Terrapins

[lyon01]

I was out for a walk round the local park with my little lad yesterday and was surprised to see a terrapin crawling around in the bushes at the side of the lake. A small group of people soon built up until someone picked it up and placed it back at the waters edge before it shot off under the water. I was pretty amazed to see it at the time but since googling it turns out it's pretty common as a result of people buying them as pets but then dumping them in local ponds and lakes when they can't be bothered with them anymore. Apparently they eat the ducklings and bite the legs off the ducks! I read a report saying the warm weather is helping them to thrive. Any body else spotted one when out and about? Just curious how common it is to see them? If this is a well known phenomenon that has just completely passed me by then apologies!

[ninthace]

Not uncommon in city parks. It goes back to the Ninja Turtle craze. Best not to handle them though, they can bite and are reputed to be covered in Salmonella bacteria.


https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm048151.htm

[Hillhiker1]

Yes. I spotted one basking on a sculpture in a pond in Rhuddlan in Wales. I genuinely thought it was a stranded tortoise and reported to the ranger as such. He then told me pretty much as you said - it's fairly common and they're a nuisance. I took a photo. Apparently mine was a "Yellow bellied slider"
Totally new one on me. I was amazed.

[Dyffryn Ardudwy]

It may have been due to the daft Ninja Turtles craze many years ago.
A local friend still has a rather large terrapin in a make shift indoor pool.
The rather shy creature is nearly twelve years old, and was purchased as a pet during the Ninja Turtles craze many years ago.
Its surprising how large terrapins can grow, and not everyone is pet orientated, once a young family loses interest and grows up, out goes the terrapin into a local pond or river.

[jimbob]

Be very careful with terrapins and tortoises. Especially if the shop is next door to the bakers.

My mate bought one years ago, probably at the time of the Ninja Turtles children's  programme. 

He told me to avoid that shop  as their pies were way too crusty.