AgentOrange
05-29-2013, 06:09 PM
Me and turtles have a history.
As a boy, loved them. My brother had one named "Tootles".
Here on the lake, keeping them has proved to be challenging.
You can't put a turtle in a perfectly good pond and expect it to stay. If it is a million times better than his old home, he will still walk away and try to go home. Turtles have small brains.
I have a 4000 gallon pond I have modified to keep them in, but my turtle keeping is spotty:wink-new:.
I feed them well and the water is clean. I even use a high power IF lamp on the water return to kill WTF. My fish thrive, some are now near the thousand pond mark. 40 years of experience, I know how to keep up an Aquarium or a garden pond. My turtles don't float up dead, they just ???
I suspect most of my turtle problem has been escape to the lake which is maybe 100 yards. I don't' see it as a critter problem as contrary to "expert pond builders", I build my walls straight down for over 3 foot. Raccoons can't fish in deep water and Herons can't wade that deep. Other than maybe an OWL, critters are not the problem. Turtles go to the bottom at night, so WTF with the OWLs? Actually, I spend much of my life entertained out here, and would see any critters fishing. Also, I loose no fish. In the 12 years I have been here, fish multiply and I keep giving excellent specimens away.
This Summer, again taking on the project to improve the Turtle Pond. This was build as a Turtle Pond, not a fish pond.:tranquillity:
As I stated in another post, shade has made basking problematic. This week I "ringed" four big trees. Then I decided to cut as "ringing" takes forever. Today while sober, called a "pro?" who is coming out Monday. I explained no trucks and buckets can get back here. My junk looks like weeds but is my junk.
I also ordered some new turtles. In the pond now are 4 Western Map on their 4th or 5th year with me and in water below the new snapper I mentioned in a different post. The MAP Turtles have thrived here, where did the others go? My Bride is pissed. I though I could sneak them in but she was here when the FedEx guy came.
My pond can support Turtles, as some have been here for years.
I got in NO baby hatchlings. All I got in are 4-5 inch which are hard to find and impossible to catch on my lake..
Red Ear Sliders
Southern Painted
Western Painted Turtles
Yellow-bellied Slider
These are all turtles that like to bask and in nature have no problem with the climate here.
I know many don't have a pond yet, so just posting this to share my journey.
I like my yard critters, all of them (except snakes and cowbirds)
Lately have even learned to live with two murderous cats bent on killing all my critter friends.
As a boy, loved them. My brother had one named "Tootles".
Here on the lake, keeping them has proved to be challenging.
You can't put a turtle in a perfectly good pond and expect it to stay. If it is a million times better than his old home, he will still walk away and try to go home. Turtles have small brains.
I have a 4000 gallon pond I have modified to keep them in, but my turtle keeping is spotty:wink-new:.
I feed them well and the water is clean. I even use a high power IF lamp on the water return to kill WTF. My fish thrive, some are now near the thousand pond mark. 40 years of experience, I know how to keep up an Aquarium or a garden pond. My turtles don't float up dead, they just ???
I suspect most of my turtle problem has been escape to the lake which is maybe 100 yards. I don't' see it as a critter problem as contrary to "expert pond builders", I build my walls straight down for over 3 foot. Raccoons can't fish in deep water and Herons can't wade that deep. Other than maybe an OWL, critters are not the problem. Turtles go to the bottom at night, so WTF with the OWLs? Actually, I spend much of my life entertained out here, and would see any critters fishing. Also, I loose no fish. In the 12 years I have been here, fish multiply and I keep giving excellent specimens away.
This Summer, again taking on the project to improve the Turtle Pond. This was build as a Turtle Pond, not a fish pond.:tranquillity:
As I stated in another post, shade has made basking problematic. This week I "ringed" four big trees. Then I decided to cut as "ringing" takes forever. Today while sober, called a "pro?" who is coming out Monday. I explained no trucks and buckets can get back here. My junk looks like weeds but is my junk.
I also ordered some new turtles. In the pond now are 4 Western Map on their 4th or 5th year with me and in water below the new snapper I mentioned in a different post. The MAP Turtles have thrived here, where did the others go? My Bride is pissed. I though I could sneak them in but she was here when the FedEx guy came.
My pond can support Turtles, as some have been here for years.
I got in NO baby hatchlings. All I got in are 4-5 inch which are hard to find and impossible to catch on my lake..
Red Ear Sliders
Southern Painted
Western Painted Turtles
Yellow-bellied Slider
These are all turtles that like to bask and in nature have no problem with the climate here.
I know many don't have a pond yet, so just posting this to share my journey.
I like my yard critters, all of them (except snakes and cowbirds)
Lately have even learned to live with two murderous cats bent on killing all my critter friends.