Q: Our property has become a favourite egg-laying destination for turtles. Unfortunately, the eggs are being dug up and devoured as a midnight snack by raccoons. Is there anything I can do to protect the eggs and increase their chances of survival?—Dan Bedard, Big Rideau Lake, Ont.
A: There sure is! You can build a nest protector. The folks at the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre recommend a simple 2-by-2-foot frame covered in mesh and staked to the ground. (If your DIY skills are worse than zero, you can also buy one ready-made from the OTCC.) You’ll need to include escape holes for the hatchlings—roughly one by two inches on all four sides of the frame.
The key is using the right mesh—the OTCC recommends hardware cloth. It lets in the right amount of light. Too much shade, and the cold temperatures that result can make the eggs infertile, says Sue Carstairs, the OTCC’s executive and medical director. “And that
