Food baths

Lucypup

New Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2018
Messages
28
Location (City and/or State)
Overton morecambemambu
Hey I keep reading about food baths for tort that want to go to sleep but I don't want this could someone explain please I am trying to do best for my little man I have read care for horsfield and found it helpful think now home is ok till I build outdoor pen in summer thanx again Tim's mum
 

Bee62

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2016
Messages
11,981
Location (City and/or State)
Germany
Hey I keep reading about food baths for tort that want to go to sleep but I don't want this could someone explain please I am trying to do best for my little man I have read care for horsfield and found it helpful think now home is ok till I build outdoor pen in summer thanx again Tim's mum
Hello and welcome to the forum.
I don`t know about food baths for tortoises but when you put the tortoise for 20 - 30 minutes in warm water ( half the carapax ) we say: soaking the tort and that is good for him or her.
Can you show us some pics of your tort and the enclosure ? With pics it is easier for us to see if there may be problems or not.
 

Lucypup

New Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2018
Messages
28
Location (City and/or State)
Overton morecambemambu
Hello and welcome to the forum.
I don`t know about food baths for tortoises but when you put the tortoise for 20 - 30 minutes in warm water ( half the carapax ) we say: soaking the tort and that is good for him or her.
Can you show us some pics of your tort and the enclosure ? With pics it is easier for us to see if there may be problems or not.
Thank you will try and do some picks tom not good at this
 

Big Charlie

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2015
Messages
2,801
Location (City and/or State)
California
I think maybe you are talking about putting baby carrots in the soaking water when torts are sick and not eating. It is just added in the hope that they might get a little nutrition. For a healthy tort, plain warm water is all you need.
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
You don't use the baby food soaks on tortoises that are healthy (not sick). It is something to use for SICK tortoises.
 

Lucypup

New Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2018
Messages
28
Location (City and/or State)
Overton morecambemambu
Hello and welcome to the forum.
I don`t know about food baths for tortoises but when you put the tortoise for 20 - 30 minutes in warm water ( half the carapax ) we say: soaking the tort and that is good for him or her.
Can you show us some pics of your tort and the enclosure ? With pics it is easier for us to see if there may be problems or not.
Thank you will try and do some picks tom not good at this
20180113_083605.jpg 20180113_083641.jpg these are some pics I took this morning as you can tell Tim is well hid in his bed there is substrate under the hay he likes that the pic of him is running round in house last wk today he is well hidden under that mound
 

Lucypup

New Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2018
Messages
28
Location (City and/or State)
Overton morecambemambu
20171211_151438.jpg I was thinking maybee in the wild they hibanait cos their is no food so if I let him do his own but leave a bit of food an light if he wants it but only if he pops out it sounds daft but he loves to cuddle up under my chin and watch tv
 

Bee62

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2016
Messages
11,981
Location (City and/or State)
Germany
Thank you for the pics. Your tort looks good and healthy to me. Give him 12 hours light and warmth every day and fresh greens to eat and he will get over the feeling of wanting to hibernate.
And I have to appologize ! I understood you wrong. Sorry.
I know food baths for torts but as @Big Charlie said only sick tortoises need such baths.
 

Lucypup

New Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2018
Messages
28
Location (City and/or State)
Overton morecambemambu
Thank you for the pics. Your tort looks good and healthy to me. Give him 12 hours light and warmth every day and fresh greens to eat and he will get over the feeling of wanting to hibernate.
And I have to appologize ! I understood you wrong. Sorry.
I know food baths for torts but as @Big Charlie said only sick tortoises need such baths.
Thank you he still has light and fresh greens today he popped his head out for 5 mins and went back into his bed digging around at this rate he will sleep cos he will ware himself out when he thinks he is in Australia
 

Bee62

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2016
Messages
11,981
Location (City and/or State)
Germany
Thank you he still has light and fresh greens today he popped his head out for 5 mins and went back into his bed digging around at this rate he will sleep cos he will ware himself out when he thinks he is in Australia
Maybe you have to wake him up several times a day and take out his hide that he must stay in the bright light and warmth. It sounds a little bit "cruel" but when he can`t hide he must stay active.
 

Lucypup

New Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2018
Messages
28
Location (City and/or State)
Overton morecambemambu
Maybe you have to wake him up several times a day and take out his hide that he must stay in the bright light and warmth. It sounds a little bit "cruel" but when he can`t hide he must stay active.
Thank you I don't need to wake him he comes out for a nose when me or the dog come into room
 

Reptilian Feline

Active Member
Joined
May 17, 2017
Messages
258
Location (City and/or State)
Sweden
How long have you had him? I'm thinking that hiding a lot might have to do with adjusting to a new home.
Cuddling up to watch TV with you sounds very nice. You are warm, your neck is a burrow, and he feels warm and safe.
 

Lucypup

New Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2018
Messages
28
Location (City and/or State)
Overton morecambemambu
How long have you had him? I'm thinking that hiding a lot might have to do with adjusting to a new home.
Cuddling up to watch TV with you sounds very nice. You are warm, your neck is a burrow, and he feels warm and safe.
I have had him for about 4 months now when he came he ate for England and was very light
 

Bee62

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2016
Messages
11,981
Location (City and/or State)
Germany
I have a 100 watt uva/uvb and heat lamp a couple of people say I only need a 60 watt does that sound ok
Hard to say. When you have an open enclosure the heat will get out. It will be the best to measure the temps in the enclosure of your tort with a such a temp gun:
Basking spot should be at 100 F. The whole enclosure at 78 - 80 F.
upload_2018-1-13_15-47-15.jpeg
 

Reptilian Feline

Active Member
Joined
May 17, 2017
Messages
258
Location (City and/or State)
Sweden
I have had him for about 4 months now when he came he ate for England and was very light
Adjustment takes time... and that is individual.
Is he eating less now than before? Excercise is important for them, so try and get him to take a few walkies on the floor. If you have picknick blanket or something with a plastic back, that can provide a nice clean walking area for him. If you can't put a fence around, then just watch him and when he wanders off, then place him in the middle again. Make sure there are no human hair for him to get tangled in, and keep the blanket clean. Wax cloth can be useful and be bought in nice big pieces. Easier to fold up than a kiddie-pool, but you need to watch your little tort all the time when he gets his excercise that way. Put some nice green leaves for him to nibble on in different places on the mat so he has something to walk to.
 

Lucypup

New Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2018
Messages
28
Location (City and/or State)
Overton morecambemambu
Adjustment takes time... and that is individual.
Is he eating less now than before? Excercise is important for them, so try and get him to take a few walkies on the floor. If you have picknick blanket or something with a plastic back, that can provide a nice clean walking area for him. If you can't put a fence around, then just watch him and when he wanders off, then place him in the middle again. Make sure there are no human hair for him to get tangled in, and keep the blanket clean. Wax cloth can be useful and be bought in nice big pieces. Easier to fold up than a kiddie-pool, but you need to watch your little tort all the time when he gets his excercise that way. Put some nice green leaves for him to nibble on in different places on the mat so he has something to walk to.
He comes out every day and has the run of the lounge he loves it he is very nosey and inquisitive I have never seen a tortoise go so quickly
 

Bee62

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2016
Messages
11,981
Location (City and/or State)
Germany
He comes out every day and has the run of the lounge he loves it he is very nosey and inquisitive I have never seen a tortoise go so quickly
I am no friend of letting tortoises roam free in the house or appartement. To much danger for the tort on the floor to get hurt and a cold draft on the floor that can make them sick.
Have you mentioned that you have a dog ? Dogs often take tortoises for a chew toy....
 
Top