for turtle... 7/6/08
hi,
<Hiya Juanita -- Darrel here>
I'm planning to build a pond in my new home (when the house is done so it
will be in a couple of months). I've had a little turtle that's about the
size of my hand (not counting fingers) and the guy that sold it to me said
that it would get as big as a plate. At the moment she's in a very very
little aquarium and she doesn't fit in it anymore (she does fit in it but
can't move a lot). So I've been looking around to see how this pond thing
works because I really don't know much about ponds. I've got lots of
questions.
1.) How big does the pond have to be?
<It doesn't have to be all that big -- the trade-off is that that larger the
body of water, the less it resists change (heating in summer, cooling in
winter) and the larger the pond, the less likely one turtle will foul the
water -- but then the filter needs to be bigger and when it does need
service the job is that much larger. I've seen a single slider housed
happily in a 67 gallon preformed plaster pond.>
2.) Should I buy a pond or build one?
<Too many variables for here -- building a pond gives you many more options
but costs more and takes longer. Buying a preformed pond lets you dig a hole
and have a pond all in the same day>
3.) Do I put a fence around the pond so the turtle doesn't escape? (the back
yard is going to be fenced)
<YES! Turtles are remarkably good climbers. The fence should be twice as
tall as his shell is long, PLUS another 5 inches bent INWARDS (like a flat
lip) on the top.>
4.)Should I put fish in with the turtle?
<Not for the turtle's benefit, no. Many of us have put in 'feeder goldfish'
at some point, only to have them grow to be almost the size of small Koi and
become pets themselves. The truth is that turtles are more opportunistic and
scavenger eaters and rarely catch a healthy fish>
5.)Do I need a water fall? If yes how do I set one up?
<Not unless you like the look and the sound, but they are pretty and they do
help aerate the water. Give it some thought -- doesn't have to be
complicated, either -- if you BUILD a pond, you can find many books at the
local building supply store giving you all of the in's & out's and if you
decide to BUY a pond, most of those same stores sell the kind where you can
buy a small pond and have it drain into a bigger one -- presto! instant
waterfall>
6.)Do I need to put sand or rocks around the pond so the turtle can go out
of the water or can I put things in the water that stick out?
<Yes, this is important. Turtles are more comfortable climbing out of the
water on a rock or a log than they are climbing to shore. If you BUILD a
pond, put in a couple of shallow-sided bays for him to crawl out. Preformed
ponds are designed for water gardens and Koi and usually have steep sides,
but they make them with a shallow shelf-tray on one side to hold plants --
you can place stones and large rocks there in "ramps" so that he can climb
out & bask on the rock or easily make it to shore>
7.)How do you put a filter in?
8.)How do I choose a filter?
<Again, more many variables than we can discuss here. External filters are a
better bet for long term use because they require less care, but in pond
filters are less expensive and easier to clean -- the major building supply
chains that sell the preformed ponds sell a range of low end pumps and
filters that should be just fine for a turtle or two in a pond>
9.)What kind of plants do I need?
<none, really. Turtles just tear them up>
10.)Can I keep the turtle out year round? (I live in Florida so the cold
weather is not a big deal)
<You can from a temperature standpoint. In fact, winter isn't usually the
problem -- it's summer. Remember when I said the larger the pond, the more
resistant it is? Well beside the fact that a larger pond stays clearer
longer, a larger pond stays cooler longer in summer and warmer in winter.
For example, a 20 gallon pond in the Florida sun would get so hot so quickly
that the turtle would suffer from over heating if not in fact dying from it.
Same turtle in a 1,000 pond wouldn't even sense a temperature change.
Assuming you will go bigger than 10 and not 1,000 an important criteria is
placing your pond where it will get a good deal of shade in the hottest
months.>
11.)Is the turtle going to get lonely? Should I buy another one?
<You can, they seem to get along just fine, but there is no "need" to do
that.
12.) How deep does the pond have to be?
<Again, deep water stays cooler in summer and warmer in winter --- at least
18 inches at it's deepest point>
13.)What kind of plants can I put in or around the pond?
<on the OUTSIDE of the fence, around the perimeter, would be a great place
to plant some shrubs that would shade the afternoon sun (to the west side of
the pond) but nothing INSIDE the fence or he'll use it to climb out.>
14.)Should I change the turtles feeding habits? Right now she’s feeding on
"REPTILE PREMIUM STICKS" and once in a while romaine lettuce or can she feed
on plants in the pond.
<Repto-Min is great stuff. Koi Pellets from your local fish/pond store is
the SAME THING only a lot cheaper. Either one is fine & no, don't change. I
raise hatchlings to breeders on that same food.>
15.)Are there any predators for her, like raccoons, snakes, or squirrels? If
yes what can I do to keep them out?
<Ah yes, a major down side to all outdoor life. They are all out there and
they will all try for her if they can. The only SURE way is to make a fence
with a tight fitting top and again this is a trade off -- easy to do for a
small pond, not possible for a large one. Beyond that .. wide, deep water
allows the turtle to rest on the bottom at night, more or less out of sight
and reach of the common predators.>
16.)In what season or climate should I build the pond?
<In Florida? Any time it's not too hot for you to be out there!>
<Good luck to you>
<Darrel>
Bad trees for pond/turtles – 06/26/08
Hi, my name is Russell. I have asked several questions on this site and
I have always gotten a very good response. But i have another question about
my water turtles. I am wanting to put a tree across the turtles pond for
them to bask on and hide in. My question is is there any types of trees that
could possibly poison or harm my turtles? By the way I have three red eared
sliders and one southern painted turtle. Also the tree that I was wanting to
put in the pond is a walnut tree from my backyard. Thanks for your response
in advance.
<Yep... read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/PondSubWebIndex/landpltspd.htm
Same list as per fishes. Bob Fenner>
RES Hibernating - 05/17/2006
My sister has had a RES for years. She keeps hers in a tank. I just
got one and put it in my pond. She keeps worrying about it going into
hibernation. She says it will die if it does. Is this true? The
coldest that it would get in the pond in the winter is the low 50s.
< Hibernation is a normal process for many "Cold Blooded" animals to
survive the winter. If you turtle is put out now it will slowly
acclimate to being outside. As the fall comes and the air begins to
chill your turtle will start to rely more on body fat than on actually
eating. If your turtle has not accumulated enough body fat, then it will
not make it through the winter. This year was a very difficult year for
turtles being kept outside. Sporadic heat waves brought turtles out of
hibernation. When the cold settled back in , many turtles could not find
enough food to eat and got sick with respiratory infections and weak from
hunger. Many turtle keepers resorted to bringing their turtles indoors
until the outside air temps remained consistently warm.-Chuck>
Duck Pond - 11/26/05
Hello,
One other thing - do white ducks with red faces eat fish?
<<Muskovies, eh...yes, if they can catch them, along with crustaceans/insects,
frogs, some plant material...>>
Or does the duck poop kill them faster?
