# Soaking and Pooping



## TommyZ (Oct 7, 2013)

Hi Again All,

So, im wondering about some things I see in my torts behavior, specifically in regards to the thread title. 

As we all know when you soak regularly, youll rarely find any poop in the enclosure. Tort goes into water, poop leaves tort, always on point, lol. 

Ive rotated my soaking routines, ranging from every day, to as low only twice a week. 

I find two things constant: 1 being that the tort always poops during a soak 2 being regardless of my soaking routine I never ever find droppings in the enclosure. I changed nothing about the feeding routine all husbandry was the same other than the soaking.

My question here is in regards to nutritional absorption. If I kept feeding him and he isn't pooping on his own, is he holding the food in his body longer and processing more nutrition from it? I'm wondering if by soaking him daily there may be an adverse effect as not completely absorbing maximum nutrition? 

Thanks as always. 

TZ


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## nate.mann (Oct 7, 2013)

thats an interesting thought. im not too sure to be completely honest with you though. i bet you can google how long, on average (if it varies enough to require an average) it takes a tortoise to process all the goodies from the food they eat. thus, letting you know if its overnight or takes a week. i would imagine, though, after a week its well processed and ready to go. 


0.1.0 Sonoran Desert tortoise
0.0.1 Leopard tortoise
1.0.0 Bluenose Pit/American Bulldog


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## immayo (Oct 7, 2013)

One of them is probably "cleaning up" after the others when they do go in the enclosure. Mine usually always go when I soak them. Unfortunately I have noticed that if one does decide to use the enclosure and I don't catch it fast enough, usually within seconds, Nismo will devour it. It's pretty gross but for some reason he loves it and is always searching out things I don't want him snacking on. I am pretty sure this is probably the same in your case you just haven't caught the culprate in the act.


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## Greg T (Oct 8, 2013)

My babies get on a regular schedule and if I don't soak them in the morning early enough, they will poop. I'm betting yours are still pooping but one of them is eating it or it gets buried before you see it. They way I see it, if they poop every day or at leats every 2 days then they have more than enough food to keep them happy.


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## Jacqui (Oct 8, 2013)

There is some talk that yes, by doing the soaks the tortoise does not process all from the food that he would normally do. I can't recall seing where this has been tested, just talked about. Like was said also some times poop is eaten by the tortoises (his and any other choice deposit he comes across). Poop does have food value along with, for humans, the "yuck" factor. I remember long years ago when I was showing rabbits, it was said that if they would eat their own poop, they would get more value out of it the second time through.


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## Sulcata_Sandy (Oct 8, 2013)

Haha, I'm so relieved not to be the only nerd that is curious how long it takes a tortoise to digest and pass.
I recently read on a veterinary forum that CDTs can take 2-6 weeks to pass a particular meal. They are very slow to digest...typical for hind gut fermenters.

My Sulcata has never eliminated in his soaks, but I keep trying!! LOL



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Sandy
Oregon-Washington Tortoise Rescue

Mo the Sulcata
Larry the Jordanian Greek
Curly the Eastern Hermanni
....baby Sulcata on the way!
Lola the Basenji
Dexter the Basenji
John the boyfriend stuck in Kansas...so I get more tortoises!


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## thatrebecca (Oct 8, 2013)

SenjiSandy said:


> Haha, I'm so relieved not to be the only nerd that is curious how long it takes a tortoise to digest and pass.
> I recently read on a veterinary forum that CDTs can take 2-6 weeks to pass a particular meal. They are very slow to digest...typical for hind gut fermenters.
> 
> My Sulcata has never eliminated in his soaks, but I keep trying!! LOL
> ...



Interesting about the CDTs. I've been wondering this as my two prepare for brumation. As in, how look should I offer food before it's too close to their bedding down time? And should I be soaking more often to help them get cleaned out?


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## Tom (Oct 8, 2013)

Good question. Several points I'd like to make:

1. Like Jacqui said, we've talked about this before, but I don't know that anyone can give a proven answer, me included. I soak all my leopards and sulcatas daily for their first 6 months or so. I have higher than average growth rates and they exhibit nothing but health and vigor. If there were some sort of nutrient absorption interruption caused by soaking too often, of all people, I think I would have seen at least some evidence of it in one species or individual at some point over the last five years. Instead, I see just the opposite. I'm soaking my 20 russian babies every other day or so, and seeing the same results with them.

2. True story about the rabbits and the "night pellets". Its actually a necessary part of their digestion. Sometimes rabbits that are kept on wire grates that allow their droppings to go through do not fare as well as rabbits who have access to their own poop. Rats are this way too. Tortoises on the other hand are more like horses with respect to their GI tract. While they might be able to extract more nutrients the second time through, it is not essential for them.

3. I know for a fact that at least in some cases it can take at least up to 7-8 weeks for things to pass through a tortoises GI tract. I have seen this demonstrated multiple times in my herds.

4. Most of the references that I have seen and read, and the time frame that I have always adhered to for not feeding before hibernation is two weeks. I also soak daily for two or three weeks before hibernation to help move things along.


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