Turtle Pond size

[spongebob]

I'm in the process of planning for a pit for cunninghams and blotched blue tongues. It will be 3m x 1.1m. I thought I'd include a pond, and wondered what size this would need to be to keep a pair of average sized turtles, in terms of surface area and depth.
Any knowledgeable opinions out there?

Bob

 

[DA_GRIZ]

i'd also like to know this as i am about to start digging a new pond.

but i have read for them to breed they need a depth of 60cm

 

[cris]

IMO you would want most of that area being the pond, so it might not be that practical in combination with ground dwelling lizrads

 

[antaresia_boy]

mmh, careful with blueys in ponds. they sink.

 

[Sean#1]

blueys swim, doubt theyll be the ones drowning

 

[mckellar007]

blueys swim, doubt theyll be the ones drowning

for about 3 or 4 seconds, then they sink, some last a little longer, but as long as you have a couple of exit points they they can get to quiet easily spread around the pond, they are fine. im still working on my pit, mainly for turtles, been at it for over 18 months now, my pond measures 1.8L x 1.2W x 0.6D.

 

[Frozenmouse]

Completely depends on they type of turtles you have if you get any of the shortnecks,oblong,northern longnecks you would really want quite a deep pond as these guys are very aquatic where as eastern long necks will spend alot of time walking around with the lizards. If they are eastern long necks probably half the area of your pit by about 1-1.5 feet deep would be great ps just make sure you have no steep edges so your blueys can climb out of the water.

 

[BJC-787]

i looked into this when building my pit and i asked a guy that breeds all different sorts of turtles and he said about 1.5m long x 1m wide x 1m deep.

 

[garycahill]

1.5m long x 1m wide x 1m would be sufficient, but bigger will work better.
The more water volume you have, the easier it will be to maintain, just as with fish.
2 ft (60cm) would be the minimum depth. They need the water to be at least this deep so that during winter, the water temp will be quite stable. Much less than this & the water temp will fluctuate too much & result in unsuccessful brumation, possibly even death. The further south, the more fatal it is, further north, lack of breeding occurs.