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MORE TERRAPIN SITINGS IN SUFFOLK RIVERS. |
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AGILIS
Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1689 |
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Posted: 15 Mar 2007 at 6:54am |
Just reporting that apart from me seeing a large terrapin in the river Lark near Bury St Edmunds last year 2006. another one or two have been sighted in the river Stour in Sudbury near the swimming pool.no sightiings of any crocs yet but I believe some years back anglers fishing the river Nene near Petoborough or Eaton socon sighted one on several occasions near a water out let from a power station be interesting to have these sightings confirmed . KEITH
Edited by AGILIS |
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AGILIS
Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1689 |
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another two terrapins sited on a backwater of the river Stour in Sudbury Suffolk pics recently shown in the local newspaper but not by me do you think they are breeding KEITH
Edited by AGILIS |
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LOCAL ICYNICAL CELTIC ECO WARRIOR AND FAILED DRUID
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Robert V
Senior Member Joined: 06 Aug 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1264 |
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keith, here's some of the vile things from a pond in EF. I can't stand them, don't know about you? R |
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RobV
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AGILIS
Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1689 |
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hi Rob I think its the ninja mutant turtle curse, dont mind them its the the people who dump them & habitat wreckers I hate, some one out there must love them,the only thing is what native species are they devouring. What pond were they out of Rob? keith
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LOCAL ICYNICAL CELTIC ECO WARRIOR AND FAILED DRUID
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Deano
Senior Member Joined: 23 Aug 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 133 |
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I think they are in just about every pond in Epping Forest. Some ponds also have goldfish or/and koi carp, though these make easy prey for heron. How do you catch them? What do you do with them if you can?
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Deano
Better to be lucky than good looking. |
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Davew
Senior Member Joined: 12 Jan 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 105 |
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I did quite a bit of research into these when they starting appearing locally about 10 years ago. I was under the impression that the large ones were totally herbivorous and caused no problems at all (certainly there was no evidence of the 10 or so Red-eared I regularly watched causing any problems)... is this not the case?
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Steg
Member Joined: 07 Sep 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 10 |
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Most adult slider turtles are mainly herbivorous, although RES are generally evil and will eat most things that cross their paths. Unfortunately it is the RES that is present in most turtle sightings after the ninja turtle craze. I've got one as a pet and she eats goldfish on occasion, as well as anything else on offer (including my father's lip!!!) my Cooter turtle however eats mainly vegetables. |
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Romski
Member Joined: 12 Jan 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 9 |
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Hi, Its a bit quiet so I thought I would prompt discussion. I live in the south west and have a liking for the crusty pies. I have built a big pond to keep them as near to nature as possible I have, overtime ended up rehoming a number of discarded animals caught in local ponds and rivers. All have been sad cases. These animals are still being sold in numbers and all are long lived. They are hardy and will easily survive our climate. I expect that as the cute things out grow their tanks more will find their way into our water systems. The eggs need 25 degrees for about two months to hatch. As they probably have a breeding life of say 20 years, my betting is that as it gets warmer we will see young turtles in our waters. The question is will the breeding rate be sustainable? As far as the portrayal of them as monsters is concerned I was disappointed with some of the comments above. I have around a dozen animals with hundreds if fish. I have never seen a turtle catch a fish. The pond is good and sustains a big population of newts. I have seen a newt caught as it swam past a young terrapin. But thats it as far as a murderous nature is concerned. The sliders (incldes the red eared) seem to be the most inquisitive of all the terrapins I have kept and are the first to learn about feed habits. They are bright enough not to be easy to catch in the wild. Please dont give the terrapins a bad press - its the shopkeepers and owners that release into the wild that need the rebuke. One last thing. Snapping turtles are for sale here in UK. They breed at lower temperatures, live longest, grow to be over 50lbs. They are the most probable candidates for being released by bored owners. I have caught them in the wild and do not relish seeing them here in the UK but we will. If I have gon on for too long Im sorry. Romski
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