Habitat - Outdoor :: Pond Question

[Coco]

I have an outdoor pond that is partially under the roof of the house. It also has a waterfall on one end. We have all kinds of plants around the perimiter of the pond and a few plants in the pond (not sure what they are). I am thinking of putting my two RES's in the pond. It is about 4' X 3' approxamately and maybe 2.5' deep.
My concern is that there is no direct sunlight on the pond. We are in S. Florida and it is warm all year around so I am not concerned about temprature. Is not having direct sunlight a problem? My turtles are about 2" wide. I would love to get them out of the tank and into a nice pond. It is very protected and I would put a boarder around it for safety.
Any thoughts would be appreciated! Thanks

[marisa]

They would get some reflected UVB rays even if the sun wasn't shining directly on them (no other barrier like a screen?), but not nearly as much. I'm wondering how much they'd bask without any direct sun, though. Any chance of changing anything so they get the sun for part of the day? Being outside at least for a while would be good, though.

The enclosure should not only be escape proof, but predator proof.

[Coco]

Thank you!
there would not be a netting or anything over the pond at all. I just feel that they would be so much happier in the pond than in their tank, provided that I can set up a good barrier.
I have seen posts with pictures of turtles crawling up the fencing and that makes me nervous.
Also, can frogs pose a threat to turtles? I have a few Bufo frogs living and breeding in the pond. They can always be relocated but there are also tad poles living in the water. I wonder if the RES's would eat them?
Thanks for your help!

[RES Tampa]

We have a similar size pond in our backyard and we have been putting the turtkles out there for a while now. We also have frogs in our pond - no problems so far. The only trick is getting the turtles out at night ( I dont like to leave them out overnight) I have to reach into the pond and find them underwater in the plants and retrieve them but ive gotten prety good at it. They usuallly stay in certain spots. I think the turtles will eat the tadpoles. Not sure if they are harmful to them.

[Coco]

what do you do with them at night time? I wouldn't be taking mine out at night.

[RES Tampa]

We have an indoor tank as well. Btw, what do you use as a filter for your outside pond?

[Coco]

there is a waterfall but I don't think it has a filter. Does it need one? Sorry for sounding stupid.

[marisa]

Not stupid at all. If you've got a waterfall, there must be at least a pump bringing the water to the top of it. Would you know what kind it is?

With turts in the pond, you're going to need a good filter if you don't have one. How do you keep the water clean now?

[Coco]

Yes, there is a pump but no filter. We aren't doing anything to keep the water clean now except for draining it every 5-6 months and refilling it with the hose. There are plants in the pond, only about 3 and an over abundance of tadpoles. Does that mean it is clean enough for turtles? I was thinking of putting in a dozen feeder fish to see how they do over the next month or two. Would that be a reasonable test as far as turtle life goes?
The pond is pretty deep, I can't imagine it getting so dirty that turtles wouldn't be comfortable. We have a small dranage canal behind our house that always has at least a foot of water at all times and can get up to 4 feet with all the rain we get in FL and there are plenty of turtles living there. The water is brownish, definately NOT even close to clear and they seem to be fine. I could never let my guys loose there though, the water looks too dirty.

[tutlehaven]

I wanted to put i a pond also. i have a nice area but they would not get direct sunlight, unless i put it somewhere else. we also live in very south fl. (homestead.) i have already gotten plants and picked out the stones and have a great plan. the only problem is my husband reminded me that most of the year we have too many mosiqitos. i have a plan for a wire cover to keep in and out the predators. i am sure the turts may eat some of the bugs that land in the water, but i am sure that there would be too many bugs to sit out there. any suggestions? i do want the pond. i am looking at a 150 - 200 gal. pond with waterfall and filter. i need to do something, my older turts are getting too big for their 55 gal. tank.

[Coco]

I saw something in the Fosters and Smith catalogue that is a disc or something you put in the pond and it kills mosquitos and or their eggs. Would that be poisonous to turtles?

[birdlady]

They are called Mosquito Dunks and they will not hurt your fish, frogs, turtles, birds or pets. They only kill the larvae of skeeters.

[tutlehaven]

that sounds helpful.my finger hurts at the moment,, i just went and fed my turts carrots adn one got too good a grip on the tip of my finger adn i thought i was going to loose it. (the finger tip.) as i said in another forum, they love me in their tank and i hand feed them. but i picked up dumbledor cause she would not take the carrot. outside the tank they freeeeak!!! ouch!!