Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi All,

As some of you know I was asking alot of questions about outdoor ponds and spotted turtles. Well I am still planning on doing a pond but after learning more from you all it will be much larger then originally designed meaning it will not be until closer to this fall.

As a result, I have a pair of spotted turtles now that are breeding. Currently I have then pair housed in a little kids swimming pool. I would like ideas/suggestions for a temperary enclosure that will be good for them to lay in and accomedate their needs. Will basically be for about 3 months time.

Any suggestions? If I submerge my pool I have now int he dirt and do a temp fence, does it have to go underground?

Thanks,
Scott

you could just take a cat litter pan (get a big enough one) and fill it with sandy soil and put it in the pool as the basking spot, with some brick steps up to it, to use for a while. That would probably work.

Another option is to take the female out in the evening and put her in a big bin with several inches of packed sandy soil on the bottom for the night. Then move her back in the morning.

Yet another idea would be to make a temporary pen in the yard with wood or whatever, and use a big cement mixing tub (they sell these black plastic tubs at lowes for like ten bucks, get the biggest one) and use that for their temporary water area. My temporary pen is 8x8 and I do this right now with this pan. Soon I will have my pens expanded and pond built, but it's working fine for me now, the pan is big enough for my two spotteds and two small wood turtles to enjoy.

Hey,

Thanks for the info.

With a temperary pen made and the cement mixing tub, do I need to bury the walls below ground like how my eastern pen is constructed?

Scott

mine are four inches deep, but I have yet to see them dig except in winter when they burrowed into the mulch pile (I pulled the tub out for winter and filled the hole with a gaint mulch pile)