Soaking tortoises

[Connie]

I have a redfoot (New Owner) and I can't understand why you have to force soak a tortoise. If we are thirsty we drink , even a baby, you offer it a bottle , if she (he) doesn't want it they push it away. I have tried putting my Ruby into her pool(water dish) she stays a minute or so and leaves. I hate "forcing her to stay" ,she fights to leave, to me it is like forcing someone to drink. I have seen her go in and stay by herself (again a minute or so, once around 15 minutes and I think that is the way it should be.She is healthy and alert. I bought her with shell rot (too much water), but that is gone now. Her plastron is damaged because of this rot.
Noone is around in the wild to soak them,they "Know" when they need to soak. I just cannot understand this...

 

[Richmond2]

Specific breeds of tortoises need to be soaked every 2 days for at least 20 mins this is to keep the species fresh and clean if you keep the water Luke warm and not deeper than a half a centre meter you should be ok but it is for the tortoises own health but remember just don't keep it in there to long cos It will bring back his shell rot and don't do it to often and they will soon get used to it he will be scared the first couple of times so don't worry about it it is fine x

 

[Connie]

Specific breeds of tortoises need to be soaked every 2 days for at least 20 mins this is to keep the species fresh and clean if you keep the water Luke warm and not deeper than a half a centre meter you should be ok but it is for the tortoises own health but remember just don't keep it in there to long cos It will bring back his shell rot and don't do it to often and they will soon get used to it he will be scared the first couple of times so don't worry about it it is fine x

Because of the plastron shell rot, I scrubbed her down top and bottom shell, she can't be any cleaner (used a toothbrush and mild soap) and even cleaned with a toohpick any remaining dirt or whatever in the crevices were dirt or black or brown residue remained. She can't be cleaner. I keep an eye on that for sure that she stays that way for now...spic and span clean.... I never want her to go thru shell rot again!

 

[Richmond2]

I agree I wouldn't personally like to false them but they are going to come out better of

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Shell rot it horrible for a tortoise to go through

 

[Tom]

No one feeds them in the wild. No one heats them in the wild. No one protects them from predators in the wild. No one de-worms them in the wild.

... Captivity is not the wild. There are different stressors and behavior modifiers in captivity that might allow an otherwise sensible tortoise to become dehydrated. I soak mine in a tub as simple, easy insurance against dehydration and all the problems it can cause. I feel that it is essential for hatchlings, but by the time they are a year, I cut it down to two or three times a week.

In the wild it is estimated that somewhere between 1 out of 300-3000 survive to adulthood. I don't think what happens in the wild is what we want to emulate.

 

[tortuga_please]

If a kid is sick and they won't take medicine cause they hate the taste, you have to force them. Unfortunately, we don't always like what's best for us, but forcing the soak (depending on the species) might be the right thing.

 

[Connie]

Well I think I will get a little tub, someting where she can't climb out of.. This way I won't have to force her to stay in her "pool" (water dish) in her habitat.
Just for auguments sake, you can't say that with any other wild capitive animals.I have red eye tree frogs, they know when to soak, and believe me these frogs are VERY delicate (I think all frogs are).They get stressed VERY EASILY and can die from stress. They absorb their water thru there skin. I change their dish daily and leave them alone, they are not the type of animal that likes to be handled alot, the less the better, they know when to soak. That's why I figure--they should know when to soak and not to, why not tortoises??. I also have parrots (considered wild animals). They take baths by themseves and drink. I do bathe them once a week (Put them under running water, a shower so to speak), but alot of bird owners don't do that and they are just fine...

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Well I think I will get a little tub, someting where she can't climb out of.. This way I won't have to force her to stay in her "pool" (water dish) in her habitat.
Just for auguments sake, you can't say that with any other wild capitive animals.I have red eye tree frogs, they know when to soak, and believe me these frogs are VERY delicate (I think all frogs are).They get stressed VERY EASILY and can die from stress. They absorb their water thru there skin. I change their dish daily and leave them alone, they are not the type of animal that likes to be handled alot, the less the better, they know when to soak. That's why I figure--they should know when to soak and not to, why not tortoises??. I also have parrots (considered wild animals). They take baths by themseves and drink. I do bathe them once a week (Put them under running water, a shower so to speak), but alot of bird owners don't do that and they are just fine...

Also I have finches (wild) . You cannot handle them either. They are wild. They bathe and drink and play.

 

[Tom]

I think a separate tub is a good idea. I cannot even conceive of trying to "force" a tortoise to stay in its water dish in its habitat. Most tortoises come to like, or at the very least, simply accept their warm soaks.

Understand you are not "forcing" them to drink. You are simply providing them the opportunity, in case they otherwise have not been drinking enough. There is also evidence that suggests they can absorb water through the cloaca. This wetness also helps ensure smooth carapace growth and it help keep the plastron clean too, by washing away any leftover food or feces. Further, many of them get very active after a few minutes, if not right away, and this activity is very good exercise for them. Lastly, all that exercise is helpful for digestion and helps keep things moving along in the GI tract.

 

[Connie]

If a kid is sick and they won't take medicine cause they hate the taste, you have to force them. Unfortunately, we don't always like what's best for us, but forcing the soak (depending on the species) might be the right thing.

Water isn't medicine. Your body tells you when you are thirsty. Yes you might force a child to take medicine, but would you force her to drink when she is not thisty??
They say a person should drink 8 glasses a day--would you force your child to drink 8 glasses?? I do have other wild pets and they soak and drink and I do not force them. I just find it strange that you have to force an animal to drink and hydrate themselves. I am NOT familiar with the tortoise world and I just find it strange...

