General Care Discussion :: Catching released pet RES help!

[Millinex]

So there is a pond I go to for fishing, besides the fact I have taken up the project to remove 7 invasive koi from the pond I noticed the other day someone has released 2 small red ear sliders into the pond, they just stay so far off into the pond I can't get to them, probably about 20 feet out, in the middle of the pond (it is small pond.) They are very skittish and won't come to shore for me to grab them they just swim around..

Any ideas how to remove the 2 of them safely? They are not native here and probably will not last through our winter.

[theartbook35]

Maybe I'm stretching far out on a limb here but...

Since it's a small pond, are there any other turtle species living there too? I know these two are non-native, but I doubt they would be willing to wander off at such a young age, from the only water source they know at the moment.

Eventually though, they'll get older, start breeding if they can, and then they will begin to wander elsewhere.

You could just show up quite often, maybe toss some lettuce and tuna pieces in the water for them. I really do doubt they will leave the pond any time soon. Hatchlings are very skittish, so, if they get used to you, maybe after they grow a little more, they might be willing to get close enough for you to snatch them up.

[Millinex]

No there are no other turtles there, only RES, each with probably 6 inch shell lengths or so? I just need them to come close enough to shore for me to net them, but they are super skittish.

[Jeff]

where are you from? I'm from northern Illinois and we have natural habitats filled with RESs...If the water is deep enough turtles can hibernate once the temps. get low enough if that gives you an solace in the matter...

You probally won't be able to catch them...It's hard for me to get my 1 1/4" guy out of a 20 gallon tank haha....they are very fast...

I guess the best advice I can offer is like the post above says; offer them food and for a while do not be a threat...after they see you alot they will get use to seeing you and might get comfortable enough to let you get close...

but just a tip...2 6" RES are going to need at LEASE 120 gallon tank...the rule of thumb is 10 gallon/1" of shell....So if you do decide to catch them remember that you have to house them...

[Millinex]

where are you from? I'm from northern Illinois and we have natural habitats filled with RESs...If the water is deep enough turtles can hibernate once the temps. get low enough if that gives you an solace in the matter...

You probally won't be able to catch them...It's hard for me to get my 1 1/4" guy out of a 20 gallon tank haha....they are very fast...

I guess the best advice I can offer is like the post above says; offer them food and for a while do not be a threat...after they see you alot they will get use to seeing you and might get comfortable enough to let you get close...

but just a tip...2 6" RES are going to need at LEASE 120 gallon tank...the rule of thumb is 10 gallon/1" of shell....So if you do decide to catch them remember that you have to house them...

I live in Colorado Springs CO, high elevation, shallow pond (not near any other water for some distance), etc makes me believe these turtles do not belong here.
I will not be keeping the RES as pets, I will be finding them a proper home, however I am not that proper home.. I already have a Nile monitor to worry about, the last thing I need is to properly house 2 turtles for an extended period of time.
They will probably spend a lot of time in my 500g kiddie pool outside I am using for the koi from the same pond, unless I decide to use totes or something to hold them until I can find them homes.

[Jeff]

Awesome....well my bet advice would be food....owning a reptile u know that there world revolves around heat and food....my turtle LOVES tuna.....maybe u could try throwing some tuna near them for a ale...then they'll reconiz u as a source of food....maybe try checking the shore line around dusk...that's when they r lease active and might be looking for a shallow place to rest....just a couple ideas...g'luck though!!

[TheComputerGremlin]

First suggestion, every day at about the same time, go and feed them. You can try pellets, lettuce, fish, shrimp, whatever you want to try. I'd recommend some of the more floaty things (like freeze-dried shrimp, crickets, or pellets) so you can watch them. Gain their trust, and then you can try to catch them. I'm going to say a net will be the best option as they are fast little buggers and you won't likely be able to just grab them.

Second suggestion, a humane turtle trap. I don't know anything about trapping, but I am going to say that there has to exist traps that catch the animal alive, since turtles are a food source. You can possibly talk to your local wildlife commission about borrowing a trap, or having a trapper come to the area. If you are truly worried about the ecosystem, it would be acceptable for the turtles to be trapped alive or dead. If you are wanting to take them live, you'll need to convey that to whomever you are working with though.

