Not drinking during soaking.

[Holly'sMom]

Anyone else with this issue??
My baby tort Belle (a sully) seems to not drink during soakings (2X a day). I see her frequently going to the water dish and dipping her head in and drinking at first we thought it was just too cute! BUT now all I see during soaking is her attempting to escape and only drinking in her water dish. I don't think I've ever seen her drink during a soaking and rarely urinates or poops during one now making me more suspicious. She's alert active eats anything and everything even if your still holding onto it etc but I know how fast these babies can go down hill. My humidity is always good( or close to good I'll spray it down myself when I see it dropping below 80%) along w my temps (I check these all in morning noon and night just to be safe!). my soakings are done in a green colored 5-6 inch tub that she can't see out of (pic showing deeper than my hand) in warm water that isn't too shallow/high, it looks shallower than it actually is in pics the corners she's trying to get out at tend to be a little tilted. I'm just curious if anyone else has this going on. Is it normal or a sign of problems? Plus after my friends leopard hatchling died w no symptoms this week I've become paranoid. She's my first hatchling not the only one but the only one doing this. I think I've posted about her ability to flip herself constantly even if she had an empty tank we did empty it to ty try to figure out what was causing it, never did lol. (And my hatchlings are separated even during soakings, soakings because I thought maybe that was her issue). Thanks for any help or assurances!!

 

[Speedy-1]

I am not being "smart" is that all the water you use to soak ? It doesn't look like there is any water in there !

 

[JoesMum]

To soak your tort successfully
- use a flat-bottomed bowl that your tort can't see over or through
- have the water deep enough to come up over the line between the plastron and the shell
- the water needs to be warm, but not hot. Think baby bath

Due to their turtle ancestry, it seems torts can take in some moisture through the cloaca. However simply being able to duck their head beneath the surface is often a tortoise drinking - it's a bit alarming to watch!

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

It's quite normal for some tortoises to hate their soaks.
Some seem to never get used to it.
As long as the tortoise is drinking elsewhere and pooing and peeing normally it seems okay to me.
They also absorb water through the cloaca (bottom hole) .
make sure the water is at a level just above where the plastron joins the carapace.

 

[Holly'sMom]

I am not being "smart" is that all the water you use to soak ? It doesn't look like there is any water in there !

It's the picture I swear! Lol it is a little shallower at the corners of the bin and she's trying to climb out so shes part way leaning trying to catch purchase I just kinda put her in really quick to show how she just tries to escape and that she can't see out. I make sure the water is where the shell meets but the corners are shallower I can't help that but just the very corner part of the corners. Plus she will walk across and around trying to escape so she's not just on the shallower corner.

 

[Holly'sMom]

She's using her head to lift herself up too that maybe it. It's hard to see the water but it's up there just the corners have a little tilt that make them shallower.

 

[dmmj]

is the water warm? What's the temperature? Remember some tortoises just don't like to soak. If she's drinking on her own continue soaking and I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

[Holly'sMom]

To soak your tort successfully
- use a flat-bottomed bowl that your tort can't see over or through
- have the water deep enough to come up over the line between the plastron and the shell
- the water needs to be warm, but not hot. Think baby bath

Due to their turtle ancestry, it seems torts can take in some moisture through the cloaca. However simply being able to duck their head beneath the surface is often a tortoise drinking - it's a bit alarming to watch!

That's what I see her doing in the enclosure, putting her head under like she's stuck. That was fun the first few times I panicked like SHES DROWNING HERSELF! But than was able to figure that out on here thankfully But yes waters higher than it looks in the pics, she's using her head along w legs to push herself up te corners and it wasn't really on an even surface I just kinda did this soaking to show what I meant. The corners are tilted a bit but no more than a Tupperware bowl would be i swear it's the pics that make it look empty! she's actually close to 5 inches so right now this bin is my easiest option. I did NOT know they took water in the other way so now I feel a bit better because she does sometimes just lay down. I was told the water needed to meet the plastron but she should have to put her head down to drink. The water in the tub I keep at the plastron her water bowl is so shallow if she flips she won't down as she seems to flip a lot of everything and nothing .. also what kind of water dishes should I be using? I have had a few but any that she can fit into (including the pot plates, the names eluding me) all seem to leak water once they've had water a day or two making huge wet spots in the substrate.. the only ones I've found w a glaze seem to be kidney shaped or have really high sides( or those awful step ones ). Since she has a habit of flipping I'd prefer not to use anything I can't push flat into the substrate but I'm worried w te kidney shaped ones she can't fit her whole body into or get any purchase. She mainly walks through them or stands at the side but I don't want to take the walking in option away and it worries me she may slip in it. I've included the bowls all have made wet spots like shown i push the flat into the substrate but I haven't used the kidney shape yet... I've been switching the others out when the wet spot appears

 

[Holly'sMom]

The water dish was empty from just soaking through. I give her clean water a few times a day because she drags substrate in and because after a day or two these dishes all seem to leak. That was full when I posted this . I just changed it out for another.

