Box Turtle Oasis

Box turtles are beyond precious. Every morning before dawn, a sweet little box turtle makes his way from the woods all the way up to our air conditioning unit to drink water dripping from the line. Well, no more. This adorable critter deserves an oasis all his own. Over the weekend I created a tiny pond for him. I am confident he will find it; I have placed it within 4 feet of the air conditioning unit.

Try to always provide a water source for wildlife. You may never see animals in your yard or on your balcony, but they are ever-present in search of food, water, and safety.

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

Just in case our little box turtle doesn't show up, there are several other animals frequenting our backyard that will take advantage of the shallow pond: bees, butterflies, birds, and tree frogs.

The last piece of this project will be finished today, I will add a protective black plastic box 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 area does not receive sun so, I had to go the electric route.

The diagram, video and photos below give you a peek at the little oasis and the features utilized specifically for box turtles:

 

 

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