Remember that RES are overpopulated and invasive, so it's possible you won't be able to easily find a home for them anyways. So it may be easiest to let a wildlife commission deal with the situation. (Please don't attack me forum members!)

[Millinex]

First suggestion, every day at about the same time, go and feed them. You can try pellets, lettuce, fish, shrimp, whatever you want to try. I'd recommend some of the more floaty things (like freeze-dried shrimp, crickets, or pellets) so you can watch them. Gain their trust, and then you can try to catch them. I'm going to say a net will be the best option as they are fast little buggers and you won't likely be able to just grab them.

Second suggestion, a humane turtle trap. I don't know anything about trapping, but I am going to say that there has to exist traps that catch the animal alive, since turtles are a food source. You can possibly talk to your local wildlife commission about borrowing a trap, or having a trapper come to the area. If you are truly worried about the ecosystem, it would be acceptable for the turtles to be trapped alive or dead. If you are wanting to take them live, you'll need to convey that to whomever you are working with though.

Remember that RES are overpopulated and invasive, so it's possible you won't be able to easily find a home for them anyways. So it may be easiest to let a wildlife commission deal with the situation. (Please don't attack me forum members!)

I can find homes for just about anything it's a talent of mine I want them alive, if anything I will keep them for an extended time. I'm sure a pool will do fine for them the summer, and durring the winter I can probably set something up pretty easily. I build custom enclosures for lizards and snakes so..

[TheComputerGremlin]

That's cool! Does that mean we can send you all of the random turtles on the board that people don't want? j/k

[mikee]

Mill-nex - I have a suggestion for attracting and catching the turtles. In use a 6t casting net to catch my fish bait and turtles. I caught turtles years ago. It will cover 113sq ft and with a little practice you can learn to cast it. To attract them I used floating fish food. It will take a few days to attract them. You will have to trane them to get accustomed to your presence when you feed them. If you decide to try this I have a few pointers on how to be succesful. m.

[Jbenjamin_kuN22]

people release RES all the time though its illegal..... I have a slow moving creek near my apartment in japan, i always see a large maybe female RES just swimming around with FUGU (Blowfish) and Carp and Crabs, im confused because those animals are Saltwater, i hope RES can live in Saltwater.... im pretty d@m sure it aint a Sea turtle lol i know what an RES is i have 3 of them.

people release them in2 the wild cuz theyre lazy... properly releasing custody of pets must take a hell of a lot longer than just dumping them at the nearest pond / lake / river / creek......

Shrimp and tuna fishfood, anything that has strong smell i guess would attract them faster... its a good thing they are young ones. i hope u get them out of there or find a safer place... those young ones are adventerous maybe they want to make that pond their kingdom

[adam85491]

the creek could be a branch off a river and have a small amount of salt in it...the creek by my house is the same way and sometimes there are crabs and striper in it.

[Millinex]

Mill-nex - I have a suggestion for attracting and catching the turtles. In use a 6t casting net to catch my fish bait and turtles. I caught turtles years ago. It will cover 113sq ft and with a little practice you can learn to cast it. To attract them I used floating fish food. It will take a few days to attract them. You will have to trane them to get accustomed to your presence when you feed them. If you decide to try this I have a few pointers on how to be succesful. m.

Already looking for a cast net, I'm trying to get one to take out 7 koi from the pond and realized this may be a very genius way to get the turtles to, considering they are always somewhat close to shore.

[theartbook35]

Jax- I like your humane trap idea a lot. Especially if a smelly food is involved. Maybe use a smaller trap, like the ones they use on those "Animal Cops" shows. (Cats tend to figure out how to walk over the trigger, so they can eat the food and not get caught, it's kind of amusing when it's not your job to catch them).

Only thing is, turtles are very observant, and if one sees the other get caught, the trap might not work again. But you never know, turtles might have short term memory loss.