Turtles are way cool to have in a pond..I had a long log to allow the basking in the sun...also..they loved getting in and out on the side rocks of our once upon a time pond...they sure liked being in that pond....like paradise...and I can see why..beautiful pond, falls and landscaping.....Turtles Rule!
An extremely valid point! The turtles are fearless on re-entry into the pond. I would highly recommend all potential basking points created during the construction phase of any turtle pond to be positioned near deeper water. Remember they will likely bask all over the place but do your best to provide them with deep water next to the most inviting sun bathing locations on the pond's edge! The Pond Digger
Gosh, this was one of the first pond videos I watched years ago. It was the main video I returned to several times for information and inspiration when I first built a pond for my turtle. Uploaded 12 years ago. Wow. Still a beautiful location and a great video.
Thanks for sharing your surprise with me morusiba! This made me hold my stomach laughing for five minutes because one time I was responding to comments on videos in bed on my laptop late one evening and the volume on my computer was up full blast. My wife was sleeping next to me and I accidentally started on of our videos! As you can imagine when that sound filled the dark room we both hit the ceiling! She wanted to kill me. So funny!!!!
I had a small terrapin pond many years ago. i remember making a 55 gallon drum into a surge tank that would filter the water and make for an interesting surge back into the pond several times an hour. TURTLES RULE!
Mike has had several different species in his pond over the years and it seems that the R.E.S. is the most interactive and that really appeals to him. They literally follow him around the yard and he is enamored by that. He is still very fond of the common R.E.S. Remember the entire yard is a wildlife habitat for birds, butterflies and insects and with all of his rare plants throughout the yard it is a bigger package than simply a R.E.S. habitat.
Absolutely! One of my first personal ponds was a very small feature approximately 4' x 6' x 18" deep. It was surrounded by terrestrial plants except for where we walked up to feed the fish. Small ponds can be great fun. The Pond Digger
WHAO !!!! Holy POOP This is the nicest pond i have and will ever see ! I truly havewanted a turtle pond for like 3 years and i finally can get one !! I want more of this video !!!! I subscribed the second this video ended. I am sooo glad other poeple like turtle ponds too !!! This is god's work.
Once_perhaps, there is the Mississippi map turtle they are very small and cheap turtles. Go on MyTurtleStore.com. misissippi maps are very friendly females only get to 6-7 males can be 3-5ish
You and me both! I'm saving up money for the next pond at my place! I'm addicted! I need counseling! I need a psychiatrist! I need another pond at my home like I need another hole in my head but I'm still planning another! :) Keep the passion! Dig Deep! The Pond Digger
As a water turtle ( PinkBellied Side Necks) and turtle and tortoise lover... this one is my favorite. You can tell he truly loves his shelled ones....good job...
awesome vid. i have 10 red eared turtles and was really keen on making them an outdoor pond. i think you just helped in making my turtles lives so much better! thank you so very much for this vid.
A small point regarding the grate. I had a grate and observed it for several minutes noting that the largest female stuck her head into it and became stuck. I gently extricated her from the grate, destroying the material in the process but it illustrates how turtles will do the unexpected. In this respect, I have since opted for a fine soft screen braced with a frame for stability. This prevents both large and small turtles as well as any unexpected travelers if you buy plants for your pond. This is a wonderful video and I empathize with the safety concerns. Raccoons in particular are adept and preying upon red sliders and are able climbers. Happy turtling!
We love the fact your turtles want to vacation at the turtle pond we installed! NO HEATER! The turtles do fine year round in this environment. This backyard is very secure but a raccoon bandit visitor wouldn't be impossible. The pond is deep. The turtles would have an opportunity to get away. It's a chance we have to take. We do the best we can to create a great habitat and let nature do it's thing. A local pet shop that gets lots of orphan turtles needing homes calls us. The Pond Digger
This is amazing! !! . I cant believe this video would have thumbs down. ... I'm sure it's people who can't afford something so beautiful...thsnks for sharing👍👍👍🐢
This pond was a work in progress and took us a few weeks in between finishing other projects. The planting around the pond took a couple of years to really develop into the wonderful setting that it is now.
