So I don't know how old Percy is, but he is 7".

I provide a shallow water bowl for him which he can almost fit his whole body in, but not quite. However, all he does is crawl over it - he never gets in it or even gives it a second glance. I don't think he even drinks from it.

He spends his days under his light burrowing into his substrate (or not depending on the day) and he is constantly shedding and looking generally dry. So I soak him at least twice a week. But at some point in time I would LOVE for him to drink on his own since he doesn't seem to enjoy being soaked - he tries to get out of the shallow planter dish I put him to soak, but can't quite get out of it. (Which is good right since he needs to soak? or am I being cruel?)

I got one of those things for hamsters - the water bottles where the hamster licks or nudges it and water comes out. I put the tip of it into an orange, but Percy didn't seem interested and it dripped constantly.

How do I get him - or will he ever - drink water or soak himself?

I never used to see turdboy drinking from his dish when he was inside. and even less when he moved out! he's drinking, just on the sneak

Torts get alot of their water from what they eat. He is probably drinking but when you are not looking. If you are going to give him a bowl make sure it is big enough for him to get into. All of him into or he will not soak. My Foster Sully hated being soaked and I didn't see her drink much but she would walk over her water bowl. I would sometimes mist her sleeping area she seemed to like the higher humidity. I think she was soaking in water that way also.

Ok - thanks. I was hesitant to put a soak containter in his enclosure because I never saw him use it. But I will put it back in there. Sneaky torts!

My Sulcata is a bit smaller than yours. I keep a pyrex 9"x13" baking dish in his enclosure. I know he goes in it cause it has poop in it nearly every morning! I always clean it out & set him back in it. Sometimes he drinks & sometimes not.

Patsy