Sick 11 y Tortoise - RI - Soaking?

[JunieJuneBug]

Hi all. I took my sulcata to the vet this week because I was worried she (turns out she's a he - pet store told us wrong) may have a cold. Vet does the exam, tells us she's a boy, and that she has a respiratory infection. Along with an antibiotic twice per day and moving him inside for a month to make sure he is maintaining a higher temp at all times, she wants me to soak him everyday in 80 degree water to ensure he's passing the antibiotics. He's almost 11 and weighs 40lbs - he's very strong and a bit determined. We got him about 7 months ago and have never soaked him. The previous owners didn't and so we figured during the summer he'd soak if he wanted, he always had access to a pool. In the winter he has access to water and eats a lot of high water content veg along with his regular food. Also, he has always lived outside. He has a heated home that is free from drafts and has his own enclosure to meander around in when he feels inclined that is separate from the rest of our yard.

My question is does anyone have any suggestions as to how to soak him properly? She didn't offer many suggestions on how to accomplish this part just said she soaks her three year old sulcata all the time. Any suggestions would be helpful. I want to make sure he gets better but also don't want to freak him out when I put him in water for the first time. Also, does anyone else keep a tort this large in their home? He's in our den now, where we have set his light up with a pad to lay on and I think I'll need to add a UV basking light since he won't get natural sun now.

He'll go back in two weeks for a follow-up appointment and she wants to sedate him to do bloodwork and xrays.

 

[Yvonne G]

Clean and rinse your bathtub thoroughly then add enough warm water to come up to the middle of his sides. He may surprise you and completely enjoy it.

Just a note of explanation - 40lbs is pretty light for an eleven year old sulcata. Some of them reach that weight in five years.

 

[Yvonne G]

For warm weather you can have a little plastic kiddie pool out in his yard. Tortoises usually love sitting in water and flinging it over their backs.

 

[JunieJuneBug]

Clean and rinse your bathtub thoroughly then add enough warm water to come up to the middle of his sides. He may surprise you and completely enjoy it.

Just a note of explanation - 40lbs is pretty light for an eleven year old sulcata. Some of them reach that weight in five years.

Thanks for the info!

 

[vladimir]

These work well also for soaking larger sulcatas:

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/tuff-stuff-products-heavy-duty-oval-stock-tank-40-gal

 

[Yossarian]

Is this Seaford in the UK? and it lives outside year round?

 

[JunieJuneBug]

These work well also for soaking larger sulcatas:

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/tuff-stuff-products-heavy-duty-oval-stock-tank-40-gal

Thanks. We have a Tractor Supply just down the street.

Is this Seaford in the UK? and it lives outside year round?

Nope. Seaford, Virginia in the US. Southern coastal Virginia.