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Any tips...: |
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Peter Senior Member Joined: 17 Jan 2008 No. of posts: 260  View other posts by Peter |
Posted: 14 Oct 2008 ...regarding terrapin capture? There are a number of terrapins at various sites near me. I have an avenue for "re homing" the animals also. 
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Vicar Senior Member Joined: 02 Sep 2004 No. of posts: 1181 View other posts by Vicar |
Posted: 14 Oct 2008 HI Peter, There's passing reference to capture methods here: LINK Although not aimed at British ecology. My suspicion is that some kind of baited trapping might be your best chance, depending on the habitat. Rivers will always be more difficult than a pond. Any kind of baited trapping is going to be problematic, you'd probably need to design a trap with at least some kind of air supply (maybe one that sits proud of the water?). You may even require a licence, considering the problems with traps re otters and water voles. I've only heard of hand capture in the UK, but this isn't my field of expertise. Steve Langham - Chairman 
Surrey Amphibian & Reptile Group (SARG). |
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GemmaJF Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 No. of posts: 2090  View other posts by GemmaJF |
Posted: 14 Oct 2008 I've tried baited traps, didn't work for me. Stealth is pretty much the only way. I have a similar job to do in the spring, in this case they bask on a raised area out in a lake. I intend to place netting over the basking platform with a draw string.. wait and haul them in. Probably has a 2% chance of working but I can't think of any other way! Gemma Fairchild, Independent Ecological Consultant |
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Mark_b Senior Member Joined: 26 Jun 2008 No. of posts: 79 View other posts by Mark_b |
Posted: 14 Oct 2008 Wetsuit and a wet peter ? 
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wolves121 Member Joined: 17 Apr 2007 No. of posts: 27  View other posts by wolves121 |
Posted: 14 Oct 2008 ive used Gemma's method for catching terrapins at local animal park. it does work but you have to be really quick. look for there favorite basking places set a net over them and leave them for a couple of days. check back to make sure there still being used to bask on, then wait for the right moment seen 328 british sp of birds an 6 sp of brtish reptiles |
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David Bird Forum Specialist Joined: 17 Feb 2003 No. of posts: 515 View other posts by David Bird |
Posted: 15 Oct 2008 From my experience European freshwater Turtles can be very nervous when basking on land or on logs and dive into the water, they do not seem to be anywhere near as nervous if approached from the water and will actually swim up to you and poke around your legs and feet if they are already swimming around . A colleague who works on Emys orbicularis in N.Spain does catch his animals in fish or meat baited traps quite easily. He does have the Red Eared Slider in his area but these, beeing almost totally vegetarian when adult in the wild, do not go into the traps. British Herpetological Society Librarian and member of B.H.S Conservation Committee. Self employed Herpetological Consultant and Field Worker. |
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herpetologic2 Senior Member Joined: 15 Jun 2004 No. of posts: 1369  View other posts by herpetologic2 |
Posted: 16 Oct 2008 A tried and tested method would be a baited hook and line as several fishermen have captured large red eared and yellow bellied sliders while fishing with bread. Using barbless hooks would allow for the animal to be released easily without too much damage - if they are being rescued then they can be taken to the vet for antiseptic treatment and can be kept in suitable viviaria to make sure they have no ill effects. Always a tricky one really as I am sure people would think this is cruel so.... Another way would be to build a small raft for the animals to climb onto let them get use to this for a while and then alter the raft with nets underneath. You then scare the terrapins into the water and hopefully into the nets you then pull th eraft in and hopefully have captured the animals. Using funnel traps would also be another way to capture animals underwater.
jon
Vice Chair of ARG UK - self employed consultant - visit ARG UK & Alresford Wildlife |
- Any tips... |