★★★★★
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I can't even begin to remember how many turtles we've taken out of our pool. Best of all my pond management tools.
Standard vs. Premium Turtle Traps
Designed to effectively manage turtle populations without harm, our traps are available in two models: Standard and Premium. Both traps boast the same dimensions, ensuring reliability and performance, but with key differences to suit varied needs.
Our Premium trap features a robust design with an aluminum frame encasing the entire cage, ideal for long-term use in various aquatic environments. It guarantees durability and effectiveness, making it a preferred choice for professional wildlife managers and pond owners. On the other hand, our Standard trap offers a budget-friendly option without compromising on quality.
Redesigned for cost savings and efficient shipping, the standard trap is reinforced utilizing an aluminum U-Bracket cage support, allowing the cage to easily break down, and fit into a smaller box for reducing shipping costs (we can ship to you for FREE!) and environmental impact. Whether you prioritize longevity or cost-effectiveness, either Pond King Floating Turtle Trap will provide the perfect solution for ethical turtle control.
Why Trap Turtles
If you have a pond, then you will have turtles. But, determining if you need to remove turtles is based on two things: what are the goals for your pond and what type of turtles do you have? Very often, ponds managed as fisheries will get overpopulated with turtles because of the increased food source. And too many turtles means too much competition for resources. So, if you have a fishery, you probably need to remove turtles to ensure the health of your fish.
No matter what, if you have snapping turtles in your pond or lake, or even soft-shell turtles, you’ll probably want to remove them because they can be dangerous to pets and children. But if that is your situation, this isn’t the right trap for you. Our turtle trap is designed to catch sunbathing turtles, and snapping turtles don’t sunbathe.
Trap placement to increase your chances of catching turtles
We have an entire blog post that goes into a lot of detail about where to put your turtle trap, but there are a few factors you should consider when determining the ideal placement of your turtle traps. Being able to access it to remove the turtles is an important consideration. If you don't have access to a boat or other means to set or empty the trap, you're limited to placing it by a dock or close to land. This can limit the effectiveness of the trap because it gives the animals access to easier, more familiar structures.
Handmade, durable and long-lasting
Just like all Pond King products, our turtle traps are made from scratch using the highest quality materials so your turtle trap will last for years, even if you leave it out in the water the entire time. The frame is welded aluminum, the flaps are also aluminum with stainless steel hinges, and the cage is made from coated galvanized mesh panels. The molded vinyl floats boast a seamless design without air valves, ensuring a maintenance-free experience with no risk of leaks or hassle.
Specifications
Capacity
Up to 50 adult turtles
Up to 50 adult turtles
Dimensions
23"x25"x16"
23"x25"x16"
Coverage
1 trap/ 4-5 acres
1 trap/ 4-5 acres
More Details
When you order a Turtle Trap from Pond King, you’ll receive:
Standard Turtle Trap:
- Partial Welded-aluminum Frame
- 1 Aluminum U-Bracket Support for Cage with 2 Stainless Steel Screws and Lock Nuts
- Coated Galvanized Cage with 16 Stainless Steel J-Clips
- 2 Aluminum Flaps
- 2 Molded Marine Vinyl Floats
- Flap Hardware: 4 Stainless Steel Screws with Lock Nuts
- Float Hardware: 4 Square Tube Bushings, 4 Galvanized 3/8” Bolts, 12 Large Flat Washers, 4 Lock Washers, 4 Nuts
Premium Turtle Trap:
- Full Welded-aluminum Frame
- Coated Galvanized Cage
- 2 Aluminum Flaps
- 2 Molded Marine Vinyl Floats
- Flap Hardware: 4 Stainless Steel Screws with Lock Nuts
- Float Hardware: 4 Square Tube Bushings, 4 Galvanized 3/8” Bolts, 8 Large Flat Washers, 4 Lock Washers, 4 Nuts
Both Pond King Turtle Traps ship via ground to any physical address in the continental U.S. (no PO Boxes, please).
- The Standard trap ships Free.
- The Premium trap’s shipping rate will be calculated at checkout.
We manufacture the Pond King Floating Turtle Trap at our facility in Lindsay, Texas and it carries a limited 5 year warranty on the frame and welds. We don’t manufacture the floats, but the manufacturer offers a lifetime warranty against splitting or bursting. This does not cover any sort of misuse or puncturing (caused by beavers eating or gunshots, etc) and you will be asked to send your floats in for inspection should you wish to make a claim under the warranty.
You’ll receive complete assembly instructions with your turtle trap, but it's pretty simple.
For the Standard Turtle Trap:
- Unfold the mesh pieces to form the cage and attach with stainless steel J-Clips.
- Set the aluminum frame on top of the cage.
- Add the support bracket.
- Attach vinyl floats with 3/8” bolts, large washers and tube bushings.
- Attach flippers to hinges on the frame with small stainless screws and nuts.
Download the full instructions here.
For the Premium Turtle Trap:
- Unpack welded box frame and cage.
- Attach vinyl floats with 3/8” bolts, large washers and tube bushings.
- Attach flippers to hinges on the frame with small stainless screws and nuts.
Download the full instructions here.
Have more questions?
We’re happy to answer any questions you may have. Let us help you determine if the Turtle Trap is right for you.
FAQ
In today's economic climate, everyone seeks opportunities to save money. That's why we've revamped our original Premium turtle trap to provide a more affordable option. By streamlining the aluminum frame, we've reduced material, labor, and shipping costs, enabling us to offer it at a lower price point. While both traps operate similarly, those frequently retrieving turtles may find the Premium trap more durable for sustained use. Its full frame ensures longevity, especially during frequent dragging in and out of the water.
The Pond King turtle trap can catch a variety of turtles, but the most common one you will find in your trap is the Red-eared slider. This trap is not designed to catch snapping turtles.
When turtles climb up to reach the warmth of the sun, they fall into the trap and are unable to climb back out.
The trap will hold as many as 50 adult turtles. Some pond owners have reported even more turtles in one trap!
To set the turtle trap in smaller ponds, you will need two ropes and a stake. One rope should be approximately 3′ longer than your water depth (to attach a weight to and use as an anchor) and one at least 30′ long for moving the trap in and out of the water.
- Tie one end of the shorter rope to the turtle trap frame and the other to the weight (we recommend a brick or 1/2 cinder block)
- Tie one end of the longer rope to the trap.
- Put the weight and turtle trap on the bank on one side of the pond. Take the longer rope in hand and walk to the other side of the pond. Pull the rope to move the trap and weight into the pond. We recommend having the trap at least 30′ from the shoreline.
- Tie the free end of the rope to a stake at the bank.
For larger ponds and lakes you will need to use a boat. Attach an anchor to the turtle trap like in step 1 above. Take the trap and weight out into the pond at least 30′ from the shoreline. Drop the weight and trap into the pond.
You should check the floating turtle trap and remove any turtles about every two weeks. Remove other floating surface debris to increase catch frequency.
The Pond King Floating Turtle Trap is built to last with an all welded aluminum frame and flaps with stainless steel hinges. The floats are one-piece molded vinyl fenders. No leaky air valves to worry about and superb flotation.
We typically recommend adding one turtle trap for every 4-5 acres of water.
No bait is needed to be able to catch sunbathing turtles in our floating trap. If you are trying to catch snapping turtles or softshell turtles, bait may be necessary, but you’ll need a different trap as these turtles do NOT sunbathe.
The floating turtle trap is 23”x 25”x 16” Coated Galvanized Cage and can hold about 50 adult redear sliders.