My hatchling nearly drowned

[herpgirl24]

Came home from work yesterday to find my Sulcata hatchling upside down in his water dish. Thankfully I stopped at home before heading to the grocery store! I have no idea how long he was like that. Poor guy was exhausted from trying to keep his head up. When I picked him up his head was just lying in the water, I thought he was dead

So I have taken the water dish out until he gets bigger. The dish was only 1/2 inch deep at the most and not full! I also decided on his name, Tippy. Since he is always flipping over.

Will he be ok without a water dish? The enclosure stays above 70% humidity, I spray it down every morninga and I soak him daily.

Little guy gave me a heart attack. But he is doing fine this morning eating everything he sees!

 

[coreyc]

Good thing you stopped home glad to hear he's alright

 

[GBtortoises]

Basically, if you're watering (soaking) the tortoise daily and spraying his enclosure, along with the humidity staying in the upper part of the range, there is no real reason to have a water dish in the enclosure constantly. Accidents can happen, as you've just experienced, the water creates a mess in the enclosure when tracked through and if the tortoise defecates in it and then drinks from it later it can be unsanitary.

 

[laura808]

aww poor Tippy! that sounds so scary and if I were you I would have totally flipped out. Good thing you came home!

 

[Torty Mom]

How aweful, and scary! I am go glad Tippy is ok and I just love the name! SO CUTE!!

 

[herpgirl24]

Its not the first time I came home to find him upside down. But in the water! I honestly dont know how he lived. His face was all puffy and he was gulping for air when I flipped him over.

I am not sure if he has a slow learning curve or if he is a daredevil. As soon as I put something new in he tries climbing it. Needless to say hos tank is very flat and bland for a while.

 

[Torty Mom]

My little Penny did that when I first got her! I had no idea how long she was upside down. I freaked out so, promise not to laugh? Promise? I take all my babies to Lisa my neighbor and she babysits them while I am work! My husband thinks I am a dork, but oh well! Lisa loves watching them and I worry less. It works for us!!

 

[Yvonne G]

You can put some small pebbles in the waterer to make it shallower. The rocks also help the tortoise to right himself.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

You can put some small pebbles in the waterer so make it shallower. The rocks also help the tortoise to right himself.

Very good idea!

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

I am so glad Tippy is OK.

 

[Tom]

What kind of bowl were you using? Go get a terra cotta plant saucer from Lowes and sink it into the substrate so that its sits flush. Don't have it near the sides or any cage decorations.

Its been baby central around my place and I have not had a single baby flip upside down in the water bowl. That's 3 sulcatas, 36 leopards and 3 others over the last 7 months. All hatchlings. They all flipped occasionally, but never in or near the water bowl. Always in a corner or near some cage furnishing.

I feel the water bowl is important for several reasons. It adds needed humidity. As they track it around it adds humidity and keeps the substrate damp. It gives them the opportunity to drink and keep themselves hydrated when THEY feel the need. It gets their shell wet as they trudge through it several times a day.

I kept mine for many years with no water bowl, but that was a huge mistake on my part. Babies need access to water. As they get older, it doesn't matter as much as long as you keep them well hydrated. They can survive with out water, but that doesn't mean its good for them.

 

[LeaCrystal]

thats scary lucky you found it!!!! nice idea about the stones in the water...

 

[Snapper]

glad to hear your little one is ok!

 

[Madkins007]

I second Tom- water dishes are a good idea, especially considering that herp vets consider dehydration both the most common tortoise problem and one of the biggest problems.

Dish depth is not as critical in my experience as shape and placement. The sides need to be sloping enough so they can get in and out without putting themselves at a bad angle, and a dish sunk to the rim is infinitely more helpful than one they have to climb up to get into.

 

[Becki]

My tortoise never bothered with his water dish until I put in a Terra cotta saucer. Now he uses it quite often and has never flipped. So I guess I agree with Tom...will wonders never cease?