Had a couple of fun visitors yesterday!

[BKHpondcritters]

We do occasionally see box turtles on the property and even more occasionally in/near the pond, but yesterday we had both a Shelly AND a Sheldon cooling off in the water!

First I found Shelly hanging out near the lizard tail.

Later we discovered Sheldon chillin' at the base of the pickerel rush.

Shelly relocated, climbing up the side of the waterfall & settling down for a relaxing spa-soak along the stream edge.

 

[cas]

How neat! When you said 'visitors' I was afraid they were the bad kind until I read 'fun visitors'.

 

[addy1]

I have turtle escape ramps in a few of my ponds, so they can get out if they fall in. Long ago I found one drowned turtle, never again.

 

[BKHpondcritters]

I have turtle escape ramps in a few of my ponds, so they can get out if they fall in. Long ago I found one drowned turtle, never again.

The pond has shallow shelves around the majority of its perimeter so they have no problem climbing out when they need to.
What impressed me was how she had to climb to get into the waterfall stream!

Shelly started out under the patch of lizard tail in the foreground/right side. Then she must have swum across & climbed up that rocky slope on the left in order to get in the waterfall. Crazy, acrobatic turtle!

 

[addy1]

The ones they got caught in were the stock tanks, flat walls. Each one has a ramp now for critters. The big pond saw one swimming and hanging out then it moved on. I have seen them in the bog also.

 

[j.w]

Love them turts! Never get any here except for one red ear that must have escaped from a pond nearby. Found it up the road while walking one day. My friend keeps them so gave it to her.

 

[SouthernCross]

Great pic and he looks happy to be cooling off.

I had a red eared slider turtle get into my pond last year. He tore up a bunch of plants and I was worried he might start eating my fish. It was a fight getting him out of there, and hopefully I don't get anymore. But I do see turtles in my yard yearly since I live not too far from a nice size lake.

 

[waynefrcan]

Cute visitor and nice pond!

 

[GBBUDD]

I didn't think box turtles liked to hang in the water. I thought they were strictly forest dwellers.

 

[Tula]

@BKHpondcritters your pond is beautiful ! Love the box turtle pictures, thank you for sharing.

 

[BKHpondcritters]

I didn't think box turtles liked to hang in the water. I thought they were strictly forest dwellers.

They use water to help regulate their temperature as well as for drinking, so while they don't technically *live* in water, they need a constant source readily available.

 

[BKHpondcritters]

@BKHpondcritters your pond is beautiful ! Love the box turtle pictures, thank you for sharing.

Well, thank you very much!

 

[addy1]

They use water to help regulate their temperature as well as for drinking, so while they don't technically *live* in water, they need a constant source readily available.

They lean over to drink, from the pond, and that is how they end up in some of my ponds , they fall in.

 

[BKHpondcritters]

They lean over to drink, from the pond, and that is how they end up in some of my ponds , they fall in.

Yeah, while they are adorable, they certainly aren't the most graceful & coordinated of the beasts.

 

[GBBUDD]

Yet to meet any turtle that was then again strap a Volkswagen to our backs and see how graceful we are