Basking turtles, such as red ear sliders, can be a nuisance for most backyard ponds. Proper turtle trap placement can mean the difference between reducing your turtle population and wasting time and money. Consider these factors to have the most success in ridding your pond of turtles.
Turtles can negatively impact a pond's ecosystem by competing with baitfish for pelleted fish feed and consuming fish eggs and young fry.
Most turtle traps are designed to capture these turtles alive for removal and relocation. If you plan to relocate them, consult your local Game Warden to avoid transferring your turtle issue to another area.
Additionally, when handling turtles, it's important to wear gloves or thoroughly wash your hands afterward, as turtles are known carriers of salmonella.
The ease of trapping turtles in your pond largely depends on the size of the turtle population.
Removing turtles from a small pond can be quite challenging. However, in a pond with a large number of turtles, you can place your trap almost anywhere and achieve success.
Over time, in such cases, you'll need to adjust the trap's position more strategically to maintain effective trapping. To save time and effort, it's generally best to position the trap correctly from the start, so you don't have to worry about it later.
When deciding where to place your turtle traps, several factors should be taken into account.
One key consideration is ensuring you can easily access the trap to remove the turtles. Without a boat or other equipment to set or empty the trap, you may be restricted to positioning it near a dock or the shore. This can reduce the trap's effectiveness, as it allows the turtles to reach more familiar and accessible structures. Ideally, the trap should be positioned as far out in the pond as possible.
Another factor to consider when determining the best location for your turtle trap is the existing habitat. Does your pond or lake have numerous natural basking spots for turtles, such as logs, stumps, rocks, or islands protruding above the water? If so, you should position your trap away from these features.
If you place the trap too close to natural basking locations, they'll draw some of the turtles away from the trap, reducing the trap's effectiveness.
The last consideration for placing your turtle trap is the size of your pond. In a smaller pond, you might need to position the trap nearer to the shore due to limited space, though this location is less appealing for turtles to bask.
Conversely, in a larger pond, avoid setting the trap in the center, as this is often the deepest area, and turtles generally do not venture into these depths.
Remember, Pond King turtle traps are designed for basking turtles and won't typically attract or trap other types of turtles, especially snapping turtles. If you have any other questions on turtle traps and their placement in your pond, contact one of our fisheries biologists.