We're about to buy a new house and a turtle pond for our favorite pet is on the to to list. While I live in Ohio and not comfortable with leaving him out all year this video was very helpful and I can't wait to start digging!
Hey Krista, You'll be happy to know that your little turtle is living with the two little turtle stars in this video! They are living indoors right now for added protection from predators and the cold winter until they get bigger. Believe me they couldn't be happier!
We have the luxury of living in a wonderful climate year round. We do freeze a couple times a year but for no longer than a few days at a time. We can leave our turtles outside year round. In Canada you should bring them indoors for the winter! The Pond Digger
i must say thhis is the most impressive pond i have yet to see love love love it ! awesome job my turtles would be in heaven you must really love your turtles awesome
We are in the Sunshine State, California. We get below freezing for up to a week at a time but no where near the extremes you deal with. I would suggest you bring them in over the winter each season OR move to California! :) Pond Turtles Rule, Dogs Rule! Happy Pondering! THe Pond Digger
I would agree this pond could use more driftwood in the edge treatment. There is quite a bit of driftwood used in the pond but sure could use a few more pieces for basking. Great Comment. The Pond Digger
An inspiration pond indeed. I like everything about it. I honestly can say this gives strong inspiration really. I want to build my own turtle pond someday.
Thanks for the comment! We had a blast building this pond AND shooting the video. There are soooo many turtles it was easy to catch them doing the funniest things! The Pond Digger
wow! great video. I just bought 2 acres of land in the woods in Florida and wanted to put in a fish pond there. Now I see this turtle video I want to get turtles too.
This pond is 4' deep and located in Southern California so there is no problems with the turtles getting too cold. Our winters are mild. We only get below freezing a couple of times a year for very short periods. The turtles are doing great! The Pond Digger
Hey There, This pond was a work in progress and was tackled at different stages. I know Mike literally had thousands of dollars in Exotic Plants! The pond construction was close to 20,000.00
If we keep turtles indoors in aquariums we usually keep them at 80 degrees. When we keep them outside over the winter we let them hibernate. Yes when the water temp hangs in the low 70's to high 60's the turtles slow down but don't shut down for winter. When the water temp drops to the low low 60's and into the 50's they pretty much stop eating and go into the hibernation stage. They do great for us year after year outdoors. The Pond Digger
Thanks Pimporly! That means a bunch coming from you. We are on a mission to help save the planet on pond at a time. We want to help stop global warming by putting a pond in the ground at corner! Did you just love Mike's captive bred sliders?
Good question! Turtles and koi mixed in the same pond is a delicate balance. Young turtles are more carnivorous than mature turtles so you will need to watch out for aggressive young specimens going after your koi. Regular feedings typically keep everyone happy but sometimes the turtles can scratch the koi during feeding frenzy. These are just a couple of the challenges you will face when keeping these guys together. Mixing them does not come without some challenge but it is doable.
Wow! What an elaborate set-up! The turtles look very happy but I would still feel uneasy about keeping them captive. I live near the woods so now & then a large turtle makes its way onto my back deck. They look at me as if to say; "oh, and who might you be?" LOL. But instead of keeping them I carry them back into the deep woods and let them go. Like every other living creature they just want to be free...
Awesome pond, I could just sit there and watch 'em for ages! We did have a tiny baby red eared slider for about 3 years, but it disappeared, rats, he/she would come really close to us and be really friendly, sure do miss it in the pond? Thanks for the lovely video. Congratulations to all for a great job, and sharing with us all!
ThePondDigger : I love turtles. They're just plain cute. I always smile when I see them. Thanks for posting this. Amazing and beautiful setup! Lucky chelonians.
OHH WOW!!! When i turn 60 and retire...Imma definatly try 2 do this!!! Amazing pond REally kool i actually watched the entire video without scippin any parts!!! Really kool man!
