I’ve got maybe 7 swimming around in our pond. Have had only one for the last few years. Although I found a raided nest last year along the bank. All the eggs had been dug up and eaten. So, I must have had at least two turtles last year.
They come over to the feeder every time it goes off. I’m ok with that, as the food is gone in seconds, and the turtles seem very slow.
So, the question is, what else are they eating? I thought snappers ate fish, I guess the painted turtles do too? My pond level is down due to drought and small leak. Am I losing fish, for whatever reason?
I’m assuming the painted turtles eat up the dead fish right away. So, maybe I’m losing fish and don’t realize it?
The other day I fished fairly hard for a few hours. Afterwards when I was hand throwing some fish food out, a larger YP came up towards the shore, swimming upside down. I thought maybe it was one I had on earlier, but didn’t land and was stressed. It hit the bank, flipped over and swam off.. I have no idea what that was all about. Practicing backstroke? Maybe my increased turtles are cleaning up??
These are fairly large painted turtles. In the 7 to 9 inch range across the shell..
thx
Jeff

I think that most people worry about the turtles at first, but we tend to relax our concerns after a while.

First off, eradicating turtles will be a lesson in futility. Build a pond and they will come, and keep coming.

Secondly, I think of them more as pond vultures rather than something like GBH's or otters. I'm sure a turtle gets lucky every now and again, but they are not out there slaughtering our stock, and may be more of a benefit than we realize...by cleaning up the dead and dying.

Now, I told a bow-fishing buddy the other day that if I get more than three snappers showing up at feeding time that he was more than welcome to thin the herd. I have not seen any sliders or painted turtles at my pond this year, but there will be a limit to how many can be sponging off the feed too. I just don't think my buddy will eat those. I may have to feed them to the snappers if they get too abundant. Turtles will eat other turtles.

Turtles will eat just about anything they can catch. Vegetation is easy to catch and so are sick/dying and dead fish or other animals that die near by. A snake might be easier to catch than a fish.

The alligator snapper is very rare around my neck of the woods, in fact, I have only heard of people seeing them. But, they will actually lure a fish with it's worm-like tongue to catch them for dinner. These turtles are probably the biggest threat as they are considered the largest freshwater turtle. I would hate to see what a 200 pound alligator turtle would do to a stocked pond. "FEED ME!"

Thanks Noel. We’ve had a few snappers over the years, but my wife will absolutely not swim in the pond if we have snappers or snakes. So, we don’t let them hang around. She’s fine with painted turtles, although the ones we have now are fairly large. You can also see the moss on their shells as they float around. Ironically we have no “turtle island” for them to hang out and catch some sun. These guys stay floating or swimming 100% of the time. No resting on the bank even.
Not much vegetation in our pond, so I’m wondering what they eat. Hopefully I’m not losing that many fish. I know they will catch very few if any healthy fish, but if I’ve got a lot of sick or dying fish, I’d like to know.

I'm not privy to the type of plants that turtles eat. It's probably a wide variety which may explain your lack of plants. Crawdads can really mow down plant life too if you have an abundance of them.

Animals, in general, will clean up dead fish in a hurry. When I drained my pond a couple years ago it had maybe 1000 - 2 to 4 inch GSF and the snapping turtles, raccoons, possums, herons, etc. had them gone in a couple of weeks which was a real blessing because it stunk to high heaven.

If you are worried about fish loss and the turtles hiding the fact by eating the carcasses before you can see them...I understand your concern. I would spend time at the pond looking for fish heads/remains, or scales sparkling in the shallows, or signs of a "turtle gatherings" at the banks. Apparently water turtles must eat in the water in order to swallow so any signs of half eaten dead fish will be in the water. Otherwise I would suspect land mammals if the remains are on dry land.

Well, I’m not seeing any of that (fish remains or scales), and the fish I’m catching seem healthy. So, I’m guessing the turtles are just hanging out. I’ve got pretty steep banks, so I’ve got very little vegetation. Not super clear water either, which helps keep vegetation down.

Lusk sez, "anytime a turtle catches a fish, the fish deserved it".

I expect they catch an occasional fish but they perform a service by eating the sick, dying or dead ones.

I agree. I’ve got no problems with them being there. Just wondering since I usually have one or two, and now I’ve got seven.. Am I losing more (sick and or dying) fish than I was before? I never see any at the pond. I’ve got blue and green harrons, kingfishers, coons, and possums that are regular visitors. So who knows if I’m losing fish or not.
Still lots are around when the feeder goes off, that’s for sure.

All this brings to mind a question I've been thinking about. How many sliders or red ear turtles are too many? My pond is about 2 acres and the fish are doing great. I have been fortunant to have a 6 ft tall stand of saw grass growing all around the pond in the very shallow water and it has served many purposes. But lately I have been seeing a lot of floating grass stems.I am at the pond 2 or 3 times everyday and at all feeding times. The most turtles I ever see at one time is always 4. They are about the size of a dinner plate. 2 years ago I had one, then two,then 3....Are they cutting down the grass stalks? At what point on a 2 acre pond would you suggest thinning out the heard> How many is too many?

My painted turtles are feed trained and follow my row boat around...i love them

Last year i had teo snappers....the large female laid eggs but they were all eaten by raccoons

The painted turtles eat curly leaf, bugs/larve and injured fish

I have always seen them lined up on logs. They seem to like getting out of the water and sunning themselves. I have no spots for them to sun themselves except the bank. I’ve never seen one on the bank, nor any evidence that they spend time on shore. Mine are always out swimming. Maybe a different variety? I’ve always had several bull frogs along the bank, but just a few smaller bullfrogs, none mature. Still lots of the very large tadpoles, which I believe are bullfrogs. Between the herons and the coons, it’s a rough life living along the shore.

my painted turtles only sun themselves on deadfalls if there isn't enough FA or curlyleaf for them to rest on - 99% of the time they're sitting in FA mats. I like having them around and my 4 y/o loves feeding them pellets

Flame, it is possible the cut grass stalks are signs of a beaver. That was the first thing I noticed when I got my unwelcome toothy guest.

pretty sure no beaver but....I do have wood ducks roosting and on the pond. Could they be cutting the grass? I suppose it could be crawdads but don't think I have very many of those. Wouldn't 4 or 5 turtles be enough for a 2 acre pond just to keep any dead stuff cleaned up?

How about a muskrat?

+1 on the beaver

YEP! +2 on the beaver if you see cut off green pieces floating on the waters surface. Look for a hole cut into the dam area under water.. If visibility is low, take a pole(like a broom stick) where u can feel while looking a hole. they will also build a den in the overflow area and travel daily to the pond.

For the E Texas guys, Do we have Muskrats here? Never have seen them here.

Grass clippings is a sure sign of muskrat. They love to eat the roots of just about anything but really love the roots with some substance. Bulb roots or tuber roots. When we trapped allot of them we grew parsnip in the garden to use as bait.

Look on the sun side of the pond at day break. The side the sun hits first and scan the bank with binoculars. You will see them grooming them self's right at the waters edge every morning. Just doink them with a 22.


I had placed painted turtles in our pond to clean up any un eaten food. After one year they were all gone. Something about our pond they do not like to winter in. Might be the 100% rip rap we have.

http://www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/ondazibe.htm

Interesting info..... I have never seen any sign of them in my 66 years

Pat, I think because as you stated before everything is bigger in Texas.....we renamed ours nutria rats!!!! Ha

Now I have see nutria around here , neighbors pond has some