# Carrot and water soaking



## rearlpettway

Why do people soak their tortoises in carrots and water?


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## Edizzle888

When they are sickly and need to take in calories. Usually aren't eating


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## rearlpettway

Edizzle888 said:


> When they are sickly and need to take in calories. Usually aren't eating


So the nutrients soak through their skin????


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## Kasia

rearlpettway said:


> So the nutrients soak through their skin????


Nope, but when they have a sip of water they have some suger/calories/vitamins in it as well.


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## dmmj

It is used for sick tortoises. A sick tortoise may not eat but they still usually drink even if they're not drinking they still asorb small amounts through the cloaca


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## rearlpettway

dmmj said:


> It is used for sick tortoises. A sick tortoise may not eat but they still usually drink even if they're not drinking they still asorb small amounts through the cloaca



Ah, cloaca. That makes a lot of sense. Thank you very much.


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## Yvonne G

Actually the nutrients are absorbed through the thin skin on the underside of the neck and the skin around the cloaca. There is a species of water turtle (I think in Australia) that actually "drinks" through the cloaca, but that's the only species that does. I got this information many, many years ago from Dr. Jartchow in Arizona.

I only use the strained carrot/water soaks on babies whose eyes are swollen shut and are not eating. It does no good at all to use it on a healthy baby.


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## Katashia

Hello all! I have searched the forum and have read several threads concerning theses baths, but I still have questions.

I am mostly curious as to whether or not these baths are for sick tortoises only, or if healthy tortoises can enjoy them as well?

What are their main purposes necessarily? And, are there any other types of baby foods good for Marla?

Thanks in advance for any info. I take notes quite often off things I read on here & keep them in a notebook for easy finding!

-K.


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## Maro2Bear

Greetings Katashia

From all the postings i have read here on the Forum, soaking in carrot baby food, etc. is almost always one of many last ditch efforts to provide nutrition to a turtle/tortoise that is failing and not eating, or eating very little on their own. When soaked, these reptiles naturally absorb water, nutrients, sugars, etc that often times gets them in a position to eat and drink on their own.

A healthy animal that is eating and drinking on their own, and getting all their nutritional requirements met, wouldnt need a carrot infusion.

If you do some searches here in the Forum, you will see where these soakings were utilized.


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## Yvonne G

(As we recently had this question posed on the Forum, I just merged the two threads)


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## Katashia

Yes I saw that it was mainly utilized for sick tortoises but just wasn't sure if it was also used as, say a special treat from time to time. I will hold on to the baby food carrots that my daughter didn't use since they don't expire for another year or 2. That way I have some if I ever need it. 
Thank you for the clarification. As I've said before, I'm not knew to turtles but I am new to tortoises and am always looking for new ways to treat my little tort. My aquatics loved strawberries but I see that Sulcatas cannot have those, so I try to keep my eye open for new ways to treat herself.


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## ZEROPILOT

I'm not sure if it helped or not, but when I had a tortoise that would not eat....But would drink, I used the carrot baby food mixed with water and also mixed with unflavored Pedialite on alternating days. With and without added Oxbow Critical care.
I was unaware about the absorbtion. 
Interesting.


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## ZEROPILOT

Katashia said:


> Yes I saw that it was mainly utilized for sick tortoises but just wasn't sure if it was also used as, say a special treat from time to time. I will hold on to the baby food carrots that my daughter didn't use since they don't expire for another year or 2. That way I have some if I ever need it.
> Thank you for the clarification. As I've said before, I'm not knew to turtles but I am new to tortoises and am always looking for new ways to treat my little tort. My aquatics loved strawberries but I see that Sulcatas cannot have those, so I try to keep my eye open for new ways to treat herself.


A treat with little sugar as a rare thing. How about cactus pears?


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## rearlpettway

Katashia said:


> Hello all! I have searched the forum and have read several threads concerning theses baths, but I still have questions.
> 
> I am mostly curious as to whether or not these baths are for sick tortoises only, or if healthy tortoises can enjoy them as well?
> 
> What are their main purposes necessarily? And, are there any other types of baby foods good for Marla?
> 
> Thanks in advance for any info. I take notes quite often off things I read on here & keep them in a notebook for easy finding!
> 
> -K.