<<If this is a large, natural pond, likely the fishes will be fine...else you
will need adequate filtration to deal with the duck waste.>>
Lyn and Gwen
<<Regards, EricR>>
Turtles and Fish
<Hi, MikeD here>
Please help...I was given (by a pet store) a RES about 12" long<It took me a
considerable amount of time to deduce what a RES was, aka Red-Eared Slider. That
borders on cruelty to ME, you know! **grin**>. About a week later ALL of my Koi
(15 large) died. I did not realize I needed to treat the water with antibiotic
before I introduced the turtle<You don't. Who told you that?>. Anyway, I also
think the turtle has a bit of ROT<OK, I'll bite, is this just rot, as in an
infection or is it another acronym?>. About 2" long diamond shape, whit
sot<White spot?> on the shell. Also, shell peeling around the area <I'd use either Iodine or Mercurochrome on the spot initially, drying it
with a paper towel after it soaks in, then return the turtle to the pond. Also,
make sure the turtle has plenty of room to get completely out of the water. If
this basking spot is not in sunlight, then you'll need to get a full spectrum
light bulb to train on this spot. Sunlight is Mother Nature's first line of
defense>. My question...is this ROT toxic to fish?<NO> I am wanting to
re-introduce Koi as I have treated the pond with medication for 10
days.<Introducing the turtle should have had no ill effect on the fish, and I've
never heard of adding antibiotics for this purpose. I'd seriously have to
re-think taking advice from them if this is what they are telling you.> Thank
you!<You're very welcome>
Red- ear slider
My Uncle works for the water dept and last year brought a turtle to me and asked to put it in my 500 gal pond. It appears to be a male, long tail short claws. He just found another one in the street and brought it over, I think it is a younger female, long claws, shorter tail, will they get along? I have several koi and about 6 smaller goldfish, my original turtle never bothered them and I'm hoping they will all get along. Any problems with this situation?
<Shouldn't be - though you may want to feed them from time to time with prepared foods, or they may snack on your goldfish if they can catch them (which isn't too likely). M. Maddox> Red- ear slider
- part deux
Thanks for the quick response, but I went this morning and checked on everyone and my larger turtle has the little one cornered and is biting at
its head, feet, tail whatever he can get a hold of...I got worried for the little ones safety and took her out. Is this a mating thing or is he that
aggressive??
<Hmm, no luck with them together I guess...if he doesn't like her, I would wait until spring to re-introduce her and see how it goes. Good luck! M. Maddox> Hiding Turtles
I have a big pond and water fall. It is 15 feet by 16 feet 4.5 feet
deep. A friend gave me two slider turtles for the pond one is a baby. Then I
bought one. For the first day or so I could see them swimming on the top of the
water. But when I open my sliding glass door to get a better view they went to
the bottom. I have not seen any of them for a few days. How long can they hold
their breath?
< Up to a couple of hours depending on the water temp and their activity level.
During the summer months it is up to about 20 minutes.>
I have a bunch of feeder fish in there too. I have a UV sterilizer that I just
add and it is clearing up the water. I still can't see them. I have rocks and
gravel at the bottom of the pond. Do they dig in to hide?
< They do some digging but not to the extent you are suggesting.>
Do the walk away for the pond?
< It is totally possible for your turtles top walk away.>
It's in my back yard and there is really no where for them to go. My pond has
not a lot of shade I am waiting for the trees to grow. How do I get them to
come out if they are still there?
< When turtles get hungry they leave the pond to find food. I would put one of
the turtles in a small kiddy wadding pool with some water, a brick to create a
basking spot and some cover over the pool for shade. Leave the turtle in there
for a few days. Walk up once a day and throw a turtle food stick in right in
front of his face. After awhile your turtle will not be afraid and will learn
that you are the source of food and actually come out to see you and be fed.
Once one turtle does it then the others catch on pretty quick and they will all
be out wanting food.-Chuck>
Winter and Red Eared Slider
I really need to know if I can leave my red eared sliders out side in the
winter or not. I have a little pond outside that they can live in. I have a
heater for the pond so it won't freeze. I keep gold fish in it
and they stay alive. I have it all fenced in so they can't get hurt
by any animals. They also have land to go onto so they can be on land if they
need to. please help
<It really depends on where you live. If it gets cold enough they
should bury themselves at the bottom of your pond and go into
hibernation. I personally would move them inside, I have never
hibernated a turtle or tortoise and if I were going to try it I would like to be
in control of the conditions. Check out the links below to help with
your decision. Best Regards, Gage
http://www.anapsid.org/hibernation.html
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/Refrigerator.htm >
Turtle Hibernation
Regarding hibernation, we live in the Houston, TX area, where the
temperature rarely drops in the 20's. the kiddie pool is only 9 inches high, so
am I right in saying its not suitable for hibernation of my turtle? my family
does not plan on bringing inside for the winter, so can I just hibernate it in a
14 inch high bucket that we have that's wide enough for her to fit in with an
inch or so at least the whole way around extra? after all,
she doesn't need any room for movement, just a deep hibernating spot, right? I
just want to know if the bucket is deep enough for her to hibernate safely at 14
inches or if its too shallow.
