Deadly water dish

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TammyJ

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I got one of the bowls before finding this forum. I put some flat tiles (I already had them at home) in mine that come up nearly to the sides. Basically it makes it extremely shallow. I like the look of the terra cotta better though too. But figured may as well go with what I've got at the moment.

View attachment 311328
What happened to my pool water?
 

Maggie3fan

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I think you might have over done it with the stones here. You still want to provide water and space. Can’t quite tell, but is your dish sunken down into the substrate? Thats always a plus. Much easier for torts to walk over and sink their head (and hard-shelled bodies) down into a dish.

Maybe it’s just the clarity of your water & the overhead aspect.
good luck.
OK, I'm gonna stick my neck out here...I applaud your use of the flat stones, and I certainly understand why you did that...but the tortoise needs to be able to soak and put it's head under the water and I don't see how that is possible the way you have it, and a close look at it's carapace shows an extremely dry looking carapace, with the beginnings of pyramids. The water should be a little above the 'bridge' where the plastron and carapace meet. I don't mean any disrespect and you can tell me to go fly a kite but I'm just saying what I see...if I am wrong some expert will point that out...?
 
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The water should be a little above the 'bridge' where the plastron and carapace meet. I don't mean any disrespect and you can tell me to go fly a kite but I'm just saying what I see...if I am wrong some expert will point that out...?

You're totally right! So the stone in there is pretty "holey" so he can grip it pretty well. It is hard to see from the photo, but it does have some depth still.

His shell is getting dry. We are in the process of building a closed enclosure for him, but it's taking longer than expected ? We are giving him daily soaks and constantly spraying water in the current setup and keeping the substrate damp. I'm hoping his new home will be finished next week ?

And I definitely appreciate the feedback! I love that everyone here is so willing to help!
 

Blastoise

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I think the water level is more important than the dish. You gotta base the water level on the size of the tortoise to reduce chances of flipping and drowning.
 

Tom

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I think the water level is more important than the dish. You gotta base the water level on the size of the tortoise to reduce chances of flipping and drowning.
The depth of the water has nothing to do with tortoises flipping in these bowls with tall vertical sides.
 

Faygen

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Never had a problem with using these types of dishes. I've had 2 ( broke one on the sink when washing it) I do prefer the stone type one over the resin though just cause there is more grip for their feet
 

Maggie3fan

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I think the water level is more important than the dish. You gotta base the water level on the size of the tortoise to reduce chances of flipping and drowning.

That is why I said fill the water up to the 'bridge' on his shell, that's where the bottom shell (plastron) meets the top shell (carapace)
 

Maggie3fan

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Never had a problem with using these types of dishes. I've had 2 ( broke one on the sink when washing it) I do prefer the stone type one over the resin though just cause there is more grip for their feet

Frankly in almost 20 years of keeping turtles and tortoises and using that very same water dish, I have never drown a chelonian. I only stopped using them when I stopping having clutches from my sister. I have never had a bad experience with them.
HOWEVER...my sister and numerous experienced keepers here on TFO have. So even tho I haven't, I'm not taking any chances. And when my sis is so emphatic on how dangerous they are, I listen
 

Faygen

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Frankly in almost 20 years of keeping turtles and tortoises and using that very same water dish, I have never drown a chelonian. I only stopped using them when I stopping having clutches from my sister. I have never had a bad experience with them.
HOWEVER...my sister and numerous experienced keepers here on TFO have. So even tho I haven't, I'm not taking any chances. And when my sis is so emphatic on how dangerous they are, I listen

I had more trouble with flipping over in a plant pot dish like what everyone keeps suggesting and not once with these. as long as they are properly sunk into the substrate.
 

Maggie3fan

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I had more trouble with flipping over in a plant pot dish like what everyone keeps suggesting and not once with these. as long as they are properly sunk into the substrate.

Of course that's what I said too, but their point of contention is the tall straight inside sides. The tort tries to turn around in a corner, or is just trying to climb out, and the tall walls tip him over. I can see it happening actually, so if I had small torts I would not use those dishes again. Just sayin
 

MEEJogja

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However, I posted a thread just before I went to Y's house, of a box turtle that I found on her back directly under a CHE after falling off the top of a log hide. She was so hot I can't believe she didn't catch fire.

I grew up in the middle east and we kept tortoises throughout my childhood. A memory that will haunt me forever is finding one, not one hour after an incident where he/she had tried to climb down a small step (for the size of tortoise) at a dodgy angle and flipped. It was a 50c (122f) day and the poor little guy was effectively mummified. It was a step that they traversed both ways all the time.

