Something for my turtle Lambchop to climb onto in the pond?

[researcher]

Hi; my lined pond has a leak in it. I swear, I've been on my hands and knees around the 12X8-oval pond 4 times to find the tear/slit. No dice. [not-to-mention, I have some active beehives just a few feet from the pond, so ... a sorta stressful and tentative situation]. When I fill the pond to the top (usually takes ~300 gal!), "my" turtle Lambchop can easily crawl to pond-side [see attached photo]. Within 4-5 days the water level drops back down about 8 inches (and stays at that level). Lambchop, I think, has a rough time climbing up to his usual pond-side perch at that stage. I placed some paving stones in the water that he can climb onto, but ... that's not enough, I believe.

Is there some medium I can use that'll float on the surface and be stable enough not to sink if Lambchop -- a football-sized reptile -- saunters onto it? A log might work, but ... that seems like a clumsy option; would go under or roll around if the heavy turtle clambered aboard. The pond's 3' deep in the middle, and a "solid" base of some sort ain't an option either.

Any ideas from the experts? Thx much .....

Mitch

 

[JRS]

I use a plastic patio table with rocks on top in my Rubbermaid tubs. Manufactured floating turtle docks are made of styrofoam, have not seen one big enough to hold up a big slider or cooter. Also they start munching on the styrofoam when it grows some algae on it.

Since these will not work, I would hang the log over the edge at an angle so some of it is submerged, anchor the side outside the pond if necessary to stabilize it. Even better if you can find one with roots or branches that would help stabilize it. Also would be the most natural looking I think.

Then there is this, but in a much bigger pond: https://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=405000

 

[Mmathis]

Awww, what kind of turtle is Lambchop?

 

[researcher]

Awww, what kind of turtle is Lambchop?

Hi -- Lambchop (as far as I've been able to ID, and from observations by others on this website) is...... a Florida cooter. He's a looker, fersher ....

 

[researcher]

I use a plastic patio table with rocks on top in my Rubbermaid tubs. Manufactured floating turtle docks are made of styrofoam, have not seen one big enough to hold up a big slider or cooter. Also they start munching on the styrofoam when it grows some algae on it.

Since these will not work, I would hang the log over the edge at an angle so some of it is submerged, anchor the side outside the pond if necessary to stabilize it. Even better if you can find one with roots or branches that would help stabilize it. Also would be the most natural looking I think.

Then there is this, but in a much bigger pond: https://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=405000

Hi, J; really nice and concise structure for the turtles. Yeah, my pond surface is pretty small, so .... probably not workable. The board-into-water thing sounds like it has possibilities. I may need to go that route. Thx much .....

 

[JMJ]

I have one of the largest premade turtle docks from reptimed or exoterra, i was perfect for the male diamondback terrapin I previously had and worked well for my female Pearl River map turtle. I ended up zip tying my pond pump to the bottom of the turtle dock and zip tied a flat long piece of cypress driftwood onto the top with my pump hose and electric cord attached. I figured this setup would serve a dual purpose in keeping my pump intake off the bottom and add some buoyancy to the dock for Waze to climb on and sun. She typically climbs out of the pond and suns on the concrete, but I like giving her options.

 

[tarry]

Have you considered a stack of 2 or 3 milkcrates? You could put a piece of slate or something similar at the top to provide a surface and to hold the crates down (on their own they float). Inexpensive, easy to set up, easy to move. You might need to work out something to get the height right -- maybe a layer or 2 of bricks at the bottom that the crates sit on -- but that should also be easy.