U.S. District Judge Kurt D. Engelhardt sentenced Illinois resident Keith Cantore to 41 months incarceration, to be followed by three years of supervised release and $100 special assessment as well as $41,000 in restitution after he attempted to purchase 100 North American Wood Turtles for $40,000.

“The poaching of Wood Turtles has had a significant negative impact on its population in the wild. In effect, this defendant was willing to help drive this species to extinction to make a few bucks. " - Raymond R. Parmer, head of ICE Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans

According to court records, Cantore was charged with three counts of purchasing and/or attempting to purchase threatened species of turtles that were illegally captured from the wild, a violation of the federal Lacey Act. Cantore was previously convicted of federal charges related to the illegal sale of turtles and that he continued to illegally sell turtles while on bond for the current charges.

To read the Department of Justice press release click here. Gallery photo by user arfytoothskin

Researchers have named a brightly colored new flat lizard Platysaurus attenboroughi, after broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough. Attenborough is known worldwide for his numerous documentary films on natural history, many involving reptiles and amphibians.

"We thought it fitting the lizard be named after the world-famous naturalist after he made famous a closely related flat lizard species in the BBC series 'Life in Cold Blood'" - Dr. Martin Whiting - Macquarie University

To read the full article at CBS News click here. Photo Dr. Martin Whiting

The Argentinian Black and White Tegu, Salvator merianae, has been a problem in Southeast Florida for a while now, the lizard has established populations in Miami-Dade, Hillsborough and Polk County, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, but it is now spreading to the Southwest region, particularly Collier County.

“This is public enemy number one–the Argentine Tegu,” - Ian Bartoszek, Biologist - Conservancy of Southwest Florida

Wildlife experts have mailed 7,200 postcards to the Collier County as a warning for residents to report a sighting immediately. Residents are urged to call 1-888-IVE-GOT1 if they see a tegu or send a picture of the animal to www.IveGot1.org.

To read the whole article in the Palm Beach Post click here - Gallery photo by RamblinRose

A fatal fungal disease that has been running rampant in snake populations on the east coast and has been found as far west as Illinois has now been identified in at least nine states. The disease can cause crusty scabs and lesions, sometimes on the head, and has a high mortality rate in some populations. Although it affects a number of species, it's especially threatening to rattlesnakes that live in small, isolated populations. It's unclear if this fungal disease was brought to the United States from elsewhere, or if it has always been present and for some unknown reason is now infecting snakes.

"I think potentially this could overwhelm any conservation effort we could employ to try to protect this last remaining population," said Doug Blodgett, a biologist with the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife

In New Hampshire, the disease helped halve the population of rattlesnakes, now estimated at only several dozen. In Illinois the disease infects about 15 percent of the population of about 300 of massasauga rattlesnakes every year with a mortality rate of 80 to 90 percent.

To read the whole AP story click here!. Gallery photo by herpermike1

Reptile collector Gerard Kruse plead guilty in a New York Federal Court to 13 violations of the Lacey Act for his role in illegally collecting and transporting native snakes.

Arrested as part of a sting dubbed "Operation Kingsnake" Kruse admitted to the illegal collection, transport and receipt of 59 snakes that were collected from and protected by various states, such as New Jersey, California and Oregon.

“All of our protected species, including reptiles, are important to our ecosystems and must be shielded from such illegal trafficking. The Justice Department will continue to vigorously support efforts against domestic wildlife trafficking.” - Assistant Attorney General John C. Cruden

According to the terms of the plea agreement, the government will seek 13 months of home confinement with electronic monitoring. In addition, Kruse has agreed to be placed on probation and subject to special conditions such as forfeiture of his snakes and being banned from the collection, sale and trade of reptiles and amphibians.

To read the full news release from the U.S. Department of Justice click here.

Gallery Photo by DeanAlessandrini

Although many frogs and toads are known to be poisonous, i.e. deadly if their toxins are ingested, two frogs from Brazil are now known to be venomous as well, delivering their toxins through spines and spikes on their heads, a first for the four legged amphibians. Scientists that made the discovery said calculations suggest that a single gram of the venom from the more toxic species, Aparasphenodon brunoi, could kill more than 300,000 mice or about 80 humans.

The strength of toxicity of the skin secretions is remarkable, and to say we were surprised by that is an understatement," Brodie said. "Amphibians have a wide array of skin toxins that have been well-studied, but this sort of mechanism — transmitting the toxin as a venom — has not been found before. It moves the study of amphibian defenses to a new level.

