New tort owners

[skrubs]

Hello we are new tort owners. She is really my sons tortoise. She is a russian tortoise named blue. We have had her for about 2 weeks. Well I think she is a girl. You don't see the tail to often. The reptile house and the vet both said they were almost sure
She was a girl. Anyway this is all new to us and I have a question about soaking. She seems to like to soak herself. She soaks everyday. Most days I Don't know how long I Just know the water is dirty when we get home. Sometimes I see her just go in and get a drink and leave after a couple of minutes and I have also seen her soak for a couple of hours. So question is should we still soak her ourselves a couple of times a week?

 

[Kirin]

Hello and welcome.

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. Unless you see her soaking, for longer then a few minutes, I would still soak her at least once a week. Just seeing dirty water doesn't mean she soaked. She could have just walked through it, which mine does most of the time.

 

[cvasta]

hello and welcome to the forum

 

[pam]

Welcome

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome.

Since she is a new tortoise to you and has probably been through a lot to get to you, I would soak two or three times a week for 30 minutes. I would do this for at least a couple of months to be sure she is good and hydrated and help flush out any built up urates or stones. After this, I would taper it down gradually, but its up to you how much you do it after that. Some people think that if your enclosure is set up correctly, and your tortoise drinks enough on its own, that you don't need to soak the ever. In my opinion, there are a lot of variables and there are a lot of reasons why a tortoise might not drink, or might stop drinking when it used to in the past. A simple soak once or twice a week will insure that your adult Russian stays hydrated, regardless of what else might, or might not, be going on. And if your tortoise did not need to be soaked, it does no harm. It also helps me to give all my tortoises the once over. I don't often bother them when they are out cruising their enclosures, but on soak days, I pick them up and give them a visual and tactile check up. Problems can be caught early this way.

Good luck and happy torting.

P.S. If you post a pic of the tail and anal scutes, we can attempt to sex your new tortoise for you.