Bathing/Soaking

[W Shaw]

My new little rescue HATES being soaked. I suspect he's never experienced it before, given the background he came from. Here's my dilemma -- he came to me very skittish and would do nothing but hide his face in one corner of his enclosure. He's socializing nicely after 3 weeks. When he wakes up in the morning, he looks for me before going to his breakfast plate, and he much prefers being hand fed over eating alone now. At his vet check-up, instead of hiding his head when the vet reached for him, he ran to me and climbed up into my arms, and watched the vet from there. But any unpleasant experience (such as soaking him) sends him back to skittish mode for hours.

Does anyone have any advice for getting him used to soaking so he's not traumatized every time? He's about4 inches long (maybe 3 or 4 years old?). I'm soaking him in a plastic box about the size of a shoebox. I can't put much water in it because he refuses to stand up. Just pulls his head in and splays his legs so he's resting on his plastron (this is what he does on any unfamiliar surface, including carpet). I use water warm enough not to cool to room temp immediately, but not as hot as what I shower with. He just sits there looking miserable. I trickle water over his carapace from my hands (which he hates) or just run wet hands gently over him (which he tolerates). When the water cools down (or if he poops in it), usually after about 10 minutes, I take him out and kind of pat him dry with a towel so I'm not putting him into his enclosure dripping wet. Maybe I'm doing something wrong?

Anyone else had issues with one who hates soaking?

 

[wellington]

At that age, I would soak him every other day or even every third day, specially if you do see him drink water on his own. Next time you soak, try hand feeding him. See if this will make it better for him. Another thing you could try is to give him a piece of is favorite snack after each soaking. If neither work, then he will just have to get over it, which eventually he probably will, or at least tolerate it a little better. Good luck hope one of the ideas work for you.

 

[crimson_lotus]

My tortoise hates soaks, she basically tries to escape the whole time...but TOO BAD!! It's good for me to know she's hydrated, and it gets her to poop.

 

[MPRC]

Is your soaking bin opaque or see through? I put little treats in my smaller torts soak so that she is entertained and active in the tub.

 

[Tom]

What species?

I tried to go to your profile page to look at old posts, but its blocked.

You can go ahead and use the right amount of water. The tortoise will stand up.

In time they all get used to it.

If your plastic box is translucent, try an opaque one.

 

[W Shaw]

At that age, I would soak him every other day or even every third day, specially if you do see him drink water on his own. Next time you soak, try hand feeding him. See if this will make it better for him. Another thing you could try is to give him a piece of is favorite snack after each soaking. If neither work, then he will just have to get over it, which eventually he probably will, or at least tolerate it a little better. Good luck hope one of the ideas work for you.

Great ideas! Thanks I'll try it. He has a walk-in water dish in his enclosure but I've never seen him drink. But then, I've only had hi ma couple of weeks and I work full time, so maybe he sips now and again when I'm not home. He's peed in it a couple of times, so I know he's been in it.

 

[W Shaw]

What species?

I tried to go to your profile page to look at old posts, but its blocked.

You can go ahead and use the right amount of water. The tortoise will stand up.

In time they all get used to it.

If your plastic box is translucent, try an opaque one.

Thanks Tom! I'll see what I can do about the profile page. I got into it by accident one day and managed to change my avatar, but can't seem to figure out how I got to it.

My tortoise is a Russian. I don't know how old he is, but at about 4 inches, I don't think he's fully grown, but I know he's not a baby.

I'll try a different tub-- and maybe deeper water. When I got him he was very weak and rarely stood up at all. he would drag himself with his hands most of the time, though he COULD stand and walk if he had to. After 3 weeks with me, he now he stands and walks much more normally. Maybe it's time to force that issue a little to strengthen his leg muscles. I know a human will develop a habitual limp that lasts long after the injury is healed, and will have to consciously correct it. The one time I tried deeper water, he just held his breath and looked unhappy, so I quickly picked him up and dumped out the excess water.

I'll swap out his box for something opaque.

 

[W Shaw]

My tortoise hates soaks, she basically tries to escape the whole time...but TOO BAD!! It's good for me to know she's hydrated, and it gets her to poop.

Thanks! Nice to know his behavior isn't as abnormal as I was concerned that it might be!

 

[wellington]

If your water dish is the kind with a walk up ramp, they are dangerous. Stop using it and get a clay saucer the kind that goes under planters. Specially if he doesn't like getting into the water, you don't want him to not want to drink cause he have to get in.

 

[W Shaw]

If your water dish is the kind with a walk up ramp, they are dangerous. Stop using it and get a clay saucer the kind that goes under planters. Specially if he doesn't like getting into the water, you don't want him to not want to drink cause he have to get in.

Thanks for the heads up! It came with him, so I just figured he was used to it and didn't want to take it away, but now I will! What is is that makes them dangerous?