Posted by admin | Posted in Uncategorized | Posted on 31-03-2011
Tags: cat, cats, design, outdoor, outdoor pet beds, outdoor pet enclosures, outdoor pet gate, outdoor pet pen, outdoor pets, shopping
Can pet turtles live in outdoor pond?
I have two red eared sliders and i have had them since they were little. My question is will they survive in an outdoor pond in colorado? Will I have to bring them in in the winter…or can they stay out during the winter as long as i keep the water from freezing. The pond is about 2 feet deep.
Hey John,
The biggest concern with keeping turtles in a pond is predation and escape. Make sure your pond has a fence or over-hanging flag stones so the turtles can’t leave. They have a habit (instict) for doing that. lol
As for predation, 2 feet pond it the minimum depth. I don’t know how prevalent raccoons are there, but they are excellent and clever hunters. The deeper water provides a retreat and cover from animals. You have to watch out for mammals, birds, and yes people. It wouldn’t hurt to make some undertwater hides.
As for basking spot, I find a submerged piece of log with one end waited down (tied down to a weight) and the other end free floating to work the best.
If you canmake sure they cannot escape or get plucked, ponds are the best places for turtles. The natural UV is great for their shell development and not to mention you don’t need to clean that tank indoors.
About keeping them in winter. I don’t know how cold it gets, but I am sure it gets as cold there as where I am from or more. I get down to -30 in winter. I have hibernated many species of turtles in my basement, garage and yes, in a man-made pond.
You can keep the ice unfrozen by using a 2000 watt trough heater (easy to get at animal farm/feed stores), but that will suck your money out of your pockets. If a few hundred dollars is not an issue, this is your best method. The water will stay just above freezing and this will be fine for your turtles, provided they are 6″ or more. I find smaller turtles have a lower core temp and are more suceptable to the elements. The larger the turtle, the better they can maintain their core temps. I would not recommend any hibernation with turtles under 6″ where the temps are just above freezing. However, you still can hibernate them in your basement and not fed. If your basement or garage gets below 59F (15 C), and above 54 F (12 C), you can hibernate your smaller turtles indoor. They will slow down, not eat and not bask. Do not provide a heater or basking lamp. Important that smaller turtles don’t get too cold, and too weak, which they are prone to do. Large 8-10″ plus turtles can handle very cold temps, near freezing.
I do not suggest natural hibernation, where there is ice over the pond, b/c I am not sure if your pond is natural enough to have adequate oxygen in the water. It’s also WAY to shallow for natural hibernation. It’s really hard to see the pond covered in deep snow with your live animals underneath it. You really need to have the proper set-up.
Anyway, if you have further questions about hibernation, correct term is brumation for reptiles, feel free to email me or post more questions.
Cheers,
JJ
Outdoor Pet Store in Barcelona
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