Soakings

[R.Leigh]

I've had my little tort for about a week now. He has been eatin well ( just more of a veggie lover than anything else I feed him). What concerns me the most is if he is getting enough water. I leave a dish of water out for him and change it everyday. I even let him play in the water sprinkler when I water. But I'm confused about soakings… some say yes others say no and the pet store didn't say anything.

 

[ascott]

I looked at your intro thread and what a pretty baby....if it were me I would soak your baby every day....and I know this thread is about soaking......if I had set up your enclosure I would have used a different material for substrate...perhaps coco coir or the finely processed peat moss (not the stringy kind)...and then maybe mixed in a bit of the chunky stuff you have in a corner or two....just sharing and not at all trying to say what to do....

 

[Tom]

For one that size and age, I would soak two or three times a week.

 

[CLMoss]

Welcome!

 

[JoesMum]

Your tort should be soaked on a regular basis as well as having water available in his enclosure.

It does no harm to do it daily and it helps to build a routine.

Some torts love baths, some hate them. The anti-brigade can usually be encouraged to relax and enjoy. Establishing a routine where the same things happen at the same time each day helps to reduce stress.

I suggest the morning goes something like: lights on, heat on, soak, feed...

My soaking tips are:
1. Soak first thing before your tort has warmed up properly to reduce escape attempts.
2. Use a high sided bowl or box so your tort can't see out
3. Use enough warm (not hot) water to just come over your tort's plastron (undershell). Get the temperature right and your not-warmed-up tort is more likely to lounge and absorb the heat.
4. Soak for a good 20 minutes. Don't worry if you don't see him drink; torts can absorb water through the skin. The length of soak is important.
5. Your tort may wee and/or poop in the water - it's more likely to concern you than him. You can change the water if it's truly disgusting. Don't worry if your tort eats his poop; it's said to improve gut flora!
6. Feed straight after the soak. Joe is always hungriest straight after his.

 

[R.Leigh]

I looked at your intro thread and what a pretty baby....if it were me I would soak your baby every day....and I know this thread is about soaking......if I had set up your enclosure I would have used a different material for substrate...perhaps coco coir or the finely processed peat moss (not the stringy kind)...and then maybe mixed in a bit of the chunky stuff you have in a corner or two....just sharing and not at all trying to say what to do....

Im not really liking the substrate at the moment after seeing lil Merlin's obsession with digging, hiding then freaking me out. I don't think that I will be using much of coconut bark next time.

 

[Melly-n-shorty]

I soak my little tort daily and my yearling gets soaked 3 times a week. They love it. Mine both go poo every time which is nice because then I don't have to clean their bedding as much