Terrapin paradise!! Those little guys have the best home ever we also have terrapins [there actual name, not turtles] here in London in many fresh water ponds. I even saw some outside my house in Greece surviving and living in seawater. I love terrapins so cute!
wow that is such an amazing pond and set up, i have 2 terrapins that are three years old in a pretty big tank but one day i would hope to have a pond too.
I have two baby RES and when they get older I hope to give them an awesome setup like that! Probably not as great as yours but something so my turtles are happy. I love them so much and would do anything to get them a great environment. I'm only 15, and I'm gonna start working soon. All my money is going to them! =) That's the only reason I want to work. So I can support my baby's. :D Those turtles are adorable!!
Our winters here in California are very mild. The temperature at the pond in the video will drop below freezing maybe once or twice each winter but not for very long. I don't know the weather in the UK but I would say if you have harsh winters you should consider bringing the turtles in for the winter. ESPECIALLY on young turtles. The Pond Digger
As a turtle lover and as a pond fan... BEST TURTLE POND EVER!
Thank you so much!
It would be nicer if there we're live plants in the water
right? I'm super jealous, and can't wait to be able to provide for my turtles so! :D
Thank you much for the comment on our TURTLE POND VIDEO! I live for this!
what a sick setup
Yeah he has everything DIALED!
Everyone should have a turtle pond. They are a great source of entertainment and education!
Turtles are way cool to have in a pond..I had a long log to allow the basking in the sun...also..they loved getting in and out on the side rocks of our once upon a time pond...they sure liked being in that pond....like paradise...and I can see why..beautiful pond, falls and landscaping.....Turtles Rule!
+Christine McCoy And Dogs Drool!
An extremely valid point! The turtles are fearless on re-entry into the pond. I would highly recommend all potential basking points created during the construction phase of any turtle pond to be positioned near deeper water. Remember they will likely bask all over the place but do your best to provide them with deep water next to the most inviting sun bathing locations on the pond's edge!
The Pond Digger
I like turtles!
+Wat are Dose ??? That makes two of us!
Do you like Toto's
Gosh, this was one of the first pond videos I watched years ago.
It was the main video I returned to several times for information and inspiration when I first built a pond for my turtle.
Uploaded 12 years ago. Wow.
Still a beautiful location and a great video.
I love this guys yard his turtles look VERY HAPPY !!!! 👍🏾🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢 Great Job !!!
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for sharing your surprise with me morusiba! This made me hold my stomach laughing for five minutes because one time I was responding to comments on videos in bed on my laptop late one evening and the volume on my computer was up full blast. My wife was sleeping next to me and I accidentally started on of our videos! As you can imagine when that sound filled the dark room we both hit the ceiling! She wanted to kill me. So funny!!!!
Will you be able to make more turtle pond videos? Maybe a follow up of this vid? Awesome vids :)
Keith's Planted Aquariums Yes! Stay tuned!
I had a small terrapin pond many years ago. i remember making a 55 gallon drum into a surge tank that would filter the water and make for an interesting surge back into the pond several times an hour. TURTLES RULE!
i would never leave my yard. ever.
Mc Kenzie Hagedorn J
Ten Dragons make a vid about it
LOL I was going to comment that
Ten Dragons video yet?
Mc Kenzie Hagedor😱😱😱
We aim to inspire. Thanks for letting us know we hit the target!
The Pond Digger
thats the best pond ever
+Justin Schafer The Turtles sure love it!
That is about the best one could ever wish for in a compliment!
Thanks,
The Pond Digger
Great channel and awesome video!
Thanks!
U watch videos too?
:O
I'm always happy when I see people have turtles in large ponds like him and not in small plastic containers ^^
How much does it cost to maintain and operate such a nice pond like the one in the video?
bwiswell 123 money.
Mike has had several different species in his pond over the years and it seems that the R.E.S. is the most interactive and that really appeals to him. They literally follow him around the yard and he is enamored by that. He is still very fond of the common R.E.S. Remember the entire yard is a wildlife habitat for birds, butterflies and insects and with all of his rare plants throughout the yard it is a bigger package than simply a R.E.S. habitat.