 

[Tom]

I don't force my child or my tortoises to drink, but I DO encourage them to.

 

[Connie]

I think a separate tub is a good idea. I cannot even conceive of trying to "force" a tortoise to stay in its water dish in its habitat. Most tortoises come to like, or at the very least, simply accept their warm soaks.

Understand you are not "forcing" them to drink. You are simply providing them the opportunity, in case they otherwise have not been drinking enough. There is also evidence that suggests they can absorb water through the cloaca. This wetness also helps ensure smooth carapace growth and it help keep the plastron clean too, by washing away any leftover food or feces. Further, many of them get very active after a few minutes, if not right away, and this activity is very good exercise for them. Lastly, all that exercise is helpful for digestion and helps keep things moving along in the GI tract.

After her shell rot, I keep her clean, wash her under the faucet (not her head). I spray her top shell during the day for even shell growth, but keep her underbelly dry (cage carpet) because of her damaged plastron from the shell rot that needs to heal and grow. The water (her pool) is there (tempid) for her to use and she does use it , but only stays there for a minute or two. Sometimes longer (yesterday 15 minutes). I let her run around the apt for exercise, but she always just looks for a place to hide, I take her out of that hiding place and make her walk again and she ususally goes to the same hiding place...

 

[Tom]

To each his/her own...

If you have an older tortoise, it is not likely to die just because you don't soak it frequently. Still, I believe keeping them hydrated is a good policy. There is some variability for for species AND for individual housing and climate.

As a side note: Unless you live in the tropics (warmth) and have a house cleaner than a lab (stuff that hits the floor), letting your tortoise run around on the floor is not a good idea. Its too cold, there are too many ways for them to get injured, and there are too many things that they could eat that they shouldn't. Mine stay in their enclosures, either inside or out, that are designed with their safety and well being in mind.

 

[Connie]

To each his/her own...

If you have an older tortoise, it is not likely to die just because you don't soak it frequently. Still, I believe keeping them hydrated is a good policy. There is some variability for for species AND for individual housing and climate.

As a side note: Unless you live in the tropics (warmth) and have a house cleaner than a lab (stuff that hits the floor), letting your tortoise run around on the floor is not a good idea. Its too cold, there are too many ways for them to get injured, and there are too many things that they could eat that they shouldn't. Mine stay in their enclosures, either inside or out, that are designed with their safety and well being in mind.

My apt IS like the tropics. It very rarely drops below 81 degrees in the winter (they shoot up the heat!) Right now--almost 4:00A.M. it is 82 degrees! As soon as I come home I change into shorts and a tee shirt..
Last night 84 and the night before that 88!! I do not open windows because of my birds--fans only during the winter to cool things down.
The room where Ruby is I shut the heat off so it can be a little cooler (75 right now)..80's during the day.. Floors clean as a whistle, no carpet, fiberfloor(pvc and fiberglass-looks like wood)--->(poop and pee proof meaning easy clean up). and Ruby's romps are supervised...

 

[Madkins007]

OK, let's get to some nitty gritty here. One sign of dehydration is that the victim is not thirsty. Tortoises are often kept in habitats that could easily serve as food dryers- boxes of dry heat. We usually have to work to get the humidity somewhere normal and use other tools to prevent dehydration... including soaks.

If a tortoise is properly hydrated, and a good weight for its size, then it is likely that the humidity, food moisture levels, etc. are good and additional soaks are not needed.

A 'good weight' can be subjective- it feels like a bag of damp sand, or it can be objective- straightline carapace length in centimeters cubed, times 0.191 gives us a minimum target weight in grams- SCLcm^3 x 0.191= WTgr. (As with humans- this target weight is statistical. Some individuals are healthy when above or below the target weight- but the further the individual is from the norm, the less likely they are to be healthy.)

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Connie:

In the real world, baby tortoises use the sun to warm up. They do this on their own, as they need it. In the captive world, we give them "forced" sun every day. Because we have them on "slow cook," it is up to us to be sure they stay hydrated. Because they don't find a puddle to drink from every day, they aren't in the habit of getting a drink unless there's been rain and they find a puddle. With our "forced" sun, they need that puddle more often than they do in the wild. We dry them out, inside and out, a lot faster than they dry out in the sun when they are allowed to do it themselves. So its up to us to make sure. That's why we do the "forced" soaks at least every other day.

 

[BrookeB]

If a kid is sick and they won't take medicine cause they hate the taste, you have to force them. Unfortunately, we don't always like what's best for us, but forcing the soak (depending on the species) might be the right thing.

Water isn't medicine. Your body tells you when you are thirsty. Yes you might force a child to take medicine, but would you force her to drink when she is not thisty??
They say a person should drink 8 glasses a day--would you force your child to drink 8 glasses?? I do have other wild pets and they soak and drink and I do not force them. I just find it strange that you have to force an animal to drink and hydrate themselves. I am NOT familiar with the tortoise world and I just find it strange...

I'm new here but still I had to tell you that I have to trick my Horse into drinking on cold nights by mixing water and a mix of food because horses are known for getting dehydrated because of a simple cange in temp. My horse is smart and so is my tort, but it's better to be safe then sorry with a $100-$1000 vet bill or worse. Animals don't always do what they should or whats healthy. Some times they need help. My new Tort loves bath time. But then again I do it out of his "home".

 

[Happy Tortoise]

My Russian Tort doesn't like the water. When I gently put him in a soaking bowl he struggles to come out. I dunno why he doesn't like it. Can you answer this??[/color]?

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My Russian tort doesnt like water.

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