Poopy water

[kjr153]

So when I got home my tort was soaking in poopy water. I was waiting for it to get out so I could change the water. It still has not gotten out. At this point I am just going to take the tort out of the water because that is gross. Do I need to "bathe" the tort? Will it get sick from being in poopy water?

 

[lkwagner]

Some tortoises eat there own poop, so I'm sure it will be fine. Mine all poop during their soaks and I just change the water and let them soak a few more minutes. Just change the water and if you want to rinse it off you can, but it will be ok!

 

[Madkins007]

Living in fecal matter is how Salmonella, etc. get passed. It won't make a big difference to him, though.

The bigger question is why is he still in the bath? Trapped, other areas are too hot? Too dry? It may be a signal to re-evaluate some things.

 

[DesertGrandma]

Living in fecal matter is how Salmonella, etc. get passed. It won't make a big difference to him, though.

The bigger question is why is he still in the bath? Trapped, other areas are too hot? Too dry? It may be a signal to re-evaluate some things.

Yes, I was thinking the same thing. My torts don't usually just sit in their water for that long unless I am confining them to a soak.

 

[kjr153]

I got the Tort out and rinsed it off. I cleaned the water bowl with hot soapy water. I don't know what the deal was. It was not trapped, it climbs in and out of the bowl all day long. It is eating now. Weird tort

 

[EKLC]

My torts explicitly seek the water dish to poop. They will lounge in there while they do it. I change the water when they are done.

 

[Eloise's mommy]

Poop in the water!! lol if Eloise poops anywhere in her enclosure it will 9 out of 10 times be in the water dish!! lol now if only she'd express the urates there too!! but no she usually urates while eating and right onto the substrate!! silly little girl!

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

My torts explicitly seek the water dish to poop. They will lounge in there while they do it. I change the water when they are done.

My 4 are the same way...otoh, it makes their indoor "winter home" much easier to keep tidy.

 

[kjr153]

So then I guess this is fairly normal? Maybe they just don't realize poop is nasty and they shouldn't sit in it

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

So then I guess this is fairly normal? Maybe they just don't realize poop is nasty and they shouldn't sit in it

Just the nature of the beast...otoh, it makes for considerably less mess when your tortoise is wandering around your home, if you give it a soak every few days...

 

[Moozillion]

Elsa likes to pee AND poop in her terra cotta food dish, so her greens get soaked in urine. But she gobbles them up! Yuk!

 

[Ansh]

Just a thought. All tortoises love to poop in water. They almost seem to be conditioned to do so. I wonder whether in the wild they do this in streams which carry the stuff away.

In any case tortoises often eat their poop and so although not in itself a problem, I usually keep an eye out and prevent this when I can!! Don't think I always succeed. 😄

 

[Watsonpartyof4]

Tyrone likes to pee on his food too... It is like he won't eat it until he has sprinkled "his" seasoning on it!

 

[Moozillion]

Tyrone likes to pee on his food too... It is like he won't eat it until he has sprinkled "his" seasoning on it!

Hahaha!!!

 

[kjr153]

I don't let my Tort wander around my house. I have small children that crawl on the carpet. I'm too scared of Salmonella.

So then I guess this is fairly normal? Maybe they just don't realize poop is nasty and they shouldn't sit in it

Just the nature of the beast...otoh, it makes for considerably less mess when your tortoise is wandering around your home, if you give it a soak every few days...

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

I don't let my Tort wander around my house. I have small children that crawl on the carpet. I'm too scared of Salmonella.

So then I guess this is fairly normal? Maybe they just don't realize poop is nasty and they shouldn't sit in it

Just the nature of the beast...otoh, it makes for considerably less mess when your tortoise is wandering around your home, if you give it a soak every few days...

Certainhly an option, but another is to keep your tortoise(s) healthy enough to not carry salmonella (much easier with tortoises than with aquatic turtles).

 

[kjr153]

So it has to do with health? I thought it was just a natural bacteria in their GI system. I didn't know it had anything to do with health. Interesting!

 

[LolaMyLove]

So I soak my RT every other day for 15mins or so. He poops and pees like clockwork but I too thought it was weird to soak in it. I have small kids and I didn't want them touching him with pee shell. So I have two baths. Once he does his business I move him to the second bath. He seems to not be bothered by the move. After the bath I weigh and measure him. Is that an OK time to do it?