What Types of Turtles Do You Keep in an Outdoor Pond?

Have you thought about creating an outdoor turtle pond? If you live in one of the warmer parts of the country, you’re a turtle enthusiast and have a large yard, the chances are that you have. But how do you go about it? Follow our guide, and soon you will have a beautiful and fascinating new interest – your outdoor turtle pond.

Is It Legal To Keep Turtles In My State?

It probably is legal, but a couple of states, North Dakota and North Carolina, have made it completely against the law to own a pet turtle. In New Jersey, it is illegal to buy a turtle. Most states have laws relating to turtle ownership, so please check to find out the laws on turtle keeping that apply to your state. You can find more information here.

Do You Have Enough Space?

Is your yard big enough to contain a pond and surrounds that will be big enough to keep your turtles happy? You should be able to fit in a pond that holds at least a thousand gallons. Remember that you will need a surrounding area for basking, wandering, and nest building, and probably space to build a surrounding wall. You also want to be able to visit your pond comfortably – it’s nice to have a seat nearby, perhaps somewhere that is screened from the pond so your turtles don’t get scared by your human presence.

Is Your Climate Suitable for An Outdoor Pond?

If you live in the south, then there should be no problem in housing your turtles outside all year around. The further north you go, the more likely it is that you will have to bring your turtles inside in the colder months to hibernate or to live in an indoor tank. If you live in the far north, then it’s unlikely that an outdoor turtle pond will be practical.

Can You Afford All The Things You Will Need?

It’s not just a hole in the ground. A pond needs a filtration unit (unless it is VERY large), it will probably need oxygenation of some kind, plants, and importantly, a surrounding wall to keep turtles in and predators out.

Selecting Your Site

Find a site that will not be too shaded by trees, and preferably not near to tree roots that could grow into and damage your pond. Ideally, the site should be away from the daily traffic of people moving back and forth, but close enough to the house so it is easy to visit and see.

Digging Your Pond

Depending on the size of the pond, you can dig it by hand, or perhaps you can hire a small mechanical digger to make the job easier. Make sure that you have a leak-proof lining unless your soil is almost pure clay. Only the largest pre-formed ponds are suitable for turtle ponds.

Your pond needs to have a number of levels from deep to very shallow to accommodate the needs of your pets. Shelves are also useful for positioning plants at various depths of water. Make sure that you incorporate climbing-out ramps so that your turtles can easily get out of the water.

Filling Your Pond

Depending on the kinds of turtles you aim to keep, make sure that there is a sufficient amount of soft silty mud or of gravel in the bottom of your pond. In a large pond, you may be able to have both. If you plan to have plants in your pond, then you can obtain these in special planters that can be anchored to the bottom of the pond. (We like to incorporate large-leaved plants such as water lilies into our ponds.) Position rocks and hardwood logs securely if you plan to use these as basking areas for your turtles.

Most people will fill their pond with tap water to begin with. Remember that this water has chemical additives, and leave your pond for at least a couple of weeks before adding any animals to it. If you can allow your pond to fill naturally, or if you can fill it with rainwater you have collected, then that is so much the better.

Protecting Your Turtles

A turtle pond should have a surrounding wall to prevent them from escaping and also to protect them from predators. Remember that some turtles are good climbers, so a sheer wall is best. Don’t forget to leave them land space around the pond for foraging, sunbathing, and nesting. When you have hatchlings, you might want to put a mesh net over the whole pond to prevent birds from swooping down and eating them.

Filtration And Oxygenation

Turtles poop a lot, and in an artificial pond, this poop can build up and create an unhealthy environment. Having a filtration unit is a must. At some times of the year you might want to oxygenate your pond. A simple way of doing this is to have a floating solar fountain or two.

Plants For Your Pond

Although you will be providing your turtles with food, some turtles do like to eat plants. Plants also provide homes and food for insects that turtles might like to eat. They offer hiding places, shelter, and shade, and of course, they make the pond look attractive.

Here are some plants that you might want to consider for your pond:

• Water lettuce – helps keep your pond clean by removing nitrogen and ammonia from the water. It’s also good for algae control
• Water hyacinth – this is a very vigorous plant that turtles love to eat. It has beautiful lavender flowers which make your pond look lovely.
• Fairy moss – this floating plant can become a real nuisance, but turtles love to hide underneath it, and it is very easy to scoop out if it gets out of control. (You can put it on your compost heap).
• Carolina fanwort – this plant is mainly submerged under the water, so it is not very picturesque but it is a good oxygenator
• Tape grass – grows in warmer water, it provides a home for insects and helps oxygenate the water.
• Dwarf bulrush – a plant for cooler climates, growing to about two feet tall along the edge of your pond. This is an insect attractor that turtles like to nibble.
• Java fern – a plant that turtles won’t eat, so it’s useful for providing shade and cover.
• Duckweed – this amazingly fast spreading plant is perfect for a new pond as it creates cover and prevents the growth of algae
• Purple pickerel – with its heart-shaped leaves and purple flowers this is an attractive addition to your pond. It is dormant in the winter and can tolerate freezing temperatures if the roots are well established.
• Tiger lotus – this is a very beautiful plant but is considered invasive in some areas, so make sure you are allowed to use it in your pond.
• Water lilies – everyone recognizes a water lily, and they come in a wide variety of sizes and colors to suit every pond and more or less every climate. Their flat leaves provide shade and shelter, and even landing places for tiny turtles.
  Feeding Your Turtles