 

[Holly'sMom]

And yes water is warm and replaced w warm when it starts to cool (i have kids so I'm fairly comfortable with my water temps )

 

[Speedy-1]

It's the picture I swear! Lol it is a little shallower at the corners of the bin and she's trying to climb out so shes part way leaning trying to catch purchase I just kinda put her in really quick to show how she just tries to escape and that she can't see out. I make sure the water is where the shell meets but the corners are shallower I can't help that but just the very corner part of the corners. Plus she will walk across and around trying to escape so she's not just on the shallower corner.

I still think you need a little more water ! Here is an old pic of Speedy soaking , he still loves it but the tub is bigger !



Notice how much deeper the water is ? I will give you another tip , if you can hold your hand in it your water is not too hot ! Speedy would start fidgeting and running around when the water began to cool off ! He got soaked for 1 hour, daily for a year and 1/2 ! Some might say he didn't need that much , but then again he is 7 Lb,s now with no sign of pyramiding whatsoever !

 

[GingerLove]

I agree with Speedy. I believe you that the water is probably deeper than in the picture, but it's probably still a tad shallow. I make it deep enough that if my tort pulls her head in and arms up (like if she got alarmed suddenly), her head is underwater. i know that sounds awful, but my tort is used to it now and drinks the water all of the time. She knows how to keep her head above the water. Also, she wouldn't drink when it was too shallow before.

 

[Holly'sMom]

I still think you need a little more water ! Here is an old pic of Speedy soaking , he still loves it but the tub is bigger !

View attachment 191562

Notice how much deeper the water is ? I will give you another tip , if you can hold your hand in it your water is not too hot ! Speedy would start fidgeting and running around when the water began to cool off ! He got soaked for 1 hour, daily for a year and 1/2 ! Some might say he didn't need that much , but then again he is 7 Lb,s now with no sign of pyramiding whatsoever !

Thanks I'll keep the higher temp in mind. And I swear lol the waters normally higher the middle is a bit deeper than the corners so maybe I'll invest in a tub w better edges

 

[GingerLove]

Alright, I guess I believe you. Those sides are misleading.

 

[Holly'sMom]

Does anyone else have issues w the water leaking in terra-cotta (not sure on the spelling) or the Mayan type dishes? It seems like I can find anything that hasn't leaked that's not like the kidney shaped ones w coating.

 

[Speedy-1]

Thanks I'll keep the higher temp in mind. And I swear lol the waters normally higher the middle is a bit deeper than the corners so maybe I'll invest in a tub w better edges

Ha Ha ! I believe you , go to walmart in the kitchen ware and get one like in my pic for 2 bucks ! Warm that water up and Holly will thank you !

 

[Speedy-1]

Does anyone else have issues w the water leaking in terra-cotta (not sure on the spelling) or the Mayan type dishes? It seems like I can find anything that hasn't leaked that's not like the kidney shaped ones w coating.

Yes , some do and some don't . When Speedy was inside it never stayed clean long enough to worry ! It helped his humidity ! Outside I use a big tray that looks suspiciously like a MacDonalds tray !

 

[Tom]

Does anyone else have issues w the water leaking in terra-cotta (not sure on the spelling) or the Mayan type dishes? It seems like I can find anything that hasn't leaked that's not like the kidney shaped ones w coating.

In my experience, about one in 10 is a "seeper". I've owned 100s of them over the decades. When I discover a seeper, I just use that one for food and buy a new one for water. It hasn't been a problem for me since I need two for every enclosure.

 

[Holly'sMom]

I wonder if I cut a plastic microwaveable bowl where it's shallow and use that for a water dish? (I push mine flat into substrate) or do you think it would still possibly melt or make fumes? I swear little things make me crazy! I just bought my 8th lamp because my temps weren't good enough IMO w a variety of different wattage and size lamps, then I had 3 UV lamps because I'm worried it's not getting through the screen Im loathe to use those zilla uv/heat coil type ones w the fuse type bulbs I don't like laying any lamps on the screen (and the screen is on to keep the Cats and Parrot for getting in, mainly the cats but Ruby can't fly and has dived a few times closely missing the tank!)

 

[HI Tortoise Rescue]

Also, don't forget that tortoises get a significant amount of water from their food, & so don't always drink when they're soaking. But unless you're watching every second, sneaking a drink is definitely a possibility.

Ken