The baths are only for sick tortoises. The sugar content is to high for healthy tortoise and that high sugar content will kill all the beneficial Bactria in the health tortoises gut.
The purpose for the baths are to replenish needed vitamins and minerals to the sick tortoise. The sugar gives them energy and stimulates them to eat.
I have never heard of anyone giving baby food to a tortoise.


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## Katashia

ZEROPILOT said:


> A treat with little sugar as a rare thing. How about cactus pears?


She did not like the cactus, which was so sad cos I was so excited! Lol.


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## ZEROPILOT

rearlpettway said:


> I have never heard of anyone giving baby food to a tortoise.


I used both carrot and sweet potato puree baby food.
Mine was a Redfoot and I wasn't concerned about the sugar. I keep taking that for granted and forget that most species can't handle it.


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## ZEROPILOT

Katashia said:


> She did not like the cactus, which was so sad cos I was so excited! Lol.


Shame


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## TammyJ

Katashia said:


> She did not like the cactus, which was so sad cos I was so excited! Lol.


You should try her another time, and another time of day, and another day again, with the cactus. They may not always eat a food item immediately, so we should not just abandon trying it, especially if it is a really good food item for them. There are also other ways of presenting it, like finely diced or crushed and mixed with their other food that is being offered.


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## Katashia

TammyJ said:


> You should try her another time, and another time of day, and another day again, with the cactus. They may not always eat a food item immediately, so we should not just abandon trying it, especially if it is a really good food item for them. There are also other ways of presenting it, like finely diced or crushed and mixed with their other food that is being offered.


Yea I agree. I'm treating her (since she is a baby) just like I do my toddler & am still trying to reintroduce her to certain things repeatedly, just to be sure. 
I did have questions though... I see cactus blooms, so do they eat the cactus pad & the flower from it too? Also, I saw rose leaves, hibiscus leaves & other flower leaves - that means specifically the leaves of the plant/flower but not the petals themselves, correct?


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## TammyJ

Katashia said:


> Yea I agree. I'm treating her (since she is a baby) just like I do my toddler & am still trying to reintroduce her to certain things repeatedly, just to be sure.
> I did have questions though... I see cactus blooms, so do they eat the cactus pad & the flower from it too? Also, I saw rose leaves, hibiscus leaves & other flower leaves - that means specifically the leaves of the plant/flower but not the petals themselves, correct?


Others here will be more knowledgeable about the various plants and leaves, than I am! I know that some tortoises like hibiscus leaves. And the opuntia cactus pads, don't really know much re the various flowers except hibiscus flowers and pumpkin flowers, which they like. They also love pumpkin leaves and chocho vine leaves.


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## rearlpettway

Katashia said:


> Yea I agree. I'm treating her (since she is a baby) just like I do my toddler & am still trying to reintroduce her to certain things repeatedly, just to be sure.
> I did have questions though... I see cactus blooms, so do they eat the cactus pad & the flower from it too? Also, I saw rose leaves, hibiscus leaves & other flower leaves - that means specifically the leaves of the plant/flower but not the petals themselves, correct?


They can eat the cactus blooms, cactus pads, the cactus fruit (tuna), rose leaves, rose flowers, hibiscus leaves, hibiscus flowers.


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## Mitortuga

Greetings to all, we are new to forum and I wonder if I could boil carrots and soak my tortoise in that water once cool for same benefits?


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## Yvonne G

I doubt it would have enough nutrients in the water to do the same trick the whole, mashed up carrots do.

At any rate, if your animal doesn't have swollen shut eyes, you should not be using the carrot soak. It is only for those animals that need some extra vitamin a and that exhibit swollen shut eyes.


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## Anakin

Yvonne G said:


> Actually the nutrients are absorbed through the thin skin on the underside of the neck and the skin around the cloaca. There is a species of water turtle (I think in Australia) that actually "drinks" through the cloaca, but that's the only species that does. I got this information many, many years ago from Dr. Jartchow in Arizona.
> 
> I only use the strained carrot/water soaks on babies whose eyes are swollen shut and are not eating. It does no good at all to use it on a healthy baby.


Can I ask how quickly you tend to see an improvement after this treatment and how many days you would do it for before seeking veterinary assistance? Reptile vet is very far away and currently in lockdown


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