NORMAL?? behaviour during bathing time

[prawny]

Hey guys and gals could i please have some advice im currently bathing my 2 baby salcata's everyday for 10-15mins in luke warm water, in my bath tub..... for the first few weeks they were fine they would just sit there and soak but now they seem like there scared and are running up the sides trying to get out.
they also poo ALOT!!! is this normal????

 

[Yvonne G]

Can you think of anything that changed? Water too warm? Water too cold? The extra poop is because of the stress from trying to get out.

 

[prawny]

um maybe the water could be too warm....is a bath tub suitable as the sides r high...do u think they feel trapped?

 

[Tom]

I always did this with mine and the running behavior is totally normal. Now I use separate tubs, as the wife isn't too keen on tortoise poo in "her" bathtub. Some of them sit there and some of them frantically try to escape. I just put them in there and don't worry about it. Its good exercise if they run around like that and they NEED the hydration. Most of them get used to it and calm down over time. My adult female Delores seems to hate her baths, but she gets them anyway. All of my other ones seem fine about it. They usually sit there for a while and then tell me when they want out. The pooping is good too. Keeps your enclosure cleaner.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

But at times they poop too much rushing the poop out of their systems and they don't get the nutrition from the food like they should. I would use a different container, a smaller one that might make them feel more secure. I use a small plastic non see thru container and I use luke warm water about up to the bridge, that's where the carapace and plastron meet. Make sure your water is not too deep. And I just soak for 5 to 10 minutes, as they should be done drinking by then.

 

[Becki]

I soak my sulcata hatchling everyday. Some days he seems to enjoy it and some days he resists. Possibly he knows that after bath time he gets to run around the yard and eat. . Either way he has to stay in the water for a minimum of 5-10 minutes. Tough love but it should help him stay healthy.