Hi mike that's one the awesome ponds u HV 👍👌
Maria.david das When Mike's Pond hits ONE MILLION VIEWS we are going in for a follow up video!!!
ThePondDigger 872,548 almost there
ThePondDigger 903,995 views :)
Nice pond, mine is smaller.
Bernie in Palm Springs
Absolutely. These turtles live about half a century! These guys may out live us!
Could you keep pond fish with turtles?
Yes, there is a fair population of fish in this pond!
Probably, I'd imagine the fish would have to be bigger then the turtles mouth... as this is how these things work with fish and things.
Absolutely! One of my first personal ponds was a very small feature approximately 4' x 6' x 18" deep. It was surrounded by terrestrial plants except for where we walked up to feed the fish. Small ponds can be great fun.
The Pond Digger
just prank this guy by dropping a year old snapping turtle in his yard
scary!!! :0
FireG Gaming lmfao stop
WHAO !!!!
Holy POOP
This is the nicest pond i have and will ever see !
I truly havewanted a turtle pond for like
3 years and i finally can get one !!
I want more of this video !!!!
I subscribed the second this video ended.
I am sooo glad other poeple like turtle ponds too !!!
This is god's work.
goals
+Lisa Hegarty We all gotta have them!
Staycation not vacation! We should all be so lucky to have a pond environment in our yards!
What happens with the turtles in winter
+Bobby buck Hibernation.
+ThePondDigger under water?
+Bandit King yes
Timm Lombardo You mean they sleep throughout the entire winter under water? DUDE!
Mine used to hibernate under the water , they only need a heater to keep them active
Thanks my friend. Turtle Pond Design is fun and rewarding!
The Pond Digger
Once_perhaps, there is the Mississippi map turtle they are very small and cheap turtles. Go on MyTurtleStore.com. misissippi maps are very friendly females only get to 6-7 males can be 3-5ish
You and me both! I'm saving up money for the next pond at my place! I'm addicted! I need counseling! I need a psychiatrist! I need another pond at my home like I need another hole in my head but I'm still planning another! :)
Keep the passion! Dig Deep!
The Pond Digger
Insane backyard pond set-up! What an awesome habitat for pet turtles.
Yeah, I crack up how fearless they are when they climb around and dive!
The Pond Digger
Glad we inspired you! Send us pics and videos when you build it!
This pond is timelessly amazing!
i think that u have the most brilliant, beast,insane turtle habitat i have ever seen!!!
Thank you Hoover! I believe Co-Opetition (Cooperating Competition) is a healthy part of business.
As a water turtle ( PinkBellied Side Necks) and turtle and tortoise lover... this one is my favorite. You can tell he truly loves his shelled ones....good job...
What a great pond ! So beautiful and serene . I love turtles :)
Excellent video . Thank you so much for posting !
Jazzy
awesome vid. i have 10 red eared turtles and was really keen on making them an outdoor pond. i think you just helped in making my turtles lives so much better! thank you so very much for this vid.
absolutely beautiful. I'm going to be building a pond for my granddaughters turtles this spring. Now I have some great ideas. Great video!!!
+MarlasSouthernAngels Thank you so much! Let us know if we can offer you any help or equipment to get your project done. Sounds fun!
That's what I'm talkin bout! Thanks for the passion!
The Pond Digger
A small point regarding the grate. I had a grate and observed it for several minutes noting that the largest female stuck her head into it and became stuck. I gently extricated her from the grate, destroying the material in the process but it illustrates how turtles will do the unexpected. In this respect, I have since opted for a fine soft screen braced with a frame for stability. This prevents both large and small turtles as well as any unexpected travelers if you buy plants for your pond. This is a wonderful video and I empathize with the safety concerns. Raccoons in particular are adept and preying upon red sliders and are able climbers. Happy turtling!
Great advice. Thank you for the comment and thank you so much for supporting our TH-cam Channel.
I love my turtles. We're planning a bigger pond for them soon. Thanks for posting this!
This is awesome.:)
Love to see your passion!
The Pond Digger
We love the fact your turtles want to vacation at the turtle pond we installed! NO HEATER! The turtles do fine year round in this environment. This backyard is very secure but a raccoon bandit visitor wouldn't be impossible. The pond is deep. The turtles would have an opportunity to get away. It's a chance we have to take. We do the best we can to create a great habitat and let nature do it's thing. A local pet shop that gets lots of orphan turtles needing homes calls us.
The Pond Digger
Mike has at least a dozen or more aquatic turtles in his pond!
The Pond Digger
I love to hear your passion! Be sure to send us video of your completed project!
Now how cool is that pond! Thanks for sharing that vid with us. Getting ideas for a Turtle pond for my crew.
This is amazing! !! . I cant believe this video would have thumbs down. ... I'm sure it's people who can't afford something so beautiful...thsnks for sharing👍👍👍🐢
Go for it! We're here to lean on if you run into trouble! Shoot some video of your project!
The Pond Digger
Your inspiration, inspires me! Rock On.
The Pond Digger
Multiple species habitats sure can be fun!
This pond was a work in progress and took us a few weeks in between finishing other projects. The planting around the pond took a couple of years to really develop into the wonderful setting that it is now.
Thanks for the 5 star ratting.
The Pond Digger
What a great compliment! Thanks for your feedback.
The Pond Digger
We're about to buy a new house and a turtle pond for our favorite pet is on the to to list. While I live in Ohio and not comfortable with leaving him out all year this video was very helpful and I can't wait to start digging!
Hey Krista,
You'll be happy to know that your little turtle is living with the two little turtle stars in this video! They are living indoors right now for added protection from predators and the cold winter until they get bigger. Believe me they couldn't be happier!
Yeah that was a crazy little jump. The little guys are tough and resilient.
Great advise Douglas. I'll add the list to my arsenal.
This yard truly is a very special place.
I watched this whilst wearing a turtle onesie,I'd just like to say, I'm jealous of their home! I might move from Australia to come live in that pond
It's a haven for the turtles! Beautiful turtle pond!
We have the luxury of living in a wonderful climate year round. We do freeze a couple times a year but for no longer than a few days at a time. We can leave our turtles outside year round. In Canada you should bring them indoors for the winter!
The Pond Digger
Thank you much for sharing your appreciation! It makes me smile!
Mike has something crazy like 20 turtles!
The Pond Digger
i must say thhis is the most impressive pond i have yet to see love love love it ! awesome job my turtles would be in heaven you must really love your turtles awesome
We are in the Sunshine State, California. We get below freezing for up to a week at a time but no where near the extremes you deal with. I would suggest you bring them in over the winter each season OR move to California! :)
Pond Turtles Rule, Dogs Rule!
Happy Pondering!
THe Pond Digger
I would agree this pond could use more driftwood in the edge treatment. There is quite a bit of driftwood used in the pond but sure could use a few more pieces for basking.
Great Comment.
The Pond Digger
An inspiration pond indeed. I like everything about it. I honestly can say this gives strong inspiration really. I want to build my own turtle pond someday.
wow, what an awesome backyard. I'd definitely spend a lot more time out there just to watch the turtles
Thanks for the comment! We had a blast building this pond AND shooting the video. There are soooo many turtles it was easy to catch them doing the funniest things!
The Pond Digger
Great pointers! Water clarity is amazing considering all those turtles
Thanks for watching! The pond is still amazing after all these years. We are planning a follow up video!
you man have the coolest pond design i have ever seen !!
wow! great video. I just bought 2 acres of land in the woods in Florida and wanted to put in a fish pond there. Now I see this turtle video I want to get turtles too.
This pond is 4' deep and located in Southern California so there is no problems with the turtles getting too cold. Our winters are mild. We only get below freezing a couple of times a year for very short periods. The turtles are doing great!
The Pond Digger
Thanks for sharing your wisdom.
Wish you guys were here in Wyoming. Love your ponds and wish there was someone in my area that built ponds as awesome as you!
These guys make me LOL all the time!
I couldn't agree with you more! Thanks for the feedback!
Hey There,
This pond was a work in progress and was tackled at different stages. I know Mike literally had thousands of dollars in Exotic Plants! The pond construction was close to 20,000.00
@TheSomebody54 Information, Education & Inspiration! That's what we're here for!
If we keep turtles indoors in aquariums we usually keep them at 80 degrees. When we keep them outside over the winter we let them hibernate. Yes when the water temp hangs in the low 70's to high 60's the turtles slow down but don't shut down for winter.
When the water temp drops to the low low 60's and into the 50's they pretty much stop eating and go into the hibernation stage.
They do great for us year after year outdoors.
The Pond Digger
This is one of my turtle pond goals!
Thanks Pimporly! That means a bunch coming from you. We are on a mission to help save the planet on pond at a time. We want to help stop global warming by putting a pond in the ground at corner! Did you just love Mike's captive bred sliders?
Good question! Turtles and koi mixed in the same pond is a delicate balance. Young turtles are more carnivorous than mature turtles so you will need to watch out for aggressive young specimens going after your koi. Regular feedings typically keep everyone happy but sometimes the turtles can scratch the koi during feeding frenzy. These are just a couple of the challenges you will face when keeping these guys together. Mixing them does not come without some challenge but it is doable.
Wow! What an elaborate set-up! The turtles look very happy but I would still feel uneasy about keeping them captive. I live near the woods so now & then a large turtle makes its way onto my back deck. They look at me as if to say; "oh, and who might you be?" LOL. But instead of keeping them I carry them back into the deep woods and let them go. Like every other living creature they just want to be free...
Awesome pond, I could just sit there and watch 'em for ages! We did have a tiny baby red eared slider for about 3 years, but it disappeared, rats, he/she would come really close to us and be really friendly, sure do miss it in the pond? Thanks for the lovely video. Congratulations to all for a great job, and sharing with us all!
You're awesome for giving the feedback. Thanks!
Happy turtles! Turtles are so relaxing to watch.
Agent Fungus So fun to watch them eat!
ThePondDigger : I love turtles. They're just plain cute. I always smile when I see them. Thanks for posting this. Amazing and beautiful setup! Lucky chelonians.
OHH WOW!!! When i turn 60 and retire...Imma definatly try 2 do this!!! Amazing pond REally kool i actually watched the entire video without scippin any parts!!! Really kool man!
Terrapin paradise!! Those little guys have the best home ever we also have terrapins [there actual name, not turtles] here in London in many fresh water ponds. I even saw some outside my house in Greece surviving and living in seawater. I love terrapins so cute!
I LOVE WATER TURTLES! and its AMAZING! what that man did for those turtles! I wish I had a pond like that!!!
wow that is such an amazing pond and set up, i have 2 terrapins that are three years old in a pretty big tank but one day i would hope to have a pond too.
omg this pond is freaken awesome!! i would totally want to live there if i was a turtle!
im very impressed with the pond alot of thought put into it
+Memphis56889 Wells It is still a fantastic pond after all these years!
I have two baby RES and when they get older I hope to give them an awesome setup like that! Probably not as great as yours but something so my turtles are happy. I love them so much and would do anything to get them a great environment. I'm only 15, and I'm gonna start working soon. All my money is going to them! =) That's the only reason I want to work. So I can support my baby's. :D Those turtles are adorable!!
2:00 I was honestly expecting a turret defense system. I love what has been done to the yard, turtles as pets leads to beautiful home.
Our winters here in California are very mild. The temperature at the pond in the video will drop below freezing maybe once or twice each winter but not for very long.
I don't know the weather in the UK but I would say if you have harsh winters you should consider bringing the turtles in for the winter. ESPECIALLY on young turtles.
The Pond Digger