Although their venom packs a wallop, scientists are convinced it is only used as a defensive mechanism as opposed to using it to hunt their prey. Since neither frog has any known predators, that is certainly a likely scenario.

To read more, check out the full article on LiveScience

Photo: Carlos Jared/Butantan Institute

Prompted by a petition in 2012 by the Center for Biological Diversity the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is reviewing 10 species of reptiles and amphibians to consider them for federal protection under the Endangered Species Act, despite many of the listed species enjoying protection of state laws in their home range.

According to media reports USFWS will seek to collect additional information for a more thorough review of the following reptiles and amphibians:

• Alligator snapping turtle
  
• Apalachicola kingsnake
  
• Cedar Key mole skink
  
• Gopher frog
  
• Green salamander
  
• Illinois chorus frog in
  
• Key ring-necked snake
  
• Rim Rock crowned snake
  
• Southern hog-nosed snake
  
• Spotted turtle

According to the USFWS "For those petitions that will move on to a more in-depth review, that process will include the opportunity for significant input from states, partners, stakeholders, and the public." To read more about this issue, view the original article on GulfLive.com. kingsnake.com will post more information on the public input process here as it becomes available.

Alligator Snapper gallery photo by kingsnake.com user LEESTOPCUT.

The seven surviving offspring of the leucistic boa constrictor smuggled by reptile breeder Jeremy Stone have been repatriated to Brazil, nearly a year after Stone plead guilty in federal court. The original boa, as well as one of the offspring, died, but the remainder returned to Brazil, which claimed ownership because the original specimen had been captured there.

In July 2014, Stone pleaded guilty plea to unlawfully transporting wildlife into the United States. As part of his plea agreement, Stone agreed to forfeit the boa’s offspring to the United States.

“The successful prosecution of Mr. Stone and the recovery and repatriation of the offspring from this rare and valuable leucistic boa constrictor are due to the exceptional cooperation between the United States and Brazilian authorities,” said U.S. Attorney Huber.

For more information, read the Department of Justice press release at http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/united-states-repatriates-seven-boa-constrictors-brazil

A salmonella outbreak in 16 states, linked to crested geckos, has been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although usually associated with turtles, salmonella in its various sub-types is found in all reptiles and amphibians. This outbreak is a reminder to all that proper hygiene is required after handling any reptile or amphibian.

According to the bulletin posted by the CDC:

As of May 13, 2015, a total of 20 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Muenchen have been reported from 16 states since January 1, 2014.

CDC is collaborating with public health, veterinary, and agriculture officials in many states and the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) to investigate an outbreak of Salmonella Muenchen infections linked to contact with pet crested geckos purchased from multiple stores in different states. Crested geckos are popular pet lizards that come in a variety of colors.

This outbreak is a reminder to follow simple steps to enjoy your pet and keep your family healthy. CDC does not recommend that pet owners get rid of their geckos.

It is very important to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water right after touching pet reptiles or anything in the area where they live and roam.

For more tips on how to enjoy your pet reptile and protect yourself and your family, please visit the CDC page at http://www.cdc.gov/Features/salmonellafrogturtle/.

Gallery photo by LSU_Tigress.

After a long, hard fight against cancer, former New Mexico state herpetologist Charlie Painter succumbed to the disease early this morning. His wife and partner, Lori King Painter, said, "Charlie lived his life with everything fiber of his being, and did not want to leave the world that he loved so much."

Charlie's contributions to herpetofauna over the years include authoring over 80 peer reviewed articles, serving as editor for Herpetological Review, and becoming the first state herpetologist for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, a role he held for over 25 years. Charlie authored the 1996 book Amphibians and Reptiles of New Mexico and, with the Museum of Southwestern Biology at the University of New Mexico, helped build and maintain one of the best herpetofauna collections in the nation.

Painter was the 2013 recipient of the Allison Haskell Award for Excellence in Herpetofaunal Conservation from his peers in the Partnership for Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, and his decades-long efforts working with students and herpers of all ages imparted a long-lasting legacy in the herpetology of the western United States.

Photo: Courtesy Lori King Painter

kingsnake.com staffers Jeff Barringer and Leiren McKenzie (and kingsnake.com's Zombiehunter snake hunting truck) will be in San Antonio for this year's International Herp Symposum down at the city's famous Riverwalk, May 27 through 30.

This year's event is notable for its distinct "Texas" flavor, both in location and topics, with a variety of talks and lectures by Texas herpers and herpetofauna, including Texas Parks and Wildlife's Andy Glusenkamp, discussing citizen science in the Lone Star state with the iNaturalist project as well as others.

The symposium, an annual event now in its 38th year, is hosted in a different city every year, and draws herpetologists and herpetoculturists from around the world to discuss a variety of herpetological topics, from captive care and husbandry, to species management and conservation efforts in the wild. The event includes a field trip to the San Antonio Zoo with a VIP "Behind the Scenes" tour of their noted Reptile House, which includes Komodo Dragons among the many species it works with, as well as an optional banquet followed by a live auction. Many guests also plan to make informal field trips to chase reptiles and amphibians through the desert thornscrub.

Registration for the symposium, held at the Hilton Palacio del Rio San Antonio River Walk Hotel, is still open, however the IHS room block is almost full, so you will need to hurry to take advantage of the special room rates offered for this event. For a full breakdown of this years schedule, speakers, and topics, and to register for the event or reserve a room, make sure to check out the IHS web site at http://internationalherpetologicalsymposium.com .

If you plan on sneaking away to go herping, please remember to follow the laws and regulations, and make sure to have the proper licenses and permits. For Texas residents that means a standard hunting license and a Reptile & Amphibian Stamp. Non-residents can go herping with a Non-resident 5-Day Special Hunting License and Reptile & Amphibian stamp. For questions regarding the Reptile & Amphibian stamp, and it's rules and regulations take a look at TP& W's Amphibian and Reptile FAQ at https://tpwd.texas.gov/faq/huntwild/amphibian_reptile_stamp.phtml

In a surprising move this morning USFWS Director Dan Ashe has announced that the federal government will seek an immediate ban on the importation, interstate transport, and possession, of the Mediterranean House Gecko, Hemidactylus turcicus, an invasive species that has taken over in many states in the Southern U.S.

"Thousands of these geckos have been released over the years by pet owners into the everglades, and climate change will only hasten their spread. Without a multi-billion dollar taxpayer funded effort to eradicate these invaders, millions of American insects will be at risk, including the endangered Alabama blue nosed fly, and the Daytona bar hopper. That said I have instructed the service to add this species to the invasive species list and we shall immediately seek to ban their importation and ownership under the Lacey act statutes" said Director Dan Ashe. "Additionally we have instructed the service to draw up a multi-decade eradication plan that will use techniques used and successfully developed to combat other invasive reptiles such as the Burmese Python and Brown Tree Snake."

USFWS plans are said to include setting up an invasive gecko task force to bring together the many state and federal agencies working to resolve the issue, airdrops of millions of bait insects from helicopters across the U.S., as well as the issuance of powerful flash lights to all field agents over 5 feet in height. Homeowners across the U.S. are being asked to help in this fight, the service requesting that they immediately check the eaves and overhangs of their dwellings at night for the invasive geckos, and reporting any they find to their USFWS regional office. Homeowners found to be harboring geckos after the ban has been implemented face fines up to $250,000 under the current Lacey act statutes.

A soldier assigned to a Kenya naval station was killed last month by a venomous snake, reports military newspaper Stars and Stripes.

Pfc. Bailey Jerome Swaggart, 25, of the 4th Brigade, 1st Armored Division, died Feb. 19, a month after he was deployed to Manda Bay Naval Base. He was assigned to guard an air strip and got out of his Humvee to investigate a small brush fire nearby and was bitten.

The military treats more bite victims than many realize. According to a 2013 U.S. Army Research study , 17 cases of venomous snakebite, most in Afghans but including two U.S. service members, were brought to three U.S. military medical units in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2011; all survived after treatment. The median time between being bitten and receiving treatment was 2.8 hours.

East Africa has a wide variety of venomous snakes, including puff adders, cobras, vipers and mambas. Though it was unclear which type of snake killed Swaggart, it was thought to have been a viper or a black mamba.

We all know members of the military are exposed to the hazards associated with a war zone, things like snipers, ambushes, and IEDs. It may not always occur to us hey're also subject to the normal hazards of daily life, like car accidents, workplace accidents, and snake and insect bites. However, these dangers occur often enough to produce a significant casualty rate on their own, and often in areas of lesser or no conflict are the main cause of injury among service men and women.

