Keeping Terrapins In The Garden.

[Richb2004v2]

We have had several box terrapins for the past two years or so. They have all been doneted to us by friends. They wander around the garden and seem quite happy. We feed them daily and have a water container that they use. I know that the right thing to do would be to release them into the wild, but I enjoy having them and so does my wife. I have considered building some sort of small pond that they can access as I'm sure they sould have more time submerged. My garden is only small so there are limits to what I can do.

Has anyone else got or had Terrapins, and if so how do you keep them?

[The Dan Sai Kid]

My friend put a pond in his garden and put some terrapins in them, after 2 days a snake had got in and ate them!

[Jet Gorgon]

My friend put a pond in his garden and put some terrapins in them, after 2 days a snake had got in and ate them!

Hi, Rich. Friends had one in a big water tank, but your garden sounds like a better environment. You could build a small pool but unless you have a pump, the water gets murky and turns to algae quickly. Maybe dig a hole and put in a kiddie pool you can refill every day?

[leisurely]

I have to say I am surprised that a snake ate the terrapins, un ess they were babies. I can remember watching Pet rescue (or somesuch twaddle) in the UK. Around 10 years ago there was a programme called mutant ningja hero turtles, anyway, this started a craze for terrapins. Predictably children grew bored of them and set them free in village ponds, rivers, sewage works etc. The RSPCA would have to go and trap them as they had grown so large they were eating the wildfowl!