Do I have snapping turtles..?

[CptHammer]

Hello all

I'm new to all of this - I adopted six ducklings in June. I have a half acre pond that I'm sure they will love once I release them to free range during the day. Before I do that, I want to be sure that I don't have any snapping turtles hiding out in the pond. I've lived here just over a year, and I've never seen any signs (that I know of) that there are any, but I also haven't had much time to spend on the pond. I've found a lot of information on getting rid of them.. but don't know the signs they are there in the first place.

Does anyone have advice on this? How obvious would it be?

 

[Jessicx]

We have a large pond outside of the house, and it's obvious there are turtles because you always see their heads sticking out. They can sense vibration, so if you can walk up to the pond and wait, I would expect you would see them come up for air eventually. We also find them occasionally wandering around the ranch. This time of year, there would be a lot of babies swimming around, so you should be able to see them. We also have an egret and several vultures that stay in the area because they eat the baby turtles. Maybe try floating several tree branches into the middle of the pond, as the turtles will climb on it to bask in the sun.

 

[CptHammer]

We have a large pond outside of the house, and it's obvious there are turtles because you always see their heads sticking out. They can sense vibration, so if you can walk up to the pond and wait, I would expect you would see them come up for air eventually. We also find them occasionally wandering around the ranch. This time of year, there would be a lot of babies swimming around, so you should be able to see them. We also have an egret and several vultures that stay in the area because they eat the baby turtles. Maybe try floating several tree branches into the middle of the pond, as the turtles will climb on it to bask in the sun.

Thanks for the input! I will try putting some branches out.

I thought it would probably be obvious, but this is the first time I've lived on property with a good habitat for them so I wasn't certain.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I don't think snapping turtles climb out on tree branches and bask as other water turtle do. I maybe wrong. But they will come up for air and mostly lay hunkered down waiting for prey to swim by.

I'd place some baits out using some kind of meat lots of info on you tube on how to bait.

They will kill and eat young water fowl and maime and eat adults. Depending on size of the turtle. We have some huge ones here in the mt river down below our home. Didn't even know till the river flooded one year and they were washed up.

 

[Isaac 0]

I bet you have some snapping turtles in there.You can buy some traps.I had a Runner duck who's head got chopped off by a snapping turtle in a crick.

...The chickens loved the snapping turtle meat

 

[Miss Lydia]

Oh gosh sorry for your loss MasterOfClucker snappers are awful predators.

 

[CptHammer]

Thanks! I'll just assume they are there and set up some traps. Much better to be safe than sorry where this is concerned..