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Posted by vidusa on April 09, 2003 at 16:29:21:

In Reply to: Re: Outside Pond for Spotteds posted by Jesse S. on April 09, 2003 at 00:26:21:

I think they'll likely to drown in a pre-fab pond. I'd create a marsh for them. Dig out a pond about two feet deep, lay down plastic or rubber, put in about a foot of peat-dirt mix, and let it settle, get the water only a foot deep, plant grassy vegation or few shrub bushes, and they'll like that much better. Follow directions on building a Bog, or wet meadow. Or let you grass grow high, and build and inter-connection network or rivelts a 6 inches to a foot wide each, with about the same of ground between them.

:I have 3 spotteds and I would highly recommend using liner instead of the pre-fab ponds. Spotteds are poor swimmers and like shallow, well planted water w/ easy access in and out. They also love to come out of the water and search around a land area as well as bask. I used to have a pre-fab pond but I took it out and built a pond w/ a liner after one spring because it was certainly anything but ideal for them. I use ferns and other plants for the land area and water hyacnth and lilly's in the water area. The water is fairly shallow and the pond is about 12 by 8 feet w/ a large land area. The walls around the land area are treated wood 12 inches high w/ a lip. I also have a retractible top covering the whole enclosure I built using a pully system. I put this down at night or when I'm not around as there are hawks and racoons in my area. You will need a pretty large pond for 5-6 spotteds. I live in CT by the way, and they are brought in for the winter.

:-Jesse

:
::Hey all,

::Well i think i am going to buy one of the hard plastic pond liners and palce it outside so I can use it from my spotted turtles...you know sank in the ground. Anyhow have some questions.

::How tall to the walls enclosing the pond need to be? How far under the ground?

::How big of a pond for 5-6 spotted turtles?

::I live in Michigan but not worried about hibernating them outside I will be hibernating them inside like i have been.

::What type of filtration do i need?

::What types of plants inside the pond and on the ground outside of the pond..in the pen?

::Thanks,
::Scott

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Follow Ups:

oldie but a goodie on bogs nathana 04/10/03 (1)
- Re: oldie but a goodie on bogs CAREFUL bloomindaedalus 04/10/03 (0)