Poo'ing in their water

[kelarned]

I love the fact that many torts seem to poo and pee every time I soak them. I soak them daily and they always do their business. I have yet to add any water to their enclosure. I am in the process of designing my tort table, but I'm not sure what to do about the water source.

If the torts poo or pee in the water while I am at work, then is it okay for them to be soaking in their own waste till I get home.

I don't see this as being very sanitary, but I also realize that us humans are much more concerned with that than the torts are.

Just curious on some of your thoughts.

As a side note. The gentleman that sells turtle tubs is currently out of stock and will not have them for quite some time. Any other suggestions?

I am thinking of converting a plastic paint roller tray into a walk in pool. I tried it out last night and they seem to do okay with it.

 

[Snapper]

Interesting idea with the paint roller tray

 

[Tom]

I like to use terra cotta plant saucers for water bowls. They are just the right depth, easy to get in and out, offer good traction and they are cheap. I buy them at Lowes for less than $2 or $5 for big ones for bigger torts. Safety-wise, they are nice too because even if your tort somehow manages to flip on his back in the water, they are shallow enough that he won't drown in your absence.

As far as keeping it clean, I soak my torts in the morn and that usually empties them out. While they are soaking I clean their waters and prepare their food. Then in the evening I clean