Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a big beautiful outdoor pond. Anyone come up with any ideas as to how to contain escapee turtles? My pond is about 500 gallons, small waterfall, lined with large flat rocks. My turtles climb out and escape. Most I have found, but some are lost forever. I have tried many things, even lining area with plexiglass, but that gets dirty and is ugly. The turtles can climb any rocks no matter how slippery or vertical. I would love to keep them and I know the environment is perfect. But curiousity keeps them exploring. Thanks

you might want to try putting chicken wire over the top. It wouldn't be too pretty, but i think it'd work....

There are those little bamboo fence sections which you could put around the perimeter to fence them in or even use some Pennsyvania wall stone to build up a nice rock wall around the the pond. It would have to be too high just as long as the top layer creates a an overhang into the pond. then (of course) you would need something inside the pond for the turtles to climb up on to to bask.

Go to our Turtlerescues.com and under ponds folder in the photo section you can see my moat style pond.

Steve

Steve- Thank you - I went to your website. The ponds are inspiring. Probably won't work for me though. My pond is in front yard. Backs up to the house on one side and to the walkway on the other. I will try to figure out someting though. Has to be asthestic too.

Then I would go for the 12 inch high bamboo fencing that you could border around the pond area.

I had the same problem as you. I originally built a pond in the backyard within the intention of it housing turtles. However aesthetically it is very difficult to provide a wall to prevent escapes and also raccoons,possums, fox, blue herons,etc. The suggestion of bamboo fencing is a good one this looks fairly natural and gets the job done. What i am going to do this summer is building a wall around my pond about 12 inches high. I am then going to plant bushes and and other plants around the outside to hide to wood and make it more eye apealing. Remember you really have to watch out for raccoons they are very good at killing turtles or injuring them horribly and like clean their food in water which brings them in to contact with the turtles

hi, steve. great pond; great piccies. i have a great lot of walnut from a tree i finally cut down and considered putting a piece in the center of my (smallish) pond for turtle (no name yet). i was concerned about its eventually rotting, though.

to o/p: maybe those plastic snap-together fences would be functional AND aesthetic? they're to be had in all sorts of styles, and the slats probably close enough together to thwart turtles' meanderings.

Build a strawbale wall and stucco it, you can buy mini bales at Micheals, or buy them from a feedstore, stucco the outside of the bales et voila!! Or build a border which leans back INTO the enclosure thus preventing them from climbing unless they are Edmund Hilary.
Ciao
B

I will try that- thanks. sounds neat, but dunno how will look in long run. I also just found some willow edging that you can see through but the turtles shouldn't be able to climb out. Thanks so much for your time and ideas. Can't wait till spring!