thank you
<I have no experience hibernating turtles, I do not know if the
bucket technique is a good idea, sounds like it will be hard to regulate the
temperature. There is a good article at the link below on hibernating
turtles in the refrigerator. I would get a good book that thoroughly
covers hibernation before trying it. Best Regards, Gage. http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/Refrigerator.htm >
Duck Pond
Hello I didn't find anything related to this question. I have a duck /
goose pond approximately 2000 gallons, I have two filters hooked up one a
regular sand filter for an in ground swimming pool ( I filled it with pea
gravel ) and connected to this is a modern media filter ( in ground pool
also ). I can't and really want to figure out a way to keep it
relatively clean. I have not used or know of any chemicals available for
use and or and other grander filter system. I do have a small zoo and
good looking enclosures is a must for me. There are no fish in the pond
and it house about 20 different ducks. I have the filters set up as a
waterfall at the export side of the filters.
THANKS
BOB PILZ
<There are actual "formulae" for figuring how many water fowl one can/should
have per acres and acre-feet of ponds, lakes... a two k gallon system is just
going to be a real mess, no matter how much filtration you can affix to it. I
encourage you (if at all possible) to instead devise a system of flushing the
basin with new water, either continuously or in a pulsed fashion... draining it
from a/the bottom... about all the volume... daily. Bob Fenner, who knows what a
stinky mess these birds make>
A duck and goose = dirty pond
I initially got a 175 gallon flexible liner pond for water plants (lily's)
and maybe small guppies. However in the meantime acquired a duck and a goose,
both about two months old. Well guess who is in the pond everyday?
<Bad visual>
I have to replace the water every day or two. I want to keep duckweed in another
receptacle to feed them because they'll eat it up before it can clear the pond.
What other filtration system can I use on a pond this small-or do I have to
build them a lake!?
<More likely the latter. The 175 gallon volume is way too little to even try to
filter, keep one waterfowl/foul... I would keep changing the water. Bob Fenner>
Rita De Ferrary
St. Thomas, VI
Red Eared Slider Feeding
Hi there. Found your website and learning a lot! I
have all the proper husbandry for my two RES, eight months old. My
question is, I have been feeding them Anacharis and it is not digesting properly
in their system. They have been pooping a lot of the leafy parts and stems
out. Should I worry, or is it just too early of an age to feed them
plants? Thanks a bunch, Kristen, TN
<HI Kristen, I would not worry too much about this. Plant some of
the Anacharis (or let it float, it will probably not stay planted long) they can
munch on it if they feel the need, but they should be eating a variety of other
foods with a floating turtle pellet or stick as a staple. crickets, mealworms,
salad greens, earthworms, wax worms, tubifex worms, snails, and a quality
prepared turtle pellet are all good, I have never fed my turtles Anacharis, so I
am not sure what it looks like on the way out. Best Regards, Gage>
Digestive Problems with RES
Thank you for the response. I did some studying and found out
that hatchlings to four years have a harder time digesting plant
matter. I reduced their intake and they do get a good variety
diet. Their poop has returned to normal. I wanted to post
a follow up for anyone else that needs advice on this matter. Thank
you so much! Kristen
<Excellent Kristen, thank you for the info. All the best to you
and your turtles. Gage>
Winter and Red Eared Slider
I really need to know if I can leave my red eared sliders out side in the
winter or not. I have a little pond outside that they can live in. I have a
heater for the pond so it won't freeze. I keep gold fish in it
and they stay alive. I have it all fenced in so they can't get hurt
by any animals. They also have land to go onto so they can be on land if they
need to. please help
<It really depends on where you live. If it gets cold enough they
should bury themselves at the bottom of your pond and go into
hibernation. I personally would move them inside, I have never
hibernated a turtle or tortoise and if I were going to try it I would like to be
in control of the conditions. Check out the links below to help with
your decision. Best Regards, Gage
http://www.anapsid.org/hibernation.html
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/Refrigerator.htm >
Turtle Food
Hi, I've got a couple of lovely Red Eared Slider Turtles and have come to
enjoy the sport of giving them fish to chase around (and hunt and kill
:o)). I have been sticking to Neon Tetras to date as they are
quite quick and tend to survive a reasonable length of time. I have
stumbled upon a large number of tuxedo sword tails and was just wanting to make
sure that they're not going to harm my turtles in any way. I had this
feeling that most fish are ok for a midnight snack, but I just wanted to double
check.
