I just bought a house in Upstate NY with a 100'x50' pond on the property. It has large golden fish in it (Not sure if they are Koi) as well as many smaller ones. Recently we have seen two alligator snapping turtles walking around the pond and are worried they are eating the fish. Is there a way to get rid of these things? I have two small children (Under four years old) and have safety concerns too. I have lots of other questions about maintaining the pond and fish, but need to read through the newbie section first I guess.
New pond and snapping turtles
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JBtheExplorer
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I suppose the best way to get rid of them is to relocate them to another body of water, best within 5 miles.
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You can pick snapping turtles up by the tail, just hold them away from yourself. We used to trap them, regular snappers that is. Caught 17 out of a 2 acre catfish pond one year, they'll do some damage to a pond. Alligator snappers are pretty rare and range further south, are you sure they're not just regular snappers? Alg snappers are endangered in several states.
fishin4cars
True friends just call me Larkin
Actually picking them up by the tail is very incorrect. Picking them up by the tail can cause spinal injury that doesn't show up for several days to weeks later. The correct way to pick them up is to pick them up by the shell just above the rear legs. For removal I suggest a live trap for turtles. In a pond that size they will only do minimal damage but yes they can do damage to even large fish. I too think these are common snappers and not alligator snappers. Alligator snappers are really very rare and even rarer to see on land at all.
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The way I was taught but that does make sense.
Mmathis
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Why not check with your Wildlife & Fisheries Dept.....
JBtheExplorer
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I shared this video on here a few weeks back after I had to move a Snapper across a highway and was curious to the best way of doing it. This video is from the toronto zoo
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Thank you for posting this, very helpful.
fishin4cars
True friends just call me Larkin
That's a common snapper, not an alligator snapper. dead giveaway is the shell. They can be quite dangerous to little fingers when on land. They are actually very accurate eaters in the water, If they bite they pretty much plan on eating it. On land they will whip and bite at anything in self defense. In a large healthy pond they are actually quite beneficial to the eco system if there is a check on how many are in there. Problem is, if you see one, then there maybe more. There are turtle traps designed to safely remove them alive.
OK thank you. I will check around for traps. I have a regular "Have a heart" trap, if I put some chicken in there will they go in to eat? I will try and get some shots of the pond for everyone.
The house has been vacant for three years, so who knows what the fish have been eating, and what kind of surprises I'm going to find in there.
The house has been vacant for three years, so who knows what the fish have been eating, and what kind of surprises I'm going to find in there.
Mmathis
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What does a turtle trap look like? Does it go in the water [I would assume] or on the land? Interesting, and so glad I don't have to worry about those guys in my pond, LOL!
fishin4cars
True friends just call me Larkin
http://www.dunnsfishfarm.com/turtle_trap_46_ctg.htm
I don't like posting a link to advertising but I didn't know how else to post. This isn't a spam to try and sell for them. There are other makers of turtle traps out there. this just happens to be the one I have. I like it because it's humane. If I check it daily when out every single turtle can be relocated. My biggest problem is I have a florida softshell that gets in the trap all the time and I like him in the pond. getting him out and letting him go when others are in the trap at the same time can get a bit tricky.