Turtletopia
The Turtle Lover's Utopia
Archive for July, 2009
Advice Column: Can a red eared slider survive winter in a pond in NY
Question from Colleen:
My mother has a red eared slider who is about 8 months – 1 yr old. She recently has become ill which makes it difficult for her to care for her turtle. My sister has a beautiful pond in her backyard. We live in Utica NY. Can Red Eared Sliders stay outside in our climate?
Colleen,
Red eared sliders can be kept outside. However, for the winter months that needs to be reconsidered carefully.
I’m not familiar with the seasonal climate of Utica, NY, but I suspect that a backyard pond would fully freeze, from top to bottom, during the winter months. Since red eared sliders that do hibernate (because it is actually not a requirement for a captive red eared slider to hibernate, nor is it recommended) would need a pond that has a thick, leafy and muddy bottom and is several feet deep in order to do so. I don’t believe your sisters pond would provide this, making it an uninhabitable place for the red eared slider. In general, you’ll find that most people bring their red eared sliders indoors during winter months.
My recommendation to you? Contact the New York Turtle and Tortoise Society to see if they have a program where they can take in captive turtles that can no longer be cared for by their owners. If they can’t help you, I’m sure they can at least point you in the right direction.
Good luck!
When Turtles Attack
“Turtle Attacks Strawberry!” by Gwen Turner-Juarez on Flickr
Cuteness. Overload.
Advice Column: What To Do With Turtle On Doorstep
Question from Mr Turtle Head:
What do I do when a turtle sits outside in front of my door?
Mr Turtle Head,
As it turns out, that turtle is probably on its way to its nesting area and saw your doorstep as a nice safe basking spot at the exact moment he/she wanted to take a rest. (Take heart…it means your home is very welcoming!)
While in general, you can simply pick up a turtle by getting a firm grasp of their shell on both sides of their body and moving them to a safe area in the direction they were already pointing, you do need special instructions if the turtle happens to be a snapping turtle.
Snapping turtles come in two variations: Common Snapping Turtle and Alligator Snapping Turtle. They are equipped with extra long necks that allow them to reach around and to their sides as far back as the middle of their body, if not more. So it is *very* easy for you to lose a finger or get a really nasty cut if the snapping turtle is not treated with respect.
Here is a great video that can show you how to…somewhat safely…move a snapping turtle along.
(Notice how this turtle is already poised in attack mode with its mouth open…scary!)
Good luck!
Turtle restoration helps endangered species thrive
Conservationist Virginia Grimley holds one of the western pond turtles that will be released in the Columbia River Gorge this month. – Courtesy of the Oregon Zoo
“The Oregon Zoo is releasing nearly 60 endangered western pond turtles in the Columbia River Gorge this month, part of an on-going effort to restore a Northwest native that has teetered on the edge of extinction.
The turtles won’t be easy prey for bulldogs and bass. They’ve spent much of the year at the zoo under lights, which simulates perpetual summer and causes them to pack three years of growth into 11 months.
“The lights trick the turtles into thinking it’s still summer so they don’t go into hibernation,” said David Shepherdson, the zoo’s conservation program scientist. “The turtles grow and grow.”
Once the turtles reach a suitable size of about 70 grams, slightly more than two ounces, they are returned to their homes and monitored for safety.
“Since the turtles are larger, predators such as non-native bullfrogs and large-mouth bass are no longer threats,” Shepherdson said. “
