Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

jen23 · Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 12:10 pm Post subject:

i have two yellow bellys n i have to keep them in heated water, are red ears more tolerant of cold or will anything just acclimatise? pond would look great!
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Jennifer

Central Scotland Reptiles · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 1:12 pm Post subject:

Many moons ago i used to take in unwanted Red Eared Terrapins. I was given so many to re home that i couldn't house them in glass aquariums so i decided to build a pond in the back of my ( mum and dads at the time ) back garden.
They were totally enclosed so there was no danger of them getting out. But they lived outside, in Scotland, for a good 5 years before i managed to find a new home for them all at a local Butterfly Centre.

They can be a real pest in some areas, where they eat almost anything they can fit in their mouths.
It is illegal to release ANY non native species into the British Countryside.
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Fraser Gilchrist
Central Scotland Reptiles - "Finding Beauty in the Beasts"

Peter Parrot · Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 9:18 pm Post subject:

That`s a big red ear!

I have seen red eared terrapins at several sites in England and Wales. They are extremely detrimental to amphibian populations and it is grossly irresponsible to release them as well as illegal. I think that the "Teenage mutant ninja turtle" craze a few years back led to a multitiude of terrapins being bought as pets Nationwide which were then discarded when they started to grow and people began to realise how much space was needed to accomodate them.

As MJ said, our climate is not dissimilar to North America. We have less extremes, milder winters and summers. The milder winters means of course that terrapins in GB would have an easier time of it compared to in their natural home. When Autumn arrives, they will simply dig down into the banks of their homes and hibernate.

The milder summers may perhaps be a problem for breeding purposes which is just as well. I have no doubt that mating takes place here and it is certain that eggs will have been deposited also. The main factor which hopefully prevents red eared sliders from breeding successfully over here would most likely be the lack of periods of consistent weather with temperatures sufficient for successful incubation of the eggs as well as a lack of suitable laying sites. It may just be possible however that freak summers (such as the summer before last) may just provide enough consistent hot weather to enable the odd clutch to hatch.
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quasimodo · Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 5:59 pm Post subject:

As they are such a potential risk to our indigenous wildlife, should they be captured whenever possible and taken to a wildlife sanctuary ?

Sue

Peter Parrot · Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 7:43 pm Post subject:

Bri. · Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:05 am Post subject:

There are loads of the things in Roach Park lake in Cardiff.

Mememe · Site Moderator Joined: 23 Dec 2005 Posts: 2141

jen23 · Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:29 am Post subject:

no need to buy them if you can catch them!! free terrapins for all!! they're not that fast!
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Jennifer

Bri. · Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:12 pm Post subject: