Red-Eared Terrapins

[Chris Mullins]

Today, I recieved a report regarding Red Eared Terrapins being seen at Pangbourne, Berkshire, on the Thames, back in August 2003.

Does anyone else have any further information regarding colonies in our UK waterways?

[Bullseye]

Quite a few years ago(before the ninja turtle craze) there were two large (12" or so) terrapins living in a pond in the local park,they were there for 3 years or so.Also there was a small colony of much smaller ones in the lake of a local private school that I used to "visit",after dark,when I just happened to have a fishing rod on me ! .

[blackcatswhiskers]

i've seen red eared terrapins in our local country park, theres two of them in east carlton country park near corby northants. they've been there for about 3 years to my knowledge. they have a plentiful food supply anyway as the pond is very overstocked with roach, rudd and carp of which the majority are fry.
i've also just read a report of a piranha being found on the river thames near dagenham essex. it was found dead but in very good condition so it couldnt have been dead long. it is believed someone had tipped it into the river but as the river temperature at the time was only 10 deg c it couldnt survive. the curator of the london aquarium identified it as a red bellied piranha which cannot survive in temperatures below 15 deg c.

[lindowman146]

I have a collection of "rescued" terrapins in a covered pond in my garden. They seem to survive well in our waterways but as the eggs cannot be incubated in our climate breeding is very unlikely. I was told recently and reliably of three observed basking in a sretch of the Rochdale cannal near to my home in Middleton, Manchester but when I looked I couldn`t find them (it was an overcast day). The environment looked ideal though with lots of reeds and fallen debris for turtles to climb out to bask on. I have found the best times to see terrapins is at night with a torch if you are brave enough to go out to lakes, rivers and cannals after dark. Alternatively if terrapins are present in a waterway look for logs etc which they could bask on and then go out on sunny days to see if a turtle is doing a spot of sunbathing. Its amazing just what you can see if you know where to look. In the early 90s I know of a lot of dumped terrapins in a park in Manchester, my brother in law used to catch them on maggots when night fishing and bring them home for me, i an`t remember which park it was but it may have been Debdale Park. I met a chap in Ireland last week whilst fishing who had cought one in a cannal near the Pilkington Glass works near Manchester, it was a couple of years ago and he had taken the 10" specemin to a pet shop and was paid £9 for it. The ridiculous thing about terrapins is they can cost up to £25 for a one inch hatchling (from a Rochdale garden centre!) but no-one seems to want the much more characterfull large specimins. If anyone finds one that needs a home let me know, I have a happy colony who are always happy for new friends, as a non native species putting them back in a waterway could land you in trouble if you catch one.

[lindowman146]

Just remembered another reliable terrapin sighting, my friend saw one in a drain off pond on an industrial estate between Middleton Junction and oldham (near manchester). My friend was there doing a spot of maggot dangling when he saw the terrapin. He could not catch it as it was fast on the getaway and my mate is rather chunky in the girth. I have yet to go and check it to see if I can spot it. My friend kind of indicated that the pond was not really for public recreational use and that security guards were a bit on the keen side so I might not get a chance for a proper reccy of it. There are definately a lot of unwanted turtles out there.

[redditchlady]

It is a shame, when they went out of fashion people couldn't give them away, so ended up dumping them instead.

Kazz