How do I set up an outdoor pond for my turtles?

turtles
ladycinnamon13 asked:

I have 3 red eared slider turtles, approx a year and a half old. They are growing quickly and I wanted to create an outdoor pond environment for them. I live in the panhandle of Florida. How do i set it up? What is required? Do I build a wall around the pond? Will I have to worry about predators, like hawks and racoons? How do I provide a safe environment for my kids’ pets but reclaim my living room from the massive aquarium?



Comments (3)    Posted in Reptiles    

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3 Responses to 'How do I set up an outdoor pond for my turtles?'

  1. Samantha - January 28th, 2010 at 2:36 pm

    my parents who live in florida just dug a hole in the back yard and put pool liner in the bottom. They made sure there were plenty of rocks for the turtle and put a small wall around it. If you don’t want predetors to come in then you should try putting mesh wire across the top of your pond.

  2. james.calloway - January 28th, 2010 at 3:30 pm

    first u dig a hole in the shape of a pond and cover it in quater inch shone. Then u lay out thick plastic sheet and run the hose to it filling it up then add some a few larger stones oround it.That is just the basic outdoor pond for turtles

  3. Madkins007 - January 30th, 2010 at 12:56 pm

    A few different elements come into play:

    1. The basic pond is constructed like any other. As long as it is large enough and has at least something they can crawl out on, it will be OK.

    2. Cleanliness is an issue- turtles are really, really messy eaters and will fould a small pond quickly. Stocking it as a balanced environment will help but you probably want to include a way to easily drain and clean it.

    3. Predators will be a big concern unless it is a really big pond with a really deep part. Racoons, skinks, and dogs will be the biggest worries. You also have some concerns with other animals coming to live in the pond.

    4. One option that works for a lot of people is an above ground ‘raised pool’ feature- build a sturdy wall, fill the piond to about a foot from the top, plant it, build rafts, then create a screened cover from hardware mesh and sturdy materials to cover it with. Make it so it is secured when you are not around, but can be tucked away easily when you are around.

    I posted a good turtle pond link- try other links at the site as well.


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