Some observations

[siwash]

Hi folks,

I'm beginning to wonder about the merit of 'soaking' your tort daily. I have a water dish set out for my little hermann. I am pretty sure he dips himself daily in the dish. I'm at work all day so i don't see him for 10 straight hours bt I routinely find poop or bits of debris in the dish (like food) so he's in there regularly. I have also observed him soaking himself on weekends when i have been home most of the day.

Here's my question: Why bother disturbing our torts by dunking them in a dish of tepid water when they seem to know for themselves when they need drink and hydrate? I think I am going to cease this practice...

The other observation I have is that m tort really doesn't care for the calcium power with D3 that I sprinkle on his food.. i even experimented and laced one leaf with and one without and he avoided the dusted lettuce. Is tere some other way of giving them Calcium (d3 )?

 

[Jacqui]

Sounds like your correct, your not needing to soak your tort daily...and perhaps not at all. Daily soaks are more for the very young, dehydrated, constipated, not eating, ect.., tort. As they grow older, stronger, healthier you can usually cut back to a couple of times a week, then maybe once a week or two and then even stop the soaks.

The majority of my torts are never forced soak, BUT when in doubt I do the soaks. I also find many of mine wait for the water dish to be changed out for new fresh water and then rush in for a soak.

Your finding poop in the water, clearly a sign he is finding and using the water source you provided. Those who don't see these things worry their tort is not getting enough water, and thus do the soaking.

 

[krissy2288]

this is true but sometimes they just go in the water for a few seconds and get out so you can never know, so you should just soak him/her around 3 times a week just for a pre-caution.

 

[siwash]

I see him in there for at least a few mins... when we're thirsty, we drink! I think we should give them a bit more credit!

 

[terryo]

I have never soaked my Cherry Head......as per Redfoots.com caresheets. I was really worried that he didn't go in or drink as I never saw the water even a bit dirty. Then one day I was home the whole day, and kept an eye out.....finally I saw why the water never got dirty. He only put his head in and drank...and since he has gotten bigger, I have seen him drinking and soaking all the time. He doesn't sit in there for long....maybe just a minute or two to drink and then he's out.

 

[kevantheman35]

^ i had that same waterbowl and it was the perfect size, but i realized that the water just soaked right through it because it wasnt glazed

I think the whole thing depends on your enclosure, and how humid or dry it is, and your tortoise, and whether he/she will actually soak themselves. I personally soak my sulcata once a week, i find that to be plenty, at least at his age