Soaking ?

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SFCMARK

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Hi, I have 8 sulcatas and I usually soak them once every 1-2 weeks. They can go months without soaking or drinking water. If you see bubbles comming out of the tortoise's nose, or watery eyes it is a good time to soak. You could also put water on the tortoise's food, that also gives them water.

Sometimes people OVER hydrate these tortoises and it could lead to death.[/font]

I hope this info. helps!
Good luck with Ralph!

Mark
 
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Maggie Cummings

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But I would say you could be 'underhydrating' your tortoises. While I don't soak my Bob, he is 73 pounds, I do soak my smaller tortoises every other day at a minimum. We keep them under hot lights, basically on slow cook so I believe we need to soak them often. Just because they CAN go for long periods without food or water doesn't mean they SHOULD go for long periods without.
Mark...how big are your tortoises? Why do you think it's alright for them to not be soaked so often? By the time they have bubbles out of their noses that means the animal has been stressed for some time. I think it would be cruel to wait that long before the animal is soaked. Why would you believe that is alright?
 

Yvonne G

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SFCMARK said:
Hi, I have 8 sulcatas and I usually soak them once every 1-2 weeks. They can go months without soaking or drinking water. If you see bubbles comming out of the tortoise's nose, or watery eyes it is a good time to soak. You could also put water on the tortoise's food, that also gives them water.

Sometimes people OVER hydrate these tortoises and it could lead to death.[/font]

I hope this info. helps!
Good luck with Ralph!

Mark

There's a BIG distinction between soaking very young tortoises and soaking older tortoises. Babies up to about 2 years old need to be soaked more frequently because of the lights and heaters and the tortoises' small size. Under lights and heaters the young ones dehydrate very quickly. I like to use a container with a small amount of "floor" space but with high enough sides that don't encourage climbing out. Its not true that they don't need to drink and can get enough water from their wet food. All tortoises need water. They have evolved to have to wait for the next rain storm for a drink, but that doesn't mean we, as keepers, have to make them wait for a drink. If your tortoise has a big enough habitat, you should have a waterer in there. If not, you need to soak them...young ones every other day and older ones at least once a week. Don't wait until you see signs of dehydration.

Yvonne
 

mwindman

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I soak my sulcata three times a week; I put him in the kitchen sink with warm water and he justs flattens out and sits there; I have to take him out he does not want to leave; he loves soaking.
 
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