Russian doesn't drink

[dolfanjack]

Hello all
I have had my russian (Tortuga) for six years now and in all that time I have never seen him drink. I'm not worried and know he is heathy and somehow getting enough liquids, but I'm wondering if anyone else has this same problem? I bath him twice a week in luke warm water for about 20 min but he hates it, all he does is try to get away. I usually have to change the water several times due to eliminations, but he doesn't drink. In the past his food consisted of spring mix but after relocating he is able to be let free in the yard were he has many things to eat including dandelion. Totuga has a small water dish in his pen, and I have placed a shallow dish of water in the garden for him to drink from, yet i have still never seen him drink. Thanks for any comments, Jack

 

[dmmj]

LOL I am laughing at the sutuation, I often here people say "I have never seen my tortoise drink how does he/she live?". Most of mine drink often but I have got a CDT that won't drink from his pristine clean water bowl, h would rather drink the muddy water when I water my yard. You don't sound worried and you shouldn't but if you want to give him some extra water if you feed him beside slettign him graze in the yard, you can always wet down their food with a spray bottle, I wet my guys food own about 3 or 4 times a week just to make sure they are getting enough water myself.

 

[Yourlocalpoet]

Everytime i hear people say that i think it's weird, six years is a long time to never see him drink, he must do it secretly! My tortoise drinks everytime she has a bath and i'm talking proper head dunking drinking for ages! She always drinks after she's fed too, always got her head in that bowl!

 

[Missy]

A trick I use to make sure Tank is getting enough water is I take yummy greens and tear it in small pieces and float it in his bath water. When he eats it he gets water to and he pee's every day so I know he is getting enough. I also get him to go to his water bowl by floating clover blooms in it. It works good for me and Tank no longer tries to get out of his tub now he loves to take his bath

 

[dolfanjack]

Thanks Missy, I'll try that.

 

[Kristina]

If he is outside, I would turn the sprinkler on and allow the water to pool on the ground. In the wild they drink from puddles when it rains. Every day when I turn the sprinkler on, mine creep under the water and drink and pee at the same time.