Hi! Introduce yourselves here. :: found wild slider nesting female ?

[Connie Pettit]

hello to all @ turtle talk! i found a red ear this morning crossing road good distance from near by pond ,is large about 10 in. long by 6 in. wide. i would like to see if it may be nesting but dont know how to intice it to lay . i dont have a pond for it so i will release it in couple days. my pond has koi and i'm araid turtle may try to eat them.any suggestions would be gratefully recieved, thank you from a newbie!

[marisa]

Hi and welcome. I'm not sure I understand--you took the turtle? She (I'm assuming) was going to lay eggs, and the best thing you could have done for her was to pick her up, cross the road and put her down (away from traffic) in the same direction she was going. I wouldn't keep her and try to "entice" her to lay eggs--nature will take care of that. I'd take her back to where you found her (on that opposite side of the road) and let her go.

[jenaero]

I second that. Which ever way she was headed, put her down on that side of the road. If you put her back on the opposite side she'll just cross the road again.

[STRAYKINGFISHER]

Third, turtles are stubborn that way, no matter what way you want them to go, they will turn right back to the original direction and keep going, don't ask why.

[Connie Pettit]

thanks for responding ! Park pond is located off busy street in town i think turtle didnt find a site that struck her fancyin the park and was most likely crossing street to get to the alleys across from the park(residential area)I'm pretty sure is female looking for nest site and afraid it will be run over trying to cross again. The park is large and i think it might be safer if i take her farther into the park and hope she finds a better safer place to nest ! Also would it be better to take her later in evening closer to sundown or just release turtle right away ?
there is a large field and lot farther into the park areathat i think will be safer and how far should i take her 20 yards more or less? or just put back at waters edge?
( large open area inside park near large field is several hundred yards across but is opposite ofdirection turtle was originally headed) thanks again Marisa look forward to your reply !
!

[Connie Pettit]

Sorry didnt see other posts ! figures that turtles are stubborn ! when i saw the others responses had already sent to marisa ! i hope turtle isnt to stubborn to at least try other side of park !

[marisa]

I'd release her sooner rather than later. Try to get her at least near the area she was found, further in/off the road is good. Just put her in the direction she was headed in.

[Connie Pettit]

off to park now ill release farther into park and hope turtle decides to nest in thepark n not try to get back across street thank you all again connie

[marisa]

Hopefully, she'll be OK...She must have a few years on her and must know the area. (They will often return to the area where they've laid eggs before unless something disrupts them.)

[STRAYKINGFISHER]

I will be crossing my fingers hoping the turtle will head away from the traffic, and even if it does return across the road after you leave it, at least you tried to help it, most people wouldn't care either way, some even try to run them over on purpose.

[marisa]

Unfortunately, last week I had to bury one (a snapper, I think) that had been hit by a car.

[GouzlanTheAmerican]

I hope that the turtle figures out that cars are bad.