Tort doesn't like soaking

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Jacqui

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sakkakth said:
So is a "force soak" considered putting a tort in water it doens't want to be in or putting it in water at all?... Tuck seems to not just tolerate but actually enjoy being in his little bathtub. It will take him up to 30 minutes to start popping his head over the wall indicating it's out time.

Do I not do this even tho he seems to like it and just let him choose to use his water bowls on his own or do you feel it's ok for torts who seem to find it nice?

It's perfectly fine to do more frequent soaks if they enjoy it. Also there are times when even a tort who doesn't like it, does need his soaks. It's just like saying if the tort doesn't like eating good food, then by all means keep feeding him just iceburg lettuce. Let's not stress him by only putting that "nasty", but good for him food only in his dish. The fact is, when in captivity they can't always make all the options they may want. Sometimes you have to make healthy choices for them. Give them as many options as you can, but always be prepared to step in.

Often warm soaks are especially helpful for torts who are not eating. It seems to stimulate eating.
 
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Maggie Cummings

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Jacqui said:
sakkakth said:
So is a "force soak" considered putting a tort in water it doens't want to be in or putting it in water at all?... Tuck seems to not just tolerate but actually enjoy being in his little bathtub. It will take him up to 30 minutes to start popping his head over the wall indicating it's out time.

Do I not do this even tho he seems to like it and just let him choose to use his water bowls on his own or do you feel it's ok for torts who seem to find it nice?

It's perfectly fine to do more frequent soaks if they enjoy it. Also there are times when even a tort who doesn't like it, does need his soaks. It's just like saying if the tort doesn't like eating good food, then by all means keep feeding him just iceburg lettuce. Let's not stress him by only putting that "nasty", but good for him food only in his dish. The fact is, when in captivity they can't always make all the options they may want. Sometimes you have to make healthy choices for them. Give them as many options as you can, but always be prepared to step in.

Often warm soaks are especially helpful for torts who are not eating. It seems to stimulate eating.
We keep captive tortoises under hot bright lights, cooking them in essence, they need to be soaked.
 

Jacqui

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The main thing I want to get across is this: don't let anybody make you feel like your doing something wrong. Ask questions, listen to answers, and then follow your own instinct. You live with the tort, we don't. You know your animal and your set up. The loose quote from Nerd of "You shouldn't paint all torts with one brush" is true. Not just each species, but each animal needs to be cared for a bit differently. I think it's wise to remain in the mindset that nothing with torts is black and white, it's all grey. No one way is the only way. Even how you do this today for this tort, may be totally different next month.
 
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Maggie Cummings

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Jacqui said:
The main thing I want to get across is this: don't let anybody make you feel like your doing something wrong. Ask questions, listen to answers, and then follow your own instinct. You live with the tort, we don't. You know your animal and your set up. The loose quote from Nerd of "You shouldn't paint all torts with one brush" is true. Not just each species, but each animal needs to be cared for a bit differently. I think it's wise to remain in the mindset that nothing with torts is black and white, it's all grey. No one way is the only way. Even how you do this today for this tort, may be totally different next month.

I've been reading back following this thread and I really have to say that in some instances it gets pretty scary. We are talking about a small Sulcata correct? If that's the case even if there is a water dish in the habitat I think they need to be soaked at least every other day.
If a Sulcata is set up correctly he is being cooked under hot lights, and babies get dehydrated very quickly. That means he should have a hot side 85 to 100 degrees under the light and a cool side of maybe 75. If you are to prevent pyramiding in a Sulcata they need lots of exercise, humidity, correct UVB and good food. It's relatively hard to create a decent humid atmosphere and a good soak takes over where the lack of humidity lets off.
If you are keeping a baby or small Sulcata inside a house they are not kept in a situation where they can burrow and create their own humidity. Hence the soaks.
Not all species of tortoise need to be soaked but I will bet my family's 35 years of experience that a small Sulcata needs to be soaked. My smallest is now 3 years old and I have just recently stopped soaking him everyday. I see him stick his face under the water in his water bowl, so I know he is well hydrated but sticking a face in to drink does not soak the whole body and does not refresh the skin.
Baby Sulcata are just that...babies...and as such they don't have the capacity to make good decisions just yet, so that's where we come in, we make their decisions for them until they are old enough to make good choices...baby Sulcata need to be soaked, like I said, at least every other day.
 

Bernie

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My little princess really hated bathtime too. I experimented with the water temperature and depth but I wasn't able to make Hank happy. Finally I just kept to a rigid schedule -- same time (only a little after she rises in the morning) every other day (her baths are only about 15 minutes or so) without deviation as much as possible. Over time she came to accept baths and now she stretches out her little legs and rests her chin on her arm. I think the rigid schedule helped her -- she seems to be a little on the OCD side.
 
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Maggie Cummings

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Bernie said:
My little princess really hated bathtime too. I experimented with the water temperature and depth but I wasn't able to make Hank happy. Finally I just kept to a rigid schedule -- same time (only a little after she rises in the morning) every other day (her baths are only about 15 minutes or so) without deviation as much as possible. Over time she came to accept baths and now she stretches out her little legs and rests her chin on her arm. I think the rigid schedule helped her -- she seems to be a little on the OCD side.

I thought this thread was about Sulcata, not Greeks. I apologize...and back out of this conversation...
 

Bernie

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I thought this thread was about Sulcata, not Greeks. I apologize...and back out of this conversation...

You know, I don't know what breed this was about -- it was in the general discussion and I didn't see a breed mentioned. Maybe I should be backing out apologetically.
 
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