Soaking tail in water

[Sammy]

My star tortoise is recovering from RI. She eats lots, alert, constipated. Always dips her lower end into her water dish, the upper part hanging on the ledge. Is she dehydrated? I soak her twice a day and keep her humidity at 40. Apart from when she eats, this is her usual position.

 

[ascott]

Why do you feel she is constipated? Remember that tortoise can absorb some water through their body in addition to them drinking it...when you are soaking her does she drink? What are you feeding her currently?

 

[JoesMum]

How long do you soak for? Soaking in shallow, luke warm water, should be for 20 minutes... that's usually long enough to encourage them to poop. The water should be deep enough to cover the plastron, but your tort does need to keep it's head above water! Use a plastic box with sides high enough to stop your tort climbing out... that way your tort is definitely getting the benefit of the water.

 

[Utah Lynn]

I have to ask; is her bottom clean?

 

[Sammy]

After 15 antibiotics injections, from once a day to once a week she poos. Now trying the 'Reptaid' a herbal antibiotics, cause she still has RI. She seems a bit better now but still hardly poos. I soak her twice a day in warm water for 30mins in a little bowl. Her bottom is very clean. Btw she eats lots....

 

[ascott]

So you know she is consuming enough to produce a poo?....keep up the soaking in a container where she can stretch her limbs out and relax, warm water that remains warm during the entire soak....I would bump her soaking up to an hour....this has proven to work for me with impacted tortoise----then keep an eye on her....if you want to add a little mineral oil to a few bites of her food this also may help to move the load along

IMHO

 

[Sammy]

I give her half a plateful twice a day, she eats it all. For her size (148g) it's quite a bit, big intake and no output worries me.

I normally let her soak near the CHE, water stays warm, will increase to one hour and hope for the best. Thanks

Sorry, not sure what mineral oil is?