Reptile & Amphibian Forums

In the area of Michigan that I live there are a lot of wild spotted turtles, they can even be found deep back on my property outside the area used as my yard.

I have been thinking about setting up a pond in my yard area once winter passes. My hope would be to get the pond set up nicely to attract some wild spotted turtles to it. The Spotted's being wild would of course be free to come and go as they please I just think it would be really cool to have some wild spotted's living in the pond year round in my yard area which would make for fantastic easy viewing.

I am not very experianced with keeping and or raising turtles so I need some advise on how to set up the pond so that it will be a good set up for this species ... My main concern is setting things up so that they can hibernate in this pond/pond area safely during the cold winter months.

I have a pre-formed plastic pond sitting in my garage that I would like to use, if it would be accetable ... its about 6.5' long x about 4.5' wide x about 10" deep, the center of the pond is about 24" deep.

Any advise would be appreciated!! I dont want to attract them to the pond and then have them die during the winter because they couldnt hibernate correctely.

Thanks in advance!!

buried down at the bottom of the pond or do they hibernate buried down on land?

Im talking in weather that could get -20

I'd recommend digging the pond into the ground. This allows the water temperature to be at least partially regulated by the ground temperature.

Spotteds generally live in shallow water, and are not very good swimmers. Make sure they could easily exit the pond.

I've heard of them hibernating in mud, basically. Some will leave the water and bury into the nearby ground. I imagine if you didn't provide a suitable hibernation site, they would leave and find one on their own. Similarly, spotted turtles will estivate during the summer. If conditions aren't right, they will stay underground until the following spring.

I'm curious what area of Michigan you're in.

China, we have them at our cottage up in West Branch to .. but I hear Great Fen is Spotted capitol!

I am aware that Spotteds are not that good of swimers and prefer shallow waters ... that was kind of why I wasnt sure if they hibernated buried down under water of if they buried them self down into mud/leaves/etc. on land.

So they do most always hibernate buried down on land or its kinda just however they decide at the time?

Glad to here they're doing well in parts of Michigan.

From what I've heard they are generally not under water when they hibernate. I'm sure they will disappear out of your pond before the temps get cold enough to harm them.

would I have to dig down and put it in the ground ... or could I set the pond up above ground (sitting on the ground) and then build up the dirt around it ?

Hello I live in Muskegon Mi and there are plenty of wild spotteds in this county. BUt my captive bred spotties are hibernated outside in three diff ponds. One pond is 12 ft by 12 ft and is 48 inches in the middle and 12 inches around most of it. There is about 2 ft of muck on bottom. My other pond is 4 ft by 4ft and 4ft deep. This also is filled with 3 ft of muck. The third pond is preformed kidney shaped pond that is about 24 in ches deep in middle. I hibernate approx 20 spotts in these ponds for the last 13 yrs and have never lost one. In the summer I have lost sight of spotteds just to later find them burined deep in my leaf piles. I keep my females and juvies inside over winter where they lay extra clutch of eggs each year. I can try and send you pics but its easier to give me your email as this site always says mypics are to big to post on here. Ive sent my pics to others on here. BY the way where is China mi? or Fern gulch?

Are they protected in Michigan, or are they still legal to collect?