Having something several times the height of your baby tort which they can climb up and potentially fall off is terrifying. They can be very clumsy at the best of times.
 

Relic

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Tortoises, as well as most box turtles, are rather deliberate in their movements. It doesn't mean they can't or won't make a careless maneuver, but they exhibit a bit more restraint in traversing the terrain. On the other hand, water turtles are the Evel Knievels of the chelonians, launching themselves off high places without a care in the world, probably assuming there is water below them. If you placed a box turtle and a red eared slider on the edge of The Empire State Building, the turtle would be smashed on the street below in mere seconds, while the box turtle would carefully walk the perimeter looking for a safe exit point. Fascinating creatures...
 

MEEJogja

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Tortoises, as well as most box turtles, are rather deliberate in their movements. It doesn't mean they can't or won't make a careless maneuver, but they exhibit a bit more restraint in traversing the terrain. On the other hand, water turtles are the Evel Knievels of the chelonians, launching themselves off high places without a care in the world, probably assuming there is water below them. If you placed a box turtle and a red eared slider on the edge of The Empire State Building, the turtle would be smashed on the street below in mere seconds, while the box turtle would carefully walk the perimeter looking for a safe exit point. Fascinating creatures...

Maybe I am in a certain mindset after seeing my Emys, just today: get lodged in a gap that he would clearly not fit in... 3 times and wedge himself into another gap which he barely could, but decided he needed to turn around before leaving, having to go nearly vertical to do so. I also witnessed him not seeing any way to the other side of the enclosure than going straight over every obstacle in his way, leaving a smearing of pepaya in his wake.

I hope and assume they are better with heights than special awareness. You can't live 85 years traversing a jungle, if you topple onto your back the first time you encounter a fallen branch.
 

bonsai tortoise

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I use the water dish from the original OP for juveniles above 4”. Works fine. No issues for years. But honestly the only reason I use it is because I have it and it fits nicely into their enclosures; not that I’m married to it. For everything else I use plant saucers with the exception of “fresh” hatchlings. The only tortoises I’ve lost to drowning was a fresh hatchling and ironically it was upside down in a small 4” terracotta plant saucer. Therefore I give them no water dish until they get over 2”. To get them hydrated I soak them daily and also mist their food. Just goes to show that any water dish is a potential death trap. This is how I’ve done it going on 15 years and it works well.
 

Tom

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Never had a problem with using these types of dishes. I've had 2 ( broke one on the sink when washing it) I do prefer the stone type one over the resin though just cause there is more grip for their feet
You haven't yet... Give it time.
 

Faygen

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Of course that's what I said too, but their point of contention is the tall straight inside sides. The tort tries to turn around in a corner, or is just trying to climb out, and the tall walls tip him over. I can see it happening actually, so if I had small torts I would not use those dishes again. Just sayin
I've never had a baby tort but I doubt id use anything I use for George cause id be scared of them falling off everything, Although when I've looked properly I don't even have this dish I have something similar but its much shorter sides think its marketed as a food bowl but its about as deep as a plant dish
 
S

Space-Age-Spring

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Quite honestly, I think this whole issue is absurd. I enjoy the idea of a tortoise in a cool bowl just jamming, Grooving in that thing. What a champ.

Latitude: -30.11403, Longitude: -62.62828
 

Tom

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Quite honestly, I think this whole issue is absurd. I enjoy the idea of a tortoise in a cool bowl just jamming, Grooving in that thing. What a champ.

Latitude: -30.11403, Longitude: -62.62828
Finding a tortoise upside down and dead is not absurd. Its sad. Its tragic. And its easily prevented by using the correct water bowl.
 
S

Space-Age-Spring

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Finding a tortoise upside down and dead is not absurd. Its sad. Its tragic. And its easily prevented by using the correct water bowl.
You know what? You're absolutely right. I respect you a lot, and I don't wanna disappoint you. I love my tortoise, Dougie. xxx
 
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Chefdenoel10

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You know what? You're absolutely right. I respect you a lot, and I don't wanna disappoint you. I love my tortoise, Dougie, and I want to see their puppies live a long life with their parent. I feel real, warm tears stream down my face when I think of Dougiel onto Dougie. He cries too. I'm so sorry...

Pictures please of you and Dougie.
❤️
 
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