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Box turtles are beyond precious. For years, every morning at dawn, the sweet little box turtle featured here made his way from the woods all the way up to our air conditioning unit to drink water dripping from the line. In his honor I created a tiny pond just for him. I placed it within four feet of the air conditioning unit. The easy steps I went through were well worth it and are provided in this post.

You may never see animals in your yard or on your balcony, but they are ever-present in search of food, water, and safety. Enhancing their existence will provide a myriad of benefits to wildlife and you. It also bumps up your personal safety danger level. Shenanigans such as providing a water source may bring you face to face with a thirsty lion or a hungry bear. How can you pass up so much excitement?

Box turtles do not swim well so this oasis is specifically designed for a box turtle. All entry points are at ground level and gradually slope down
to deeper water. The water is 2″ at its deepest point. The bottom of the oasis is filled with rough rock (too large to accidentally eat) consisting of rocks safe for aquariums: rose quartz, milky quartz, amethyst, and river rock. If I win lotto this week, I will add diamonds to the mix. I added a protective black plastic box and cord guard over the pump to prevent critters from chewing through the electrical cord. Another way to prevent electrical problems is to use a solar powered water pump. This oasis area does not receive sun so, I had to go the electric pump route.

I positioned this pond at the base of a shrub growing over the area, providing camouflage safety for box turtles from predators.

Within two weeks our box turtle showed up for a soak in the oasis, as well as several other animals like bees, butterflies, birds, and tree frogs.

The diagram noted below gives you a peek at the little oasis and the features utilized specifically for box turtles:

Maintenance consists of keeping the perimeter clear of vines to prevent tiny animals from getting tangled up and blasting the oasis with the garden hose every few days to clear it of debris and freshen the water supply.

When critters show up to enjoy whatever you have created for them, refrain from screaming with glee and getting in their space. Zoom in from a distance with a camera to enjoy their adorableness.