2 questions (soaking & wild caught)

[AnimalLady]

1. MUST I soak Mac? Do I have to do this? I have yet to soak him at all. If I HAVE to, how often, how long?

2. Ive read that torts bought from a pet store (I got mine at Petco) are wild caught. So my guy was raised in the wild on his own? Then they just plucked him right up and shipped him to a pet store? Do I need to do anything special for him because he's wild caught? He's housed outdoors and doing exceptionally well, is this due to him being "wild caught"?

TIA!

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

Your answers depend a lot on the species and age. I believe you have an adult Russian? In the US, if you buy an adult Russian at a chain pet store, it is wild caught. Stress and parasite issues are likely to be of concern in wild caught specimens of any species, but I don't have experience with Russians to provide specifics.

 

[Jodie]

You should soak him. 1 to 2 times per week for 20 minutes. This ensures he is hydrated so yo can avoid any impaction issues. Nothing special for WC, but a fecal for parasites is a good idea.

 

[AnimalLady]

Yes, I have an adult Russian.. I have a vet visit scheduled for next week. We will check for parasites and such.

Thank you!

 

[AnimalLady]

You should soak him. 1 to 2 times per week for 20 minutes. This ensures he is hydrated so yo can avoid any impaction issues. Nothing special for WC, but a fecal for parasites is a good idea.

Gotcha, so 1-2 a week. I'll make it a weekend spa treatment routine

Water level - this should reach where the bottom of his shell meets the top of his shell, right?

 

[Tom]

1. No. You don't have to. If you are 100% sure that your tortoise is comfortable with the water vessel you've offered and drinking from its water bowl on a regular basis, then you don't have to soak. But can you be sure of this? I think out of my 20 russian tortoises I've actually seen them drinking from a water bowl 2 times in the last couple of years. Do you watch your tortoise every minute of every day? I don't. I have to work. This being the case, I soak them to make sure they stay healthy and hydrated.
2. You've greatly over-simplified the capture and shipping process, but essentially yes, he was once walking around out in the wild trying to find enough food and water to survive and avoiding being eaten. The "special" thing you need to do for him after his long arduous journey is to soak him every other day for a few weeks to insure that he is well hydrated. Many imports don't survive and dehydration frequently plays a large role in their demise.

When you soak, you need to use a tall-sided opaque tub. Use warm water that goes about one third of the way up the tortoises shell. Leave him soaking for 15-30 minutes and change the water as needed. Soak somewhere warm so the water doesn't cool too much during the process. An adult should be soaked a couple of times a week under normal circumstances.

If you soak a tortoise that does not need it, it does no harm. If you don't soak a tortoise that does need it, the tortoise could die. Soooooo, do you think you should soak?

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

While you soak your tortoise, please monitor the water temperature continually. Use a digital probe thermometer. As Tom has pointed out, change the water as it becomes dirty but also make sure you freshen the water based on temps. Cold water will often suck the life out of a tortoise.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Many Russian tortoises are plucked from the wild and sold in pet shops because the people who exploit them can make more money doing that than grinding them up and composting them for fertilizer. The central Asian tortoise version of what US fertilizer producers have done with fish in the past.

Females are often held until they drop/lay eggs and those are hatched out and sold into other countries where parents are able to teach their children to keep the pet out of their mouth (a nod to the CDC and USDA). Males are often just sold outright.

That you have your pet and are inquiring about it's care and offering it a reasonable existence is all a good thing. That there could be parasites or other disease organisms is solvable with a reptile vet's help. There is a reptile(tortoise) vet list here on TFO. Other further considerations with wild caught tortoises come into play if you want or get other individuals or other species. No song and dance about it, DON'T MIX THEM. Like that human STD message, when you are with partner A, you just shared a bed with everyone else partner A has ever been with.

If at some point you think it would be good to try and breed your tortoises, you will have to really understand there are greater risks with wild caught parings than captive bred pairings, socialization issues aside. But maybe that's getting ahead of ourselves.

I can't think of an animal that will decline a chance to bath if they feel safe and secure, and conditions are good. Soaking advice mentioned by @Tom covers it well.

https://www.facebook.com/KapidoloFarms

 

[AnimalLady]

1. No. You don't have to. If you are 100% sure that your tortoise is comfortable with the water vessel you've offered and drinking from its water bowl on a regular basis, then you don't have to soak. But can you be sure of this? I think out of my 20 russian tortoises I've actually seen them drinking from a water bowl 2 times in the last couple of years. Do you watch your tortoise every minute of every day? I don't. I have to work. This being the case, I soak them to make sure they stay healthy and hydrated.
2. You've greatly over-simplified the capture and shipping process, but essentially yes, he was once walking around out in the wild trying to find enough food and water to survive and avoiding being eaten. The "special" thing you need to do for him after his long arduous journey is to soak him every other day for a few weeks to insure that he is well hydrated. Many imports don't survive and dehydration frequently plays a large role in their demise.

When you soak, you need to use a tall-sided opaque tub. Use warm water that goes about one third of the way up the tortoises shell. Leave him soaking for 15-30 minutes and change the water as needed. Soak somewhere warm so the water doesn't cool too much during the process. An adult should be soaked a couple of times a week under normal circumstances.

If you soak a tortoise that does not need it, it does no harm. If you don't soak a tortoise that does need it, the tortoise could die. Soooooo, do you think you should soak?

Well, thank you for this VERY well written response.

I will start soaking my little buddy. Again, thank you for pretty much breaking it down to me. I appreciate it more than you know!

 

[AnimalLady]

While you soak your tortoise, please monitor the water temperature continually. Use a digital probe thermometer. As Tom has pointed out, change the water as it becomes dirty but also make sure you freshen the water based on temps. Cold water will often suck the life out of a tortoise.

Can I use a temp gun or do I need to buy a thermometer with a probe? Thanks!

 

[AnimalLady]

Many Russian tortoises are plucked from the wild and sold in pet shops because the people who exploit them can make more money doing that than grinding them up and composting them for fertilizer. The central Asian tortoise version of what US fertilizer producers have done with fish in the past.

Females are often held until they drop/lay eggs and those are hatched out and sold into other countries where parents are able to teach their children to keep the pet out of their mouth (a nod to the CDC and USDA). Males are often just sold outright.

That you have your pet and are inquiring about it's care and offering it a reasonable existence is all a good thing. That there could be parasites or other disease organisms is solvable with a reptile vet's help. There is a reptile(tortoise) vet list here on TFO. Other further considerations with wild caught tortoises come into play if you want or get other individuals or other species. No song and dance about it, DON'T MIX THEM. Like that human STD message, when you are with partner A, you just shared a bed with everyone else partner A has ever been with.

If at some point you think it would be good to try and breed your tortoises, you will have to really understand there are greater risks with wild caught parings than captive bred pairings, socialization issues aside. But maybe that's getting ahead of ourselves.

I can't think of an animal that will decline a chance to bath if they feel safe and secure, and conditions are good. Soaking advice mentioned by @Tom covers it well.

https://www.facebook.com/KapidoloFarms

Thank you! You've def helped me understand the process of wild caught torts, and its pretty sad really...

I will never breed him, no interest in it what so ever, so no worries there.
I will also never get another breed of tort, I'm happy with my one.. not in the slightest bit interested in another.

Again, thank you!!!

 

[Alaskamike]

Buy a temp gun - easy convenient and accurate

 

[AnimalLady]

One more question~

Its been raining like cats and dogs this week. It has rained every single day without failing. On a week such as this, should I still soak him? Ive gotten home from work on more than one occasion where he's not under his hide and he looks like he's just enjoying the rainfall, ive also made note that he only does this when its not pouring, but rather just light rain, not exactly sprinkling either, a little heavier but not pouring rain.

Can I over soak him?

 

[AnimalLady]

Buy a temp gun - easy convenient and accurate

This is exactly what I'm going to do. Thank ya much!

 

[Jodie]

Can I over soak him?

Not likely.

 

[Alaskamike]

Can I over soak him?
No

There is another reason other than getting wet - 2 actually , that soaking is healthy.

1. They may decide to take a drink
2. The warm water stimulates them to go to the bathroom

 

[Alaskamike]

Going in the water can help keep any possible impact ions at bay

 

[AnimalLady]

Can I over soak him?
No

There is another reason other than getting wet - 2 actually , that soaking is healthy.

1. They may decide to take a drink
2. The warm water stimulates them to go to the bathroom

So it not purely for hydration, that makes sense. Ok, thank you sir!

 

[Yvonne G]

I don't worry about the soaking water getting cold. Unless your house temperature is way, way below 70F degrees, the water is only going to get as cold as your room temperature is. Even when soaking babies, I don't ever re-warm the water.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Going in the water can help keep any possible impactions at bay

That helps keep me regular…