To read more, check out the complete article on the Stars and Stripes website.

Black mamba photo by site user 1sun.

An inaccurate report published last night in the Miami Herald set the stage for bad news, but while today the USFWS has chosen not to list the boa constrictor as an invasive species at this time, they did list the reticulated pythons and three species of anaconda.

A press release issued today by the service stated:

"The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) today declared the reticulated python, DeSchauensee’s anaconda, green anaconda and Beni anaconda as “injurious” under the Lacey Act. A fifth snake, the boa constrictor, is removed from consideration for listing as an injurious wildlife species.

The listing will prohibit import of the four snakes into the United States and its territories, as well as transport across state lines for snakes already in the country, and is intended to help restrict the snakes’ spread in the wild. Following opportunities for public comment, an economic analysis and an environmental assessment, the Service produced the final rule, which is expected to publish in the Federal Register March 10. The prohibitions in the rule will go into effect 30 days after publication and apply to live individuals, gametes, viable eggs or hybrids of the four snakes."

To read the complete press release, click here.

Photo: kingsnake.com user Steve Ray

The US Fish & Wildlife Service will be adding boa constrictors, reticulated pythons, and anacondas to the invasive species restricted list, banning their import and interstate transport, reports the Miami Herald. On Friday, agency director Dan Ashe will make the announcement in Florida at at the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge in Boynton Beach.

This is not likely to end the long fight between the USFWS and the reptile community, begun in 2006 when the ban was first proposed and the subject of an ongoing lawsuit by the United States Association of Reptile & Amphibian Keepers (USARK). While it is expected to impact the industry, many states will see legal local sales of restricted animals continue, so the overall impact is unclear.

For more information, check out the complete story at the Miami Herald.

Photo: kingsnake.com user Dewback

kingsnake.com has launched a new cassified ad directory of those who have an active profile in our vendor profile system, which launched last year.

Listing in the directory is free with the purchase of a classified advertising account, and the listing stays active while the classified account is active. If the classified account expires or becomes inactive the vendor profile, and its listing in the directory, will "hibernate" until the classified account becomes active again.

The classified directory has an overview and detailed view of vendor listings, as well as vendors, classified ads, and events listed by state or province. To be listed, current vendors need to update their profiles.

You can check out the new Classified Vendor Directory here!

If you have a classified account but have not set up your vendor profile yet, you can set up or edit your profile by logging in at http://market.kingsnake.com/account/. If you already have a classified ad vendor profile, there is one minor update you'll want to make: adding a descriptive sentence about your business for the directory.

After 18 years kingsnake.com is still the largest and most popular reptile and amphibian classified site on the web. A kingsnake.com classified account enables you to post dozens of ads per day, seen by thousands of reptile and amphibian people worldwide, all for just pennies a day.

If you don't have a classified account, need to renew, or want to be listed in the Classified Vendor Directory, you can purchase a classified account for as little as $20 by going to http://www.kingsnake.com/shared/services/classified.php.

Internal USFWS/DOI politics over the status of the dunes sagebrush lizard have cost a field agent his career and shed light on policy decisions at the DOI that bring into question the agency's compliance with the Endangered Species Act.

The Houston Chronicle reports the decision as to whether or not the dunes sagebrush lizard would be listed, causing all sorts of problems for landowners and the oil industry, was pre-ordained by politics rather than determined by science, which is required by the Act.

"There was no way we were going to list a lizard in the middle of oil country during an election year."

This quote, said to have been uttered at a meeting by then-USFWS Albuquerque-based regional director Benjamin Tuggle according to court testimony by whistleblower and former USFWS agent Gary Mowad, is the "smoking gun" allegedly showing the listing decision was predetermined, a key tenet and violation of the Endangered Species Act.

Mowad had told internal investigators the federally-approved plan to conserve habitat for the reptile through voluntary pacts between the state and landowners was not legal, verifiable, or enforceable under the Endangered Species Act, before being banished to an inactive role in the agency.

Mowad sued and settled with the agency, an almost unprecedented conclusion to a USFWS whistleblower suit. However, that settlement leaves up in the air the question of the lizard's status, and to a greater extent, the USFWS decision to bow to politics rather than follow the law, a decision sure to haunt them in current and future lawsuits.

