RAUK - Archived Forum - Terrapin from Totteridge

Collected today from a duck pond in Totteridge, I believe she's a red bellied slider, if anyone knows different or can confirm please let me know. It appears that she was outside for quite a while as there is a large amount of algal growth on the upper carapace. Though Mr. Nelkin who caught her believes she was only in the duck pond for the last few weeks. He had experience of a red ear in the pond a few years back which had an impact on the local moorhens so wisely called Froglife who called me to arrange its collection.

(I will just add the RSPCA advice was "don't touch it as it probably has salmonella", very helpful)

Hi Martin, I didn't catch it, though went up on Friday in poor weather and saw nothing, the guy who caught it lives next to the pond and simply picked it up off its regular basking spot a few feet out from the edge on a submerged rock yesterday.

She's quite small at 11cm carapace so ok for now in an aquarium, but if I get any more I'll bring the lot down to you. (though my son might object as he has already named her "Gemma" ) One is about all I could cope with indoors from my memories of them!

The moorhens apparently didn't breed for 3 seasons when the red ear was around, they normally have 3-4 clutches each year successfully so this is unusual - if it was linked to the red ear I do not know, though the pond is used by common frogs and I've seen first hand what a terrapin can do to them.

Have you got any ideas on how to remove the algal growth from the carapace?

Prawns !, not even I get prawns Martin

We didn't notice much problem with the Moorhens when we had the terrapins, (maybe the pond size and available food has something to do with it) what we did notice was the drop off in newts, which seem to be recovering now the terrys have gone.

As for the RSPCA, well, use of a .22 was mentioned

Mike.

Hi Martin,

Just to say the prawns and watercress are big hit, she's feeding well  and most of the algae has died now that she can bask and dry out completely. Thanks for the advice.

 You know what guys, call me sad, but I can't believe you can dote over that terrapin when they wipe out our natural pond life devouring huge amounts of frog/toad spawn. I found half eaten frogs barely alive from those bl**dy things. If I wasn't such an avid herpto I'd air gun the lot of them! 0)

Well Rob, fair comment, but she's still alive and well in her tank, and only eats salad most of the time these days!

I've seen the results of a terrapin on the rampage also, but don't see it as the terrapins fault, only the fault of the idiot that released her.

I've also seen frog populations devestated by foxes, corvids and PEOPLE and agree with your solution at least for the later group.

Hi Gemma,

Can I suggest that you add some cuttlefish bone to the diet also. I know prawns offer a good protein boost and some calcium but often cuttle fish as whole chunks in the water or powdered and sprinkled onto dampened food will help reduce any difficiency problems. Though this will only be effective if it receives enough sunlight to promote Vit D. Phosphorus is also indicated when helping to restore proper bone, beak, claws,plastron and carapace growth.... I'm sure that I am saying things that you already know but thought it was worth mentioning.

Kind regards

Brett.

I once had a total of thirty of the little critters that had been rescued from sewers, ponds, waterways and mindless people. It's a thankless task but I agree with Justin, it's not their fault....

 dear all,

 I agree with all that you say about it not being their fault. Good to see such passion from avid enthusiasts. On the qusetion of diet Gemma, if you're going to take Bretts advice with the cuttlefish, why not go to a delicatessan and get some frogs legs!!! Lol 0:)

Hi Brett,

Thanks for the advice, she gets some artificial UV and a dust on supplement at the moment (though most just floats in the water) so I'll try her with the cuttlefish lumps. We're also planning an outdoor reptiliary so she can get more natural light during the summer.

She turned out to be a yellow-bellied slider once all the algal blemishes disappeared and seems far more veggie than red ears I've kept in the past.

I doubt if she'll be alone long, I've just set up a reptile survey at an EWT site and they are fairly sure they have a biggy in one of their flooded gravel pits, anyone got a spare dingy!

Tony -

>We have a 'slider' at Norden on a farm pond in a camping site,

Norden, is where ?, if not to far from me I could have a go at catching it for you if needed. We had 11 and caught 9, remaining 2 died for one reason or another.

>He or She is dinnerplate size and consumes everying, moorhens, chicks and adults, and mallard ducklings.

Now is this realy the case ?, there were a lot of press 'reports' a few years ago about what they will eat, but we never did get to the bottom of it. In our case we did not seem to loose ducklings and the like, but did see a drop off in frogs, toads, newts, and fish, these have recovered since we caught the terrapins.

Another local park close by had an Alligator Snapper for many years, sumo sized beastie, now that one really did munch it's way through the wildlife, whatever came close enough went down it's neck. Fortunatley it got caught when the pond was drained for repairs.

>The farmer has even tried to shoot it,

This is what the RSPCA reccomended (off the record of course !).

>one smart chelonian.

They do get very wise to local conditions, we could never catch more than 2/3 a year, the remainder learned very quickly from their compatriots capture.

Mike.

Hi Gemma,

I live about 2 min from that pond at there are definately still one or two indivduals at that pond.

Jamie