Adult Soaking

[Bestcoast]

I have an adult male leopard and am curious to know how often soaking is recommended. I have a plant saucer filled with water that he completely ignores so I cannot count on him to use it on his own. I've only had him about two months so that may change. He drinks water daily from a deeper water dish and pees every morning before becoming active so he seems to be hydrated. How often should he be soaked?

I am also concerned about regulating his body temperature during winter. Would soaking less often during this time of year be preferred? He lives outside and has a heated nightbox.

Thanks!

 

[dmmj]

if he's drinking on his own I wouldn't worry about soaking him.

 

[Jodie]

I soak my adults once a week.

 

[Elohi]

Sunday is Soakday around here for the bigs.

 

[Yvonne G]

I don't soak my big tortoises.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I didn't soak Bob either, BUT he drank from a gallon and a half dog water dish, and he emptied it every morning. He also had a snow disc filled with clean water and a deep "swimming pool" that I dug out. It was deep and Spring and Summer he would play submarine and lay on the bottom until I thought he would drown.

 

[Tom]

I would soak once a week in winter and twice a week in summer.

If you soak too much, it hurts nothing. If you don't soak enough and your tortoise becomes dehydrated, it can lead to fatal complications.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I kinda disagree a bit with you Tom....I was always taught that for a pooper, soaking too much moves the feces thru their system too fast and they don't get the nutrition from the food that they should. Do you think that's wrong? Should I do more research on it? What'cha think?

No disagreement on what happens if they don't drink....as an aside, look what happened to Bob and he drank a lot and soaked a lot so I know he was well hydrated.

 

[Tom]

I kinda disagree a bit with you Tom....I was always taught that for a pooper, soaking too much moves the feces thru their system too fast and they don't get the nutrition from the food that they should. Do you think that's wrong? Should I do more research on it? What'cha think?

That is one of those old incorrect bits of "conventional Wisdom". It was wrong 30 years ago, and its still wrong today. That one is right up there with "protein causes pyramiding", or "tortoises get all the water they need from their food."

If soaking and pooping daily causes them to not extract enough nutrition from their food then why do all of my babies of all species thrive and grow at two or three times the rate of dry raised babies that are not soaked as often? If they aren't getting enough nutrition, wouldn't that slow their growth, not accelerate it?

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Well, I don't think it was THAT bad. I do soak my smaller torts every other day. So I do believe in soaking , all my animals are well hydrated. It's just one of those old wives tales I guess, but heck, its not as bad as the protein/pyramid thing. I did ask your opinion, ya didn't have to make me feel embarrassed by it.
Remember, I am a sensitive old lady. How about a pix of Tuck? You have time?

 

[Tom]

Well, I don't think it was THAT bad. I do soak my smaller torts every other day. So I do believe in soaking , all my animals are well hydrated. It's just one of those old wives tales I guess, but heck, its not as bad as the protein/pyramid thing. I did ask your opinion, ya didn't have to make me feel embarrassed by it.
Remember, I am a sensitive old lady. How about a pix of Tuck? You have time?

Every other day is better than once a week, but if you get the opportunity, try doing some every day right next to some every other day ones, and check out the results for yourself. I think you'll be quite pleased and you will see first hand what I'm talking about here.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Every other day is better than once a week, but if you get the opportunity, try doing some every day right next to some every other day ones, and check out the results for yourself. I think you'll be quite pleased and you will see first hand what I'm talking about here.

I 'understand' what you are talking about I'm pretty sure, but all my "small tortoises" are adults, all grown. I also have Hermanni, Russian, another desert type tortoise who is 6 years old, maybe 5 pounds so far. His sinuses have been abscessed his whole life. I have done everything. There's now a hole in the top of his head I suck snot thru. I have a 3 toed baby, not a year and a small colony of 3 toed and Ornata. An Eastern, most are special needs, blind, missing limbs etc. So now when I say small I guess I'm thinking in comparison to Bob. And all of my habitats have clean water 24/7 they soak and drink themselves also. I use paint roller pans in some, frisbees, pot saucers. I understand about hydration....and believe me, I know about your babies. You don't be careful you'll end up mailing me one....

 

[diamondbp]

My adults are on a 3day soak rotation

 

[Maggie Cummings]

@Tom, what happened to the picture of Tuck? Still so busy?

 

[Tom]

@Tom, what happened to the picture of Tuck? Still so busy?

I haven't been to the ranch in the daylight in days. My helpers have been feeding, watering and cleaning for me. The end of the year is always the busiest time for my business. I worked 16 of the last 14 days. Yes. You read that right. I worked every single day and did TWO jobs on two of those days! Should have some time tomorrow.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I haven't been to the ranch in the daylight in days. My helpers have been feeding, watering and cleaning for me. The end of the year is always the busiest time for my business. I worked 16 of the last 14 days. Yes. You read that right. I worked every single day and did TWO jobs on two of those days! Should have some time tomorrow.

I know and understand that you have been so busy, it's kewl.