Once you have chosen the turtles for your pond, you can check on the kinds of food that they enjoy. You can of course give them manufactured turtle food, but they will do best if you can offer them natural food. Plants, insects, crustaceans, and fish are the main part of a natural turtle diet.

The Best Turtles For Your Outdoor Pond

This is the exciting part! Once your pond is established, you can begin stocking it with pond-loving turtles. It’s best to select turtles that are native to your area. If you have an exotic turtle, and by some mischance, it escapes, it could create problems for the native turtle population. (In fact, you should be very careful that your turtles, native or not, don’t escape. There is always a danger that they might carry disease or be genetically weak.)

Be very sure that you are following all the laws and regulations relating to turtles in your state. Buy only from recognized sources such as licensed breeders or pet stores. Please resist the temptation of catching wild turtles for your pond – they are happiest where they are, out in their wild home.

The best chance of having a turtle pond filled with happy, healthy, long-lived turtles is to choose a species that is native to where you live. This means that the turtle will be able to survive in the conditions that you can offer without your having to do things like heat your pond.

If you can manage to purchase a male and a few females of the same species and provide appropriate nesting sites, you will even be able to breed turtles in your pond. A knowledgeable seller will be able to tell males from females very easily. Here are some suggestions for turtles that will enjoy your pond environment. there are many to choose from, but these are the some that will do well and are easily and inexpensively obtainable.

The Midland Painted Turtle – Chrysemys picta marginata

The Midland painted turtle is a member of the painted turtle family. It has a beautiful black carapace with delicate red lines and a red patterned edge. The plastron is mustard yellow, and it has a neck with red stripes and a head with yellow stripes

Females grow to be as much as ten inches long, and the males are a bit smaller, as is the case with many turtle species. They will really enjoy your pond if it has a lot of vegetation and a muddy bottom. They need to bask in the sun, so make sure that your pond has rocks and fallen logs where they can perch. As they spend most of their time in the water, they may be hard to spot. In the winter, they hibernate, so you will need to bring them indoors where they can overwinter in a suitable indoor aquarium.

The Red-eared slider – Trachemys scripta elegans

The red-eared slider is one of the larger pond turtles, growing to 16″ long carapace, although 8″ is more common. One of the world’s most popular pet turtles, it is very easygoing and can adapt to most circumstances. You can recognize this turtle by the splash of red on the side of its head.

Red-eared turtles must bask in the sun to regulate their body temperature, so you need to supply them with a choice of basking spots. Red-eared sliders are one of the world’s most invasive species so it is absolutely essential that you don’t allow your pets to escape. They will easily out-compete native turtles in your area.

The Common Map Turtle – Graptemys geographica

Map turtles are very attractive, but be warned – they are sensitive, and need water between 75 and 80 degrees. They are susceptible to disease if the water is not kept well filtered, and you do need to ensure that they have some moving water to enjoy.

As a youngster, this turtle has a dark brown carapace, or upper shell, with yellow, light brown, and orange patterns with dark outlines, giving the appearance of a map. These pretty markings do fade with age. The skin is dark green with yellow markings, with a yellow splash behind the eye. In fact, they are very attractive, and for this reason, you might want to include them in your pond. The males and females vary greatly in size, with the males growing only to 6″ long, whereas females grow to 10″ long and can weigh as much as five and a half pounds.

They have one advantage for the home pond keeper – they don’t eat fish. So if you are interested in keeping fish and turtles together, then this might be the turtle for you. You could also choose other turtles from the map turtle family.

Map turtles like to live in open water with fallen branches that they use for sunbathing. Because they spend November to April under water, absorbing oxygen directly from the water, you need to take this into account and make sure that they either hibernate inside, or you keep your outside pond very well-oxygenated.

The Yellow-bellied Slider – Trachemys scripta scripta

Identified by their bright yellow plastron and the yellow stripes on the side of their head, these vigorous turtles are good for outdoor ponds. They do need warm water, between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Your pond should have plenty of shallow areas and a nice assortment of vegetation – both emergent and underwater. They like to bask and prefer a choice of submerged logs, flat rocks and even floating rafts.

Although they will have the odd nibble at a plant, they are basically carnivores. You can feed them with proprietary turtle food, but they will thrive best if you can give them live food such as small frogs, tadpoles, works, and small fish. They are highly invasive, so you need to take good care that they don’t escape into the wild.