# Turtles and water lilies

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turtles-and-water-lilies/456613>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 15, 2008, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turtles-and-water-lilies/456613 "2008-07-15T23:09:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turtles-and-water-lilies/456613/1 "2008-07-15T23:09:17Z")

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They usually bite off a couple of leaves, but they got every damn water lily leaf and some of the lotus.  
Any ideas on catching turtles in an 8’ by 8’ garden pool? They will be relocated, not done away with.  
Thanks!

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**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turtles-and-water-lilies/456613/2 "2008-07-16T03:27:49Z")

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Nets are pretty good for catching turtles. How deep is the pool? Too deep for a hand net to scoop?

It sounds like seining would not be a good solution - that would likely destroy your pond’s vegetation.

Since the pool is pretty wide, you’ll likely have to go into the pool with waders for effective turtle removal. A snorkeling mask may help you find them better too…

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turtles-and-water-lilies/456613/3 "2008-07-16T13:43:57Z")

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[QUOTE=wevets]  
How deep is the pool?  
[/QUOTE]

It’s turtles all the way down.

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**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turtles-and-water-lilies/456613/4 "2008-07-16T13:49:23Z")

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[QUOTE=wevets]  
How deep is the pool? Too deep for a hand net to scoop?

[/QUOTE]

2’ 6". I pulled the free floating plants out last night and didn’t find any turtles with a flashlight. Lotus leaf stalks are tough and thick, so I expected to find a snapper. All the bullfrog tadpoles are gone, although the large goldfish are still there. I wonder if a snapper didn’t raid the place and leave.

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**Author:** ![Kuboydal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecb155/32.png) [@Kuboydal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kuboydal)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turtles-and-water-lilies/456613/5 "2008-07-16T15:25:44Z")

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Hiya **Plant** , why not sink a deep bucket in the ground next to the pond with a see-saw like entrance ramp? Or, a rabbit/humane trap with tasty lettuce as bait?

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**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turtles-and-water-lilies/456613/6 "2008-07-16T17:14:27Z")

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I may try that it keeps up. I’ve a have a heart trap that a snapper couldn’t get into.