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Terrapins

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Madfossa View Drop Down
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    Posted: 14 May 2012 at 1:41am
I saw these today in a pond in EF. Are they Red eared terrapins? and are they quite commonly seen in west essex? Ive seen other photos from nearby ponds.




Edited by Madfossa - 14 May 2012 at 3:03am
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herpetologic2 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote herpetologic2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 May 2012 at 10:10am
I would say sliders rather than pond terrapin
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GemmaJF View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GemmaJF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 May 2012 at 12:15pm
I would say red eared, hard to tell with the lighting in the picture. Sliders are very similar, but lack the red markings on the head, many were imported in batches of red eared terrapins. They are very common throughout Essex as many were released in ponds and lakes when they grew too large for pet owners to keep at home. My nearest one is less than a mile away at the local farm for example.
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liamrussell View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote liamrussell Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 May 2012 at 4:02pm
The shape of the yellow marking on the head of the left one looks like a yellow-bellied slider Trachemys scripta scripta to me. The one on the right looks a bit more like a red-eared slider/terrapin Trachemys scripta elegans. It's hard to be certain for either from this photo and intergrades have been recorded too.

Edited by liamrussell - 14 May 2012 at 4:29pm
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GemmaJF View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GemmaJF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 May 2012 at 5:59pm
I couldn't see any yellow on the head of the left one on my monitor, so I've enhanced it a bit:


and would now agree, it looks very much like a yellow bellied slider on the left and red eared on the right.
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Robert V View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Robert V Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 May 2012 at 6:52pm
Yeah, it's the new eat all policy at EF to go with the ornate "Land Scraping".
 
Conversation in the manager's office.
 
"ere guv, how can we get rid of every reptile and amphibian in the forest?"
"How about we take away all the cover, then wehn they all dive in the ponds we ambush them with ninja terrapins that love nothing better than to munch on the odd frog or snake."
"Good idea guv, I'll get right on it."
 
Ian, i think these are the ones at WVL. I "snapped" these, (get it!) last year a bit clearer. The log floats around a bit, so just wait for it to get a bit closer to the shore line to get close ups.
 
 
 
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GemmaJF View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GemmaJF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 May 2012 at 9:40pm
Well I'll go back to what I said at first then, red ears lol.
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liamrussell View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote liamrussell Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 May 2012 at 10:29am
Yes Rob's are certainly both red ears, but one of madfossa's is a yellowbelly
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GemmaJF View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GemmaJF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 May 2012 at 3:49pm
I kind of thought it was the same two animals in both sets of pictures? How many are there in this pond Rob?

Edited by GemmaJF - 15 May 2012 at 3:51pm
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Robert V View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Robert V Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 May 2012 at 4:41pm
Hi Gemma,
 
I've counted five, but one of those is a dinner plate that looks to be a lot darker, maybe a european species (?) but that doesn't come out of the over flowpipe until a lot later in the year when the water's warmed up.
 
R
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