# Can a tortoise be soaked for too long?



## CourtneyAndCarl (Jun 15, 2012)

I am a terrible tortoise mom. 

Today I was downstairs, getting Carl's "bath" ready, when I heard a dog scuffle up stairs. Seeing as I have four dogs in the house right now, and two of them can't stand each other, I got Carl's "bath" ready really quick and put him in it, thinking that by the time I got all the dogs seperated into their respective crates, he'd be done and ready to eat. Fast forward an hour and a half later, I open the fridge, see the spring mix and think "hmm, I don't think I've fed Carl yet today.... Oh s****!". I ran downstairs, Carl was still just hanging out in his bath. He seems to be fine, I put him back into his enclosure and he is now vicously nomming on some dandelion. 

I am counting my lucky stars that nothing happened. But now I must ask, are there going to be any long lasting consequences from him soaking for too long?


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## JoesMum (Jun 15, 2012)

He will be absolutely fine! We choose to soak them for 20 - 30 minutes... if they choose to climb in and have a soak it could be anything from a couple of minutes to a couple of hours or more.

Don't worry


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## Merlin M (Jun 15, 2012)

he should be just fine...


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## tyrs4u (Jun 15, 2012)

"Too long" nah, no such thing... ;-)
Well only if the shell or skin softens dramatically, then thats a good sign to back off, imagine your fingers tips after a bath or pool; they shouldn't resemble that. Now I've been guilty of getting in the shower or getting lost in Blizzard Ent. games. They all soak thirty minutes, but i was in an instance for two hours, (an hour and a half) over on Tuesday. It did no harm as the soaking dishes are on a heated pad so the water is warm, and there is a lid for security (cats). Longest bath i ever did was intentional three hour soak, first hour with shed ease second with water and vitamin E oil, then soaked an additional hour in distilled water. She was a sicky Sulcata who bounced back, shes happily still in California... Miss the stinker... Outdoor enclosed Torts with pools etc, iv seen my Redfoots, Sulcatas, Russians, etc dip themselves for hours; if they want to, my redfoots like getting muddy, in and out of the water a lot... So i just watch their shells closely for shell rot. But luckily they are all fabulous...


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## Laura (Jun 15, 2012)

yes, but in your case, he should be fine.. 
you are human and this stuff happens. Which is why I tell people to have a secure outdoor enclosure and not let them roam and think you are watching them... so many are lost that way...


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## Jacqui (Jun 16, 2012)

There could be a too long soak, but it would be for a much longer time and with the added issue of the water becoming cold, plus the temperature of where the soaking is adding in as factors. Long time, like days left in the water. You are no where near being a bad caretaker.


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## Tom (Jun 16, 2012)

I have a buddy who regularly leaves his tortoise in a shallow pool in the sun for hours on end. He monitors them and the temps very carefully, but they are in the water for hours a day sometimes. His tortoises are growing, smooth and healthy.

Your episode should do no harm at all.

Now go get to work teaching those dogs that YOU are the boss and NOBODY is allowed to fight or sort out hierarchy, except YOU!!!


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## jason g. (Jun 17, 2012)

The only thing that my rose does when soaked for a long time is get really active and eats like a horse.


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