Tazzy the Turtle is Learning to Trust Me 🐢 | Can I Hand Feed Her?

Mark expresses his gratitude for the support he has received, reflecting on the themes of grief and courage. As he stands by his *pond**, the gentle movements of the **fish* offer a sense of **acceptance**. He hopes his openness resonates with viewers.

00:00 - A Quiet Pond Moment
Hi guys, it's Mark from anypond.com – your trusted resource in the UK for ponds and water features.

Firstly, thank you for all the support following last week’s video, where I opened up at the Koi Palace and shared a bit about grief. I really turned up my courage dial, and your messages checking in on me meant the world to me. The video wasn’t intended to raise concerns about my health, but I truly appreciate everyone who reached out to me.

If you haven’t seen it yet, I encourage you to go and watch it. Some people said it felt like a meditation – it was a very different style for me.

This week’s video is more of an update. I'm filming on my phone again – I'm still sorting out the mic and camera situation, so please forgive any wind noise. But I wanted to show you what’s been going on in the Koi Palace.

01:47 - Koi Feeding Frenzy

We recently had Jamie from Keeping It Koi over to help select some of the fish we bred last year. And yes, we did lose a fish – as I mentioned in the last video – and it hit me emotionally. These aren’t just fish, they’re pets, and we’re their guardians. Sometimes, even when you can intervene, you have to ask whether it’s right to stress the fish more.

02:55 - Meet Tazzy 🐢

But today, I want to share more about our turtle, Tazzy, a Chinese striped-necked turtle. She’s been gradually warming to me. On Tuesday, she swam towards me for the first time! By Wednesday, she was actively looking for food after I fed the koi, and we offered her some prawns, which she loves. Her absolute favourite, though? Carrot – grated or sliced thin.

05:18 - Will She Trust Me?

She’s learning to associate me with food, and the warmer it gets, the more confident she becomes. I'm hoping she’ll let me hand-feed her soon. If you're interested in that journey, let me know in the comments. I read and try to reply to every comment – good, bad, or otherwise.

Feeding the koi is always a joy – I just gave them a full pint of pond pellets from the Any Pond Cup, and they devoured it. But now I’m also feeding Tazzy alongside them. She’s far more confident than when we first rehomed her. After three years in an aquarium, this outdoor environment is all new.

We’ve added logs and shallow steps so she can bask and feel safe. Sometimes she even swims while we’re out enjoying the pond. And yes – Luna, our dog, has noticed her! But Tazzy knows she’s safe. It’s about building trust slowly.

07:55 - Visit the Koi Palace

We’re planning some Meet the Fish and Feed the Turtle experiences here in the Pond College Gardens. Once Tazzy is confident with hand feeding, you’ll be able to give it a try too. The Turtle Feeding Experience is currently £99, and the Meet the Fish Experience is £30 – not just about feeding, but learning about the koi, their diets, and behaviours with me personally.

10:09 - Upcoming August Event
We’re open for garden visits and collections some weekends – check waterfeature.shop/events for details. On the second weekend of August, which is the 8th and 9th, we are hosting special guest Jamie from Keeping It Koi, who has been brilliant in helping with our fish.

So if you’d like to visit, learn, and spend some peaceful time in our gardens, book a session. Bring your questions, your photos, even printed plans – we’re here to help you dream, plan, and enjoy your next water feature.

I’m Mark, The Pond Advisor. Thanks for watching. I’ll see you in the next video – now I’m off to enjoy this lazy July sunshine!

NONE.