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
