The turtle's pond

I keep two turtles of this species in a pond outside all the year round. In winter the pond freezes and it often snows. But this turtle range reaches far northern latitudes: Quebec, Ontario, Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire...where the winters are very cold. The pond design takes into account the needs of this species during hibernation (depth, vegetation roots, ease to get out in early spring...)



Hibernation under the ice

              

                       

Regarding the heat, according to the literature this species does not tolerate well the high temperatures.  In spite of this they also live in Florida, warmer than Central Catalonia. In my case there were no problems, but during the summer and especially in the hotter days, I could hardly see them. The summer vegetation creates shadowy areas. They stay in those areas. At the bottom of the pond the temperatures in the hottest summer days were not higher than 26ºC.

Vegetation at the point of maximum growth in the summer

                   
The pond is made using a PVC tarpaulin. What I like of this system is that it adapts to the terrain, giving you the chance to create slopes,different levels...and the pond is constructed much faster than using concrete. The downside is the prize.
It forms levels, the first 50cm depth, another at 20 cm and then it makes a slope until it reaches the land. This species lives in shallow water, this is why the deepest level is 50 cm.
As a substrate I use small size sand, which comes in 25Kg bags in building material stores. I have made a substrate thickness of 5cm. There are stones in the places where there is a sudden level change. The sand serves as a substrate for the plant roots and makes a natural background for the turtles. It also avoids plastron abrasion and it allows the growth of algae, bacteria and invertebrates that help to clean the water from organic matter.

Eating an earthworm

                                           
There is no artificial filtering system in the pond. It is the plant roots and the bacteria that live in the pond that clean the water. The low turtle density and being careful with the food supply are also important factors. A balance has been established and the water remains crystal and, more important, free from ammonia, nitrites and nitrates (I make regular checks with aquarium tests)




Enjoying a natural setup