Craft & Install a Turtle Nest Protector

 

Protect turtle nests on your property with a nest box.

You can either borrow one of ours (contact sue@blueheronheadwaters.org) or make one. ​This is especially important for our state threatened Blanding's turtles. We do not recommend using these for snapping turtles. Their population is healthy, and they prey on other turtle species (see photos below). Other turtles experience 90-100% predation of eggs. This device will protect them for the 2-3 months it takes before they hatch. 

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Materials (download Directions)
You will need one each of:  
8’ x 1” x 4” lumber
18” x 18” hardware cloth (0.5” squares)  
3’ x 0.5” x 0.5” aluminum angle
3’ x 1.5” x 1.5” aluminum angle
10’ x 1” x 0.5” strip of aluminum sheet
10” x 1” x 0.5” strip of soft cloth

Additional items include:
8 each 2” flat head screws
10 each 1” screws
4 each 10” landscape spikes
Waterproof glue

Directions
1. Cut the 1”x4” lumber into 17.25” pieces and drill two holes in one end of each piece. Cut a 1” x 8” notch in one side of one side of one piece (this will be the exit door for hatchlings).

2. Cut the 0.5” x 0.5” aluminum angle into 18” pieces. Notch the ends of each piece to fit over the sides of the box. Notch the center of one angle to fit over the other angle. Drill a hole in the ends of each angle and screw them to the box at the center of each side.

3. Place the hardware cloth over the top of the box and staple it into place.

4. Cut the 1.5” x 1.5” angle into 18” pieces. Drill 3 holes (0.25”) in one leg of each piece and 2 holes (0.5”) in the other leg. Screw the angles to the side of the box.

​5. Glue half the cloth strip to the aluminum strip. Staple the upper half of the cloth to the box over the 1” x 8” notch (see photo above). This creates a swinging door from which hatchlings can emerge but helps prevents predators from reaching into the box. 

6. Place it over the nest, and hammer the landscape stakes into the ground. If possible face the escape hatch downhill toward a wetland.

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Your Local Turtles

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