If the agency charged with enforcing the laws won't follow the laws themselves, they make a mockery of having the laws in the first place, and surrender any moral or ethical high ground they may have occupied.

Read the complete article here.

It's hard to believe it's been 18 years, but domain registrations don't lie -- today is kingsnake.com's 18th birthday!

On February 8, 1997, kingsnake.com first appeared on the Internet; it's been 6,574 days, or 157, 776 hours, or 9,466,560 minutes, since our servers first went active and the kingsnake.com community launched. Since then, our reptile and amphibian community has been visited by millions of people from around the world who have posted millions of photos and messages about their pets. Yahoo and Amazon.com are older, but Google, YouTube, and Facebook are still our juniors.

When kingsnake.com first started, few reptile people had even seen the Internet. Now, the Internet is so ingrained in our daily lives, in our community, and in our industry, we would be unable to function without it. Along the way, kingsnake.com has documented much of it, good and bad, and stored in its archives is essentially an almost two decade history of the reptile community. Wading through it brings back a lot of memories of great animals, events, experiences, and many friends who have moved away, moved on, or passed.

We want to thank the many users, advertisers, sponsors, volunteers, and staffers who have made kingsnake.com what it is today: the largest, most relevant, and most popular reptile community on the Internet. - Jeff Barringer and the kingsnake.com staff

Click below to see images of kingsnake.com throughout the years...

Legendary Texas herpetologist and naturalist James R. (Jim) Dixon passed away yesterday, January 10, 2015, leaving a legacy in Texas herpetology and herpetoculture that will be hard to match.

Dr. Dixon never met a snake he didn't like. Professor Emeritus and Curator Emeritus of amphibians and reptiles at the Texas Cooperative Wildlife Collection at Texas A&M University, in his long, distinguished career Dr. Dixon described hundreds of new species of reptiles and amphibians worldwide, with a special emphasis on the herpetofauna of Texas, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

Born in 1928 in Houston, Dr. Dixon first obtained his bachelor of science from Howard Payne University in 1950 before serving in the Korean War. Working as Curator of Reptiles at the Ross Allen Reptile Institute before earning his masters degree (1957) and PhD in (1961) from Texas A&M University, he was an Associate Professor of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M from 1959 until 1961.

As an Associate Professor of Wildlife Management at New Mexico State University from 1961 until 1965, he served as a consultant to the New Mexico Game and Fisheries department until leaving for the University of Southern California, where from 1965 until 1967 he was Curator of Herpetology at the Los Angeles County Museum.

In 1971 he returned to his Texas roots, becoming a professor at Texas A&M University, where he taught Wildlife and Fisheries Science and became Curator of the Texas Cooperative Wildlife Collection. Dr. Dixon also served as president of several herpetological and naturalist societies including The Herpetologist League, Texas Herpetological Society, Texas Academy of Science, Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Southwestern Association of Naturalists. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Texas Systems of Natural Laboratories and the faculty of Stephen F. Austin State University.

Author and co-author of numerous books, book chapters, and hundreds of peer reviewed notes and articles, Dr. Dixon was one of the most prominent herpetologists of the latter 20th century, and over the years numerous species have been named in his honor by some of his thousands of students and admirers.

"As three-time Soapbox Derby Champ Ronnie Beck says, 'Unguarded construction sites are a gold mine.'" -Bart Simpson

While my days of pirating materials from construction sites to build skate ramps and bike jumps are way, way behind me, my urge to re-use old building materials from my own scrap pile continues to fuel many of my reptile projects.

My pile contains all sorts of fencing, screen wire, unused materials, and wood scraps from 10 years of projects around the house, and it's always the first place I look when I have something that needs to be built.

Thus it was I found myself scanning the detritus of a hundred different tasks, looking for bits and pieces that would help me in my next reptile project: a tortoise tractor!

What is a tortoise tractor? It's a tortoise cage or pen on wheels that can be shuffled around the yard as needed to different spots, such as areas where the grass or weeds are greenest.

The term "tractor" here comes from the use of wheels to make the unit more mobile, from the poultry world where chicken tractors are used by many home breeders to house their small flocks. Tractors like this can be as simple or as advanced as you have the need, desire, and budget. Some are tall with fancy coops or hides at one end, others not so much.

Most reptiles and amphibians do better in a captive environment if given a place to hide or burrow.

