Habitat - Outdoor :: Outdoor set up ideas needed

[kimendo]

Hi,
At the end of the school year I will be taking home two Red Eared Sliders that a student "donated" to my class. I would like to set up some kind of outdoor enclosure for them rather than an indoor tank. I do not have a pond; does anyone have ideas on what I can do?

I live on the water and my husband said we should be concerned with segaulls.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Kim

[marisa]

How big are your sliders? You could get a preformed pond or large stock tank and create a home for them outside. Make sure they have some shade to go to when it gets hot.

Since you're near the water, you need to be concerned not only with predators (your husband is right) but also making the enclosure escape proof.

[kimendo]

Hi Marisa,
Thanks for the quick reply! One is small - I'm guessing just at 4 inches, and the others are about 6 inches. One will go back home with the student that owns it.

I've seen "pop up" type ponds in catalogs, but they are open on top so those are out. I appreciate your suggestions!

Kim

[marisa]

You could use something like 1/2 inch hardware cloth (a mesh wire you can buy at hardware store or places like Home Depot) to create a sort of covering for the enclosure. I'm not sure if gulls would be able to easily take off with turtles the sizes of yours, but better safe than sorry.

[Turtleboy]

doesn't it get really cold in newyork over the winter? not sure if RES can hibernate... have you thought of using those black rubber pond lining and stapling it to a custom made box frame? kinda like this one..
http://www.koi.com.my/cgi-bin/koiforum/ ... st=7634699

[ellman605]

hmm, how well do you think a regular rubbermaid would do in the ground? thats an idea if it's just to take them out every now and then

[tinyslider]

kimendo, I was thinking about the same thing. I posted a new topic on the same thing without checking the new posts. Oops! Look at my post about the backyard turtle pond. The link is from some turtle owners in New York. I like the way they showed the step by step. I hope this helps.

www.mbzponton.org/kc2oqg/pond.html