Terrapins

Half-cocked

I know there was a thread before about terrapins in the Phoenix Pk and in the canals, but today I saw one in the pond in St Annes Pk, Dublin. It was big enough that I saw it as I drove past on the Jame Larkin Rd. I went back to double check and it was a Red Eared Terrapin. Has anyone seen them here before?

John_Rambo

They have been there for about three years, I don't know how many there are in the lake, but I have seen three on one occasion basking in the sun on one of the straw bales (straw bales are there to battle the algae I believe), they are big enough. I don't know if they are the same ones, or if people are dumping them every year. Can they survive harsh winters?

F.R.

John_Rambo wrote: »

Can they survive harsh winters?

They do survive the winter. Fortunately it's too cold for them to breed but they do live for about 25 years. They will take birds eggs and insect larvae so they are a problem for native species.

Half-cocked

Yes, the ones in the Phoenix Park survived the 2 very cold winters we had and I am told they ate all the Little Grebe chicks.

Traonach

Half-cocked wrote: »

Yes, the ones in the Phoenix Park survived the 2 very cold winters we had and I am told they ate all the Little Grebe chicks.

Why doesn't the council get rid of them. They would be easily shot when they would be sunbathing early in the morning.

F.R.

Traonach wrote: »

Why doesn't the council get rid of them. They would be easily shot when they would be sunbathing early in the morning.

They have been caught and removed from several of the parks. But irresponsible people continue to release them and so it appears as if nothing is being done.

They're in the Tolka river too. A friend of mine caught one in a fishing competition.
I've a .22 that'd get rid of them handy enough.

Half-cocked

Deleted User wrote: »

They're in the Tolka river too. A friend of mine caught one in a fishing competition.
I've a .22 that'd get rid of them handy enough.

I don't think the Gardai would take to kindly to you shooting up the waterways and ponds of the Dublin area:eek:

John_Rambo

Half-cocked wrote: »

I don't think the Gardai would take to kindly to you shooting up the waterways and ponds of the Dublin area:eek:

Plus, they move shockingly fast, there's not many marksmen that could shoot them and think of the consequences if you winged one? There is nothing more dangerous than a wounded terrapin rampaging around the city. (except two wounded terrapins rampaging around the city)... did you not see the Jurassic park movies?

I'd suggest radical, modern methods like wading over to them or rowing a small boat over to the reptiles, calmly picking them up and then finding a suitable home for them.

John_Rambo

John_Rambo wrote: »

Plus, they move shockingly fast, there's not many marksmen that could shoot them and think of the consequences if you winged one?=

It was a joke :P And obviously I wouldn't just head out and start blasting up the rivers, can't use lead shot on waterways anyway. They're sluggish in the cold weather too btw :pac:

Half-cocked

Deleted User wrote: »

It was a joke :P And obviously I wouldn't just head out and start blasting up the rivers, can't use lead shot on waterways anyway. They're sluggish in the cold weather too btw :pac:

Or maybe we could introduce alligators into our waterways? I believe they eat terrapins?;)

But seriously, the real way to deal with this problem is to ban the trade in terrapins. The vast majority of them die in captivity because they aren't provided with adequate UV light and warm clean water. They are sold as tiny little creatures in a stupid little plastic bath with a plastic palm tree island. Most of them die within the first few months. We had 2 that grew into very smelly monsters who would snap at your fingers when you were cleaning their tank. They ended up going to Dublin Zoo. I don't recommend them as pets to anyone. They are also carriers of salmonella.

recedite

I enjoy seeing them. Why do people feel the need to shoot or trap anything they think is out of place or different?

John_Rambo

recedite wrote: »

I enjoy seeing them. Why do people feel the need to shoot or trap anything they think is out of place or different?

Because of their impact on indigenous species. I see where you are coming from though.

Look at the grey squirrel... they come in to my garden, very cute, cheeky, clever, but seemingly they carry a disease that effects our native red squirrel, plus they are bigger and stronger giving them an advantage when it comes to foraging. F.R. knows more about them than me, he says they can't breed, but they could have an impact in other ways, disease ect...