Today I found a turtle munching into my largest ripening cantelope. This is
UNACCEPTABLE behavior... How can I keep them from getting more of the
melons?

In article ,
"Pat" wrote:

Today I found a turtle munching into my largest ripening cantelope. This is
UNACCEPTABLE behavior... How can I keep them from getting more of the
melons?

Capture the turtle and sell it?

There can't be that many around......
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

"OmManiPadmeOmelet" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Pat" wrote:

Today I found a turtle munching into my largest ripening cantelope. This
is
UNACCEPTABLE behavior... How can I keep them from getting more of the
melons?

Capture the turtle and sell it?

Who on earth wants to buy a turtle???


There can't be that many around......

There are quite a few. I live in a wild area. Guess what woke me up this
morning: Three wild turkey hens clucking outside my bedroom window. I guess
I should count my blessings, that the deer haven't come into the garden at
all yet.

In article ,
"Pat" wrote:

"OmManiPadmeOmelet" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Pat" wrote:

Today I found a turtle munching into my largest ripening cantelope. This
is
UNACCEPTABLE behavior... How can I keep them from getting more of the
melons?

Capture the turtle and sell it?

Who on earth wants to buy a turtle???

LOTS of people!
Ornate boxes sell for about $60.00.

If it is not a protected species, a pet store in town might want it.
Or post to the reptile list if you are willing to ship.



There can't be that many around......

There are quite a few. I live in a wild area. Guess what woke me up this
morning: Three wild turkey hens clucking outside my bedroom window. I guess
I should count my blessings, that the deer haven't come into the garden at
all yet.

Indeed. ;-)

Bird netting might work, or a low wire fence.



--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

A low wire border is yours best best. Does not have to be over 9- 12
inches high.

Actually it does unless the turtle is tiny.
I have 7 yo desert tortoises (they're not large) and they can clear about
24"....
wrote in message
oups.com...
A low wire border is yours best best. Does not have to be over 9- 12
inches high.

Pat wrote:
Today I found a turtle munching into my largest ripening cantelope. This is
UNACCEPTABLE behavior... How can I keep them from getting more of the
melons?



That's a new one. :-)

On Sun, 10 Jul 2005 23:14:15 -0500, "Pat"
wrote:

Today I found a turtle munching into my largest ripening cantelope. This is
UNACCEPTABLE behavior... How can I keep them from getting more of the
melons?

Oh, kewl, a turtle! I wouldn't mind sharing a few fruits with a
turtle, they eat slugs, too. When the 5 year drought around here
was at its peak, I lost a fair number of tomotes to the birds,
but I figured they needed them more than I did.

That being said, it shouldn't be difficult to put up a low fence
to keep turtles out.



Penelope
--
"Maybe you'd like to ask the Wizard for a heart."
"ElissaAnn"

I am shocked that a garden in a wild area has no protection. A low
fence will keep out rabbits as well, and a couple of electric wires
(one near the top of the fence, one higher), should keep out the rest.
And to keep the birds off the tomatoes, a pan of water is the best
solution. It has to be present one month before the tomatoes ripen, to
get them used to it. That way they will focus on the caterpillars.

Doesn't have to be in a wild area to have turtles. I live in a suburban
neighborhood, and I get them in my backyard from time to time (and yes, they
DO like melons). I have a wooden privacy fence that touches the ground all
around, but that doesn't seem to deter them. I guess they must dig under it.

In fairness, I do live in Florida, and there is a drainage ditch behind my
house. (The plat calls it a "canal" - ha! It has 6" of water in it on
average, and drains through culverts into a swamp!)

I assume this is where the turtles hang out when they are not looking for
melons to munch on. It's definitely where the mosquitos hang out when they
are not looking for *me* to munch on.

Laura


"simy1" wrote in message
oups.com...
I am shocked that a garden in a wild area has no protection. A low
fence will keep out rabbits as well, and a couple of electric wires
(one near the top of the fence, one higher), should keep out the rest.
And to keep the birds off the tomatoes, a pan of water is the best
solution. It has to be present one month before the tomatoes ripen, to
get them used to it. That way they will focus on the caterpillars.

I live in an urban area (bordering woods) and still, I have fences
around both my gardens. Not enough to stop the deer, certainly enough
to stop the turtles.

"simy1" wrote in message
ups.com...
I live in an urban area (bordering woods) and still, I have fences
around both my gardens. Not enough to stop the deer, certainly enough
to stop the turtles.


I guess I have really persistent turtles!

Happily, no deer problem, though. I definitely prefer the turtles.

Laura

Pat wrote:

Today I found a turtle munching into my largest ripening cantelope. This is
UNACCEPTABLE behavior... How can I keep them from getting more of the
melons?

Turtles are really good in stew. They aren't smart enough
to get the message en-masse, but it is an absolute surefire
solution for any one turtle.

On Sun, 10 Jul 2005, Pat wrote:

Today I found a turtle munching into my largest ripening cantelope. This is
UNACCEPTABLE behavior... How can I keep them from getting more of the
melons?


Are you sure he was munching into it? Is it possible he has mistaken
your cantelope for another turtle? Do not blame the turtle. Maybe if
your cantelope were a bit less promiscuous. Well, OK, I suppose if you
run really fast you should be able to catch it, give it a good spanking
on the back side of his shell and send him on his way home...

Seriously, where are you? I find it a novelty to find one of the most
endangered species on our planet (in general) just by chance wandering
into your garden. From more real biology point of view, is this turtle
where it should be? Is it lost? I know they can experience navigational
difficulties. There are some places, like in Mexico, that directly
intervene to fetch these lost critters and redirect them. Alternatively,
maybe you are directly in a turtle habitat or reside within some
migration route?


Dominic

"Dominic-Luc Webb" wrote

Seriously, where are you?

South-central Missouri.

I find it a novelty to find one of the most
endangered species on our planet (in general) just by chance wandering
into your garden. From more real biology point of view, is this turtle
where it should be? Is it lost? I know they can experience navigational
difficulties. There are some places, like in Mexico, that directly
intervene to fetch these lost critters and redirect them. Alternatively,
maybe you are directly in a turtle habitat or reside within some
migration route?

Are you serious? There are tons of turtles around here. Including alligator
snappers (which I carefully relocate using a large flat shovel).