Tips for getting a tort to enjoy/tolerate soaking?

[kitsune_4242564]

I’ve tried to soak Chibi (adult) 3 or 4 times now, she is NOT a fan, she wants out the second she’s in. She will soak for about 5 mins but it’s really just her trying to climb out of the wash tub until she poops. Then I change the water and try again, 5 mins later more poop. This is when I stop because I’m afraid this is just forcing herself to poop too much. This has been the routine since I first tried. I make sure the water isn’t too cold or hot and I change her water dish every morning too (although I don’t think she drinks from it but sometimes I find dirt kicked in it).
What should I do? Keep up this method a bit longer? is it normal to poop so soon into soaking or is this fear pooping?

the amount of times I said poop in this post: 6

 

[Skunkworks]

My Sulcata used to Not be a fan of Soak's and would dart inside her Nightbox as soon as I placed her back into her Enclosure. It was suggested to try Warmer water and it Worked. Nala Sometimes Poops quick or sometime it takes 20 to 40 minutes. As far as the amount of Poop, I'd say the more Poop the Better.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

My RF always avoid forced soaks. But if left alone they spend quite a but of time sitting in their water pools by choice.

 

[Tom]

I’ve tried to soak Chibi (adult) 3 or 4 times now, she is NOT a fan, she wants out the second she’s in. She will soak for about 5 mins but it’s really just her trying to climb out of the wash tub until she poops. Then I change the water and try again, 5 mins later more poop. This is when I stop because I’m afraid this is just forcing herself to poop too much. This has been the routine since I first tried. I make sure the water isn’t too cold or hot and I change her water dish every morning too (although I don’t think she drinks from it but sometimes I find dirt kicked in it).
What should I do? Keep up this method a bit longer? is it normal to poop so soon into soaking or is this fear pooping?

the amount of times I said poop in this post: 6

What size and species is Chibi?

1. Soaks and the behavior you describe do no harm.
2. The pooping is normal. We call the soaking tub "the tortoise treadmill" and all that walking is good for them. Like a horse, tortoises rely on locomotion to help move food through the GI tract. That old info about them pooping too much is utter on-sense and totally false. If it were true, then the 1000s of babies I've raised with daily soaks for the last 14 years would not be thriving and producing masses of babies annually, as they do. Soaked babies grow faster and healthier than unsealed babies in similar conditions with similar foods. Water = life. Hot weather, cold weather, small enclosures, and poorly designed enclosures can all contribute to a tortoise not walking enough. Soaking tubs help combat this problem in our captive environments.
3. Not soaking can do harm.
4. Soaking does no harm.
5. All tortoises eventually desensitize to the daily soaking routine and eventually calm down. I've had adult Russians that acted like I had dropped them into a vat of acid for two months. Even they eventually settled down and got used to it. They also got re-hydrated and healthy along the way.
6. Soaking DOES NO HARM.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Three or four times is hardly trying. Soaking (hydration) is for the betterment & overall long-term health of your tortoise. Make the soaking tub larger, water warmer, water deeper. If your kids stopped eating vegg after 3 days and only wanted ice cream….what would you feed daily? Salad or Choco Tacos?

When our Sully was small I would float a small clean sponge that she would kind of latch on to as she soaked. We soaked daily until we could no longer easily lift.

Mr Tort says🐢: Soak daily - it’s the right thing to do.

 

[kitsune_4242564]

What size and species is Chibi?

1. Soaks and the behavior you describe do no harm.
2. The pooping is normal. We call the soaking tub "the tortoise treadmill" and all that walking is good for them. Like a horse, tortoises rely on locomotion to help move food through the GI tract. That old info about them pooping too much is utter on-sense and totally false. If it were true, then the 1000s of babies I've raised with daily soaks for the last 14 years would not be thriving and producing masses of babies annually, as they do. Soaked babies grow faster and healthier than unsealed babies in similar conditions with similar foods. Water = life. Hot weather, cold weather, small enclosures, and poorly designed enclosures can all contribute to a tortoise not walking enough. Soaking tubs help combat this problem in our captive environments.
3. Not soaking can do harm.
4. Soaking does no harm.
5. All tortoises eventually desensitize to the daily soaking routine and eventually calm down. I've had adult Russians that acted like I had dropped them into a vat of acid for two months. Even they eventually settled down and got used to it. They also got re-hydrated and healthy along the way.
6. Soaking DOES NO HARM.

The tortoise treadmill LOL i love that. Chibi is a texas tortoise, I’m not sure how to describe her size besides small, I would need to remeasure her but I have photos on previous posts.

So I don’t have anything to worry about, it’s just a process. motto of the day: Soaking does no harm!!

 

[kitsune_4242564]

Three or four times is hardly trying. Soaking (hydration) is for the betterment & overall long-term health of your tortoise. Make the soaking tub larger, water warmer, water deeper. If your kids stopped eating vegg after 3 days and only wanted ice cream….what would you feed daily? Salad or Choco Tacos?

When our Sully was small I would float a small clean sponge that she would kind of latch on to as she soaked. We soaked daily until we could no longer easily lift.

Mr Tort says🐢: Soak daily - it’s the right thing to do.

You are right, I’ll do better!

 

[Skunkworks]

I have come to learn that Daily Soak's will not only Hydrate but will Prevent Stones. Win,Win.

 

[KarenSoCal]

I had to chuckle at your first post comment about saying "poop" 6 times! Stick around a while...you'll be in the hundreds like the rest of us! 🤣

As for your unwilling tort...mine used to freak out and appeared to be scared for his very life in the soak. He truly seemed to be panicked. I just laid a dark towel over the tub, making it as dark as possible for a bit. It settled him right down for a short period of time. When I uncovered him, he wouldn't be quite so frenzied. When he got upset again, I'd cover him and calm him. It didn't take long for him to learn that the soak wasn't that bad, and he would try to get out, but not seem panicky.

Maybe this would help your too.

 

[kitsune_4242564]

I had to chuckle at your first post comment about saying "poop" 6 times! Stick around a while...you'll be in the hundreds like the rest of us! 🤣

As for your unwilling tort...mine used to freak out and appeared to be scared for his very life in the soak. He truly seemed to be panicked. I just laid a dark towel over the tub, making it as dark as possible for a bit. It settled him right down for a short period of time. When I uncovered him, he wouldn't be quite so frenzied. When he got upset again, I'd cover him and calm him. It didn't take long for him to learn that the soak wasn't that bad, and he would try to get out, but not seem panicky.

Maybe this would help your too.

OH i’ll try that definitely!! thank you!

 

[Tom]

So many good tips and suggestions...

 

[kitsune_4242564]

I had to chuckle at your first post comment about saying "poop" 6 times! Stick around a while...you'll be in the hundreds like the rest of us! 🤣

As for your unwilling tort...mine used to freak out and appeared to be scared for his very life in the soak. He truly seemed to be panicked. I just laid a dark towel over the tub, making it as dark as possible for a bit. It settled him right down for a short period of time. When I uncovered him, he wouldn't be quite so frenzied. When he got upset again, I'd cover him and calm him. It didn't take long for him to learn that the soak wasn't that bad, and he would try to get out, but not seem panicky.

Maybe this would help your too.

I wanted to give u an update, Chibi has gotten so much calmer with your towel trick. I’ve been doing it ever since and wow. such a simple trick and yet so effective!!

 

[KarenSoCal]

I wanted to give u an update, Chibi has gotten so much calmer with your towel trick. I’ve been doing it ever since and wow. such a simple trick and yet so effective!!

I'm delighted to hear that! I don't even need to use the towel now, and he's calm until he thinks it's time to get out. I'm soglad it worked for Chibi.