Never seen our CDT drink

[HBLocal]

We have had our 40 year old(ish) CDT for a little over 2 years and this Is the 3rd time he's awoken from a 4 month hibernation. When we 1st got him and each year he has awoken, we dutifully try to get him to take long soaks in the hopes he takes the much needed drinks we read about. I have to say we have NEVER seen him take a drink. He has 2 large water saucers which he haphazardly tromps through, but he never sits and soaks and like I said, we've never seen him take a drink. On weekends I can spend as much as 2-3 hours just watching him and following him around (please don't judge) and I've even tried coaxing him to drink by sprinkling water over his head, wetting his mouth area etc. He urninates regularly and after 3 successful hibernations, it's obvious he must be getting enough water, correct? Has anyone else experienced this? Why is it that we were blessed with a tortoise who doesn't do things by the book. It's driving this regimented by the book tortoise mom crazy. (Oh and by the way won't touch Timothy hay, mizuri, wild grasses, etc, but loves dandelion and hibiscus flowers and leaves and clover all from our yard and of course romaine which we also grow for him.) Dying to not be the odd man out here. Can anyone appease this old tortoise mom? Thanks!

 

[Yvonne G]

Quite a few older tortoises prefer to drink from running water. Lay the hose down near him and step away. Maybe he'll drink that way.

Another way to get water into them is by spritzing water over their food. Also, feed the occasional cucumber or slice of watermelon.

 

[dmmj]

my California Desert Tortoise is around 20 years old I have had him for about eight and nine years he never ever ever drinks from his water bowl he will only drink from Dirty Water sitting out in the yard from when I either water the lawn or those rare summer rains. Try that see if it works

 

[JohnnyB65]

Mine doesn't seen to like clear clean water and will not drink immediately after I clean his bowl. Its usually after the birds have washed and the wind has blown plenty of dust in to it. I do put a lot of water in his food so he does get water, but I have seen him dip his head into the water bowl and just suck up half of it when its to his liking.

 

[Kelly C.]

My tortoise if over 50 and I've also never seen him drink, except for putting his nose briefly into a small puddle of water. He also HATES to be soaked, but will tolerate having the hose sprinkled on him occasionally. My tortoise won't even walk on the grass. He has a large yard with grass and weeds, but he won't even walk on the grass to get a dandelion, but he will eat them quickly if I pick and bring them to him. Sometimes he'll eat the grass and clover along the edge of the lawn, but mostly he just waits for his romaine and rose pedals. Since I adopted him at such and old age I just figured he was set in hi ways long before I ever got him.

 

[JSWallace]

I has my old tort for nearly 50 years and never saw her drink once in all that time. I was also a very ignorant owner so never soaked her in all that time either. I have to conclude that she got all she required from her food. She never saw a vet in 50 years and hibernated every year so she must have been healthy I presume?

 

[JohnnyB65]

I was thinking about this thread last week when my tort completely emptied his water bowl right after I filled it.
I could not find my camera at the time and missed the photo, but below is an old photo of the bowl just to show the size of it.