Thanks,
Matt
<Hey Matt, sounds a little expensive for turtle food. The link
below is to a good article on the Red Eared Slider's Diet
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/aquaticdiet.htm
Every once in a while feeder fish are ok, but I would not make it a regular part
of their diet, the swords should not harm your turtle in any way. If
you have a local bait shop near you, pick up some night crawlers, they love
worms. -Gage>
Help...Red Segmented Wormy Looking Things!
Hello,
<Hi, Patricia! Sabrina here>
I have a Koi pond, I was just starting to clean out my filter, but..."ICK!!!, all
of the material is covered by red segmented
"larvae/worms?" I saw a large one about a month ago when
re-potting a plant from the pond. They are not worms, as I know them,
They look more like red meal worms. They have a large mouth and six
legs at the front, and a long tail with a pincer looking thing at the end. The
mouth was moving and gaping. It was a horrendous looking
creature.
<Definitely some sort of insect larvae, *possibly* harmful to any tiny baby
fish (if they happen to be dragonfly larvae or some such, they may prey upon
fry), but not a concern with adult fish. Depending on what they are,
exactly, they may actually be beneficial, or may be used by your fish as
food. Since you're seeing them inside your filter on your filter
media, I'd be far more inclined to think that they're actually not predatory at
all, but eating little goodies that they find in your media. Might be
a good thing to have around.>
They are about 3/4", but I think they will get as big as the one I saw when
re-potting, which was well over an inch.
<Likely the same kind of critter, but could be different.>
Help...How can I get rid of them? Will they harm my fish? Do you have
the medication that will remove them?
<As I said, I seriously doubt that they're a threat to your
fish. If you must remove them, or they do become a serious threat, it
might be done with a copper-based medication - but that will also completely
wipe out any snails or other invertebrates in your pond, and will definately
wreck your biological filtration, requiring serious water changes during
treatment. For now, if you feel you must remove them, perhaps just
manually scrape them off your filter media, and try to keep their population in
check. Personally, I don't think it's necessary, but then again, I'm
not seeing them firsthand, either.>
Thank you for any help you can give me, I have never seen anything like them in
my life! I have searched other websites with no success.
<Oh my.... You'd be surprised by some of the stuff I've found in
my ponds.... My very first pond had me running around with a cup and
a microscope for about a month - such incredible biodiversity, and some
incredibly bizarre creatures!!>
Again, Thank you, Patricia
<Wishing you and your pond well, -Sabrina>
Turtle Tank Goodies
Hi umm,
<Gage here, but you can call me umm if you want to.>
This is my first time ever owning a turtle. I got it from a friend, I'm not sure
on the sex, or even what kind it is exactly.
<I'd be willing to bet it is a red eared slider, but cannot say without a
picture. Tons of info on turtles online - http://www.tortoisetrust.org is a good
one>
I've had this turtle for about 9 months, almost 10 now. I was cleaning out the
filter and the tank today, and there were all these very tiny little seashells
all over the place, and I have no idea where they're coming from. Do you have
any idea where they could be forming from? They're sort of coned shape, and
looks like there's something in them, but they're so small it's hard to tell.
Well I hope you can help me...thanks
-megs
<Most likely they are snails. Snail eggs have sneaky way of
getting into your tank, nothing to worry about. -Gage>
Aquatic Turtle Care
I have 2 yellow bellied sliders. I am contemplating putting them in
an outdoor pond. We live near the Virginia coast and I wonder How to
set up this pond (supplies, plants, etc.). Also, can they stay
out there year around?
<I do not keep my turtle outside because of the predators, but outdoors is
definitely best for them if you can meet all of their requirements. The
link below is to an article on ponds for turtles, it should be a good place to
start.
http://www.tortoise.org/general/pondmak.html>
What kind of plants do I have to have in order to make a outside pen for them?
<most pond plants should be fine>
And what kind of foods do they eat beside night crawlers and lettuces? And where
do I find powder vitamins and calcium's to sprinkle on their foods?
<Here is a good article on feeding aquatic turtles
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/aquaticdiet.htm
If you have a local reptile shop you can get the vitamins from them, or from an
etailer like our wonderful sponsor http://www.drsfostersmith.com/
Best Regards, Gage>
Thanks Julia Rk
Red eared slider turtle
I don't know if you can help me with this or not but I have a little red
eared slider. (His shell is maybe the size of a .50 cent piece.
<This is a small specimen!>
We have only
had him a week and today I watched him eat a little rock from the bottom of
his aquarium. Latter on I saw him do it again and then he looked like he was
hunting out small rocks. Is there something wrong with him? And will these
rocks pass?
<I do hope that they will... or that it just appeared that your little
turtle was eating the rocks. You have instruction on what to feed this
turtle? It does have a place to climb completely out of the water? Have you
read about its general care? Bob Fenner>
Re: Red eared slider turtle
We got him on our vacation to Myrtle Beach. My daughter who is three named
them Puppie and Kittie and we have already got quite attached to them. Sadly
the people selling the little guys knew nothing about them (although they
thought that they did) and gave terrible instructions. He came with a
pathetically small cage and food which they told us to only give him one
little pellet a day. I live in Florida and found out that these guys aren't
even legal to sell here until they are much bigger
<Yes, a four inch minimum carapace length... over concern about salmonella bacteria... and children choking on them...>
so information is very
limited on how to take care of them. So we came home got him an aquarium,
half for swimming and half out of the water with a ramp between with a full
spectrum light over the dry side. The pet store gave me different food and
said to give him as much as he wanted in 5 minutes and feed him in a
separate container.
<Much better>
My mother (definitely not and expert on the subject) was
wondering if he may have a mineral deficiency, if that would cause this.
<Possibly... or maybe a vitamin D lack...>
She
was told by someone that they are suppose to have cuttlebone from a bird
store for calcium, have you ever heard of this?
<Hmm, this is a "new one"... mainly derive minerals from foods, ergosterol (D) from light exposure...>
He is definitely eating
them, I just saw him do it again, he seems to be digging for the right one
to eat also. He is also doing something else odd. He has a friend in there
(who doesn't eat rocks) and when he gets up close to the other turtle he
scratches the others face a couple times then brings both front feet in
front of him face and kind of flutters back and forth until the other one
either snaps at him or swims away. I don't know the sex of either but they
seem like they should be too young if this is some kind of weird mating
thing.
<Just "behavior" period>
Is the all they can eat in 5 minutes thing true? Also do they need anything
besides turtle food?
<Hmm, likely yes... try offering some dinner salad and vegetable pieces (uncooked)... and do look about for a complete work on Sliders, aquatic turtles. There are excellent brochures by Turtle and Tortoise Societies: http://www.sdturtle.org/Mission.htm is our local one, and their care sheets>
(anything except little gold fish, I have these in my
pond and could never feed them to something as food) Any info that you have
would be nice, I want them to be happy. Thanks
<Then study and follow up my friend. Bob Fenner>
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