Keeping water warm for soaks

[moswen]

angi, you could get a larger box if you want her to move around, but i am also a little wary about the cleaners. but from my personal experience whenver i soak my torties, the only time they move around is when they're ready to get out. they sit and soak up the heat and water for a good long while before they start moving anywhere.

 

[Madkins007]

Angi- you could also just use the bleach. Bleach kills pretty much everything at the right dilution (about 1:10 is usually good), and rinses away well enough that it is considered safe for reptiles (although not for amphibians).

However, a simple tub floating in the warm bath water eliminates the whole concern- and remember, it is a PRETTY SMALL RISK either way!

 

[REXANNismyprettygirl]

what an informative thread this turned to be!! I would have NEVER thought of there being salmonella from her to me or foot fungus from us to her.

Unfortunately Rexann will definately not fit in a spring mix container. Actually, FORTUNATELY because I just love her cheerfully chubby self!! I will get one of those large rubbermaid totes at walmart today. I have one of the large storage tubs but it is dark green and quite tall so I will get a clear one and see what she thinks about that. I will also try to get a heat lamp over the the soaking tub. Perhaps I will need to get some little umbrellas for her water dish nest!! hehehe

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Using the tub directly is not really a bad idea, but it may not be a 'good' idea either.

They can pass Salmonellosis to us, and we can pass things like athlete's foot fungus back to them. Not a big risk, but good universal precautions would suggest that it is better to use a plastic tub floating in the tub instead of just putting the torts in your bathtub.

Of course, my main reason for not using the bathtub is that my wife would KILL me!

Thank you!! I would have NEVER thought about the salmonellosis or fungus transfer.

And I seriously laughed out loud about your wife and the bathtub... I imagine it would be something like the night I wanted Rexann to sleep next to our bed in a box because it was cold outside and I wanted to keep an eye on her. My husband wasnt impressed in the least. LOL!!

 

[Yvonne G]

When someone first mentioned soaking in the human bath tub I thought it was a great idea, because they can walk around and get exercise while they're soaking. And the ones that don't like to be in water, really do walk around.

I think as long as you wash the tub out with bleach when you're finished using it as a tortoise soak, it will be ok for the next human use.

 

[REXANNismyprettygirl]

When someone first mentioned soaking in the human bath tub I thought it was a great idea, because they can walk around and get exercise while they're soaking. And the ones that don't like to be in water, really do walk around.

I think as long as you wash the tub out with bleach when you're finished using it as a tortoise soak, it will be ok for the next human use.

Would you also recommend bleaching it after human use before tortoise use? I want to make sure everyone is healthy and happy!!

 

[HarleyK]

I wouldnt risk reusing tubs for human use even after bleaching...just play it safe and buy a different colored tub! I bought my at walmart and it's a perfect size. It's sterilite and is found in the dish aisle.

 

[Yvonne G]

I wouldnt risk reusing tubs for human use even after bleaching...just play it safe and buy a different colored tub! I bought my at walmart and it's a perfect size. It's sterilite and is found in the dish aisle.

We're talking about the bath tub in your bath room!

I like the idea because its so big and it affords the opportunity for the tortoise to do a lot of walking. Especially if you have a tortoise that is constipated. All that walking in warm water will help things get moving.

 

[Madkins007]

Diseases from bathtub, either tort to human or the other way around: This is not likely, like I said, the big reason I don't do it is domestic tranquility, and bleach makes the odds almost zero.

 

[bettinge]

Some torts also love the warm shower, mine seem to!

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Here's something for ya'll to think about...I think that tortoises drink as soon as you put them in the water or very soon after. And I think that if you leave them in the water long enough to poop every day that it's a bad thing. We want the poop to stay in their system so the various nutrients can be utilized. If they are forced pooping daily the nutrients aren't being utilized. I think we want the poop to stay in longer, that we don't want to force poop out. Am I making any sense here? It's kind of hard to say what I mean. I know we are supposed to poop everyday, but that's a natural poop not forced out by water. If we are forcing poop out of tortoises everyday that's a bad thing. We want them to poop naturally, not being forced out by soaking. Some days they don't poop and some days they do if left to naturally pooping, if we soak them everyday and they poop daily that way, I think it's a bad thing. Just wanted to express my opinion on pooping in the bath... I soak my torts for 10 minutes or less and the water doesn't cool that way and they don't poop that way...

 

[chairman]

I think I understand what you're saying Maggie, but does it work that way? (No disrespect, just an honest question.)

In mammals, once the food becomes "poop" and is sitting in the colon the body is pretty much only extracting water and salts for hydration and urine. I would think that once a tortoise is ready to poop, they aren't getting any more nutrients out of the "food;" just water, which isn't hugely necessary for hydration when the tortoise is in the process of taking a bath. However, tortoises have different digestive tracts than mammals, so if the act of soaking a tortoise causes it to void its intestines or if tortoises continue to absorb nutrients from the poop until they void then I would agree with you.

Of course, since many tortoises can eat their poop to recycle those nutrients, I suppose that you could always just remove the poop from the water, dry it, and leave it around just in case there were any nutrients the tort really wants to get back...

 

[Livingstone]

I think I understand what you're saying Maggie, but does it work that way? (No disrespect, just an honest question.)

It does work that way in the "wild" but because we provide a far more nutritious and constant source of food, causing the tortoise to defecate by soaking in warm water is not problem. And, the pros of regular soaking in warm water out weigh the cons of not.

 

[Angi]

What about cleaning with vinager. I use it to get rid of soap residue. Also my son's doctor said it is better than alcohol for the ears after swimming because it kills bacteria, viruses and something else I can't think of right now.

 

[Madkins007]

I agree with you Maggie. There is a difference between urinating and defecating naturally or as a result of stress. I am less concerned with the nutrients absorbed since our captive diets are rich enough I doubt it is a big deal, but I am concerned about the long-term, cumulative results of avoidable stress.

Along these lines, I disagree with the idea that soaks are good in general. Since the tortoise cannot absorb the moisture through the skin or cloaca, I am convinced that there are less stressful methods of hydration a tortoise routinely. (I do see a real value of soaks in certain situations, just not as a routine practice.)

Angi- vinegar is good, but not as good as bleach against a wide variety of stuff. The real risk is low enough, however, that vinegar is probably good enough.