Thankfully there are lots of commercial hides and hide boxes available in all different sizes, shapes, and formats. From simple plastic hides, to elaborate logs and caves, these commercial hides work great if you only have a few animals. If you're dealing with a large number of animals, however, they can sometimes be problematic. Aside from being expensive to buy or replace, they can be difficult to clean, they may not fit the cage or the animal well, or they may not do all the things you need them to do.

I needed a hide box that would work for my medium-sized colubrid snakes. And I needed one hundred of them, so they had to be inexpensive, replaceable, easily cleaned, and, as a special requirement, they needed to "hold" a replaceable water dish, in this case a 16-oounce round deli container. Although I found several that met most of my needs, none of the commercial ones met them all. So I made my own.

Using a few tools, including a cordless drill and two hole saw bits, and cheap black spray paint, I re-purposed a stack of used plastic containers into the (almost) perfect hide box for my needs.

Starting with the plastic containers, once yearling cages, I used a 2-inch hole saw to cut out a side entrance at one end of the container. On the top of the container, at the other end, I used a 4-1/2 inch hole saw to cut a hole in the top of the box. These were hole saw bits that I already had, and if I had to purchase a new one for this project I would use a 4-3/8 so that the deli cup would fit tight in the hole. With the 4-1/2 inch bit the tolerance is too close for a tight fit, but my hides prevent the bowls from being tipped over, and that was the goal. I also found that the hole saw bit's teeth would often grab the plastic as it broke through and "fling" the box around. Running the drill in reverse to do the cutting once the initial pilot hole was drilled prevented this. It took longer, but created less dust and a cleaner hole.

With my boxes cut, I took some $1 flat black spray paint and gave the boxes single ruddy coat of paint. It doesn't need to be a solid perfect coat, just enough to obscure the light filtering through. Once dried, the hide boxes were placed in the cages, water bowls filled, and my kingsnakes all had new homes.

In the end, for the balance of the turtle and tortoise ponds I concluded a simple pond, made out of concrete, would be the best option for now.

Unlike the first pond, this one would not have a concrete frame, and in essence would be just a dished out area of dirt, covered in an inch of concrete, with a sump and a drain. They would be round and roughly the same size as the 3-foot kiddie pools, but not nearly as deep.

With a gentle slope on all sides and the middle being the deepest spot at between 6-10 inches, these ponds provide enough water to completely immerse but are easy to get into and out of. Generally speaking, they resemble super-sized bird baths.

These ponds, roughly 3-4 gallons each, took very little time to excavate, with the augering of the sump area taking up most of that. Each pond used between 1 and 1-1/2 60-lb bags of quik-crete, providing a base that was 1-2 inches thick.

I formed a small lip around the edge of the pond to allow rainwater to flow around the pond instead of into it. I did not use any reinforcing wire or mesh with the concrete, and I am certain that someone standing on them would likely crack them. But they were designed for turtle foot traffic rather than human, and if I decide on a better "ultimate pond" later, they can be readily broken up and removed.

These have worked well so far, but winter arrived more quickly than anticipated, so I was unable to do much analysis before the turtles started burrowing for the winter. With spring only a few months away, it won't be long before they are put to the test.

Another turtle and tortiose pond idea I tried out was to use the large concrete mixing tubs available at home improvement stores. Suggested by long time kingsnake.com contributor Bonnie Keller, this option was one she had used one with the edges cut down at an angle to provide a slope down to a deep end.

At $14 a tub, I wanted to try one straight up because modifying 96 of them would be tough. And I was already looking beyond plastic ponds as likely the ultimate solution.

A rectangular tub that holds just over 20 gallons, it was smaller than the kiddie pools, but still so deep that it required more excavation time than I wanted to expend. I again excavated with a shovel and water hose to seat the tub properly, and again used the auger to great a sump area for drainage, and added a drain plug to the tub.

Though the ends of the tub had a gentler slope than the kiddie pools sides, it was still too steep for the turtles to get a footing to exit the tub. Again I added rocks to provide them entry and exit, but the Eastern Box Turtles had the same problems getting in and out. They would flop about, frustrated, fighting to get out until they found purchase on the rock pile.

Again this proved to be a "workable" solution that on a small scale could be usable once the issues were overcome, but scaling it to 96 pens would be problematic. This pond too, while still in use today, will be replaced by what turned out to be the eventual best solution.

Watch for part 4!