# Best way to keep your tortoise smelling clean?



## SideShowMel0329 (Aug 28, 2012)

My spurred thigh (3 months old) kind of smells funky, even though I soak him daily. I even hose him down with the sink sprayer but he still has an unpleasant scent...

Should I start mixing soap in his bath? Any other ways to keep him smelling nice?


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## Masin (Aug 28, 2012)

I'm not sure, our girly is only about 8 months (estimated) and I've never noticed a smell. Is your little ones shell healthy and in good shape? What substrate are you using? Hm.


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## SideShowMel0329 (Aug 28, 2012)

Masin said:


> I'm not sure, our girly is only about 8 months (estimated) and I've never noticed a smell. Is your little ones shell healthy and in good shape? What substrate are you using? Hm.



Cocosoft...and he seems healthy, he eats, moves around a lot


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## wellington (Aug 28, 2012)

No you can't use soap on him. Some baby shampoo might be okay, however, I would 't use it very often. I think you should check him over really good. There might be something medically making him smell.


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## Yvonne G (Aug 28, 2012)

I never noticed that my tortoises smell. Are you sure there is no poop stuck to him?


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## wellington (Aug 28, 2012)

Another thing I thought of. Is his cage being kept clean? If he is always walking over poop and pee and rotting food, I would imagine he would smell.


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## chris_m90731 (Aug 28, 2012)

Used to soak my Sulcata, up until he reached the 80 pound mark, and lightly scrub him with a diluted solution of hydrogen peroxide. Was great for treating any tiny scratches he may have incurred from living in his huge pen and also shored up that strong tort odor...


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## mightymizz (Aug 28, 2012)

Sometimes they can get poop stuck somewhere and it can smell.


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## crussellii (Aug 28, 2012)

What about dawn dish soap. They use it them during oil spills and what not. In sure a small amount wouldn't hurt. But I'm a newbie so please check further into it.


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## SideShowMel0329 (Aug 28, 2012)

I guess the risk of using soap is that they may drink the water, but I think I may try it out (and be careful about it)


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## crussellii (Aug 28, 2012)

Use a wash cloth then rinse him off. Then you won't have to worry. Then soak him afterwards or vice versa.


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## Masin (Aug 28, 2012)

crussellii said:


> What about dawn dish soap. They use it them during oil spills and what not. In sure a small amount wouldn't hurt. But I'm a newbie so please check further into it.



My partner said they wash kittens etc in it and it kills fleas. Crazy. I don't want to know what chemicals that stuff is made out of. But some folks love it.
I use my own handmade soap or as pure of soap as possible on myself and the family.


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## Madkins007 (Aug 28, 2012)

The secret to Dawn dish soap is that it has petroleum-based chemicals in it- that is what helps it do so well against other petroleums. 

A healthy tortoise really does not smell bad, but bacterial infections stink as do things like stuck-on poo, poo in the habitat, old food in the habitat, 'sour' substrates, etc. I suppose diet could make it smell, but I am not sure how.

Take a big whiff of the habitat- does it smell much? A properly managed habitat should not smell of much more then soil or wood. If the habitat does not smell but the tortoise does, even after a bath, you may want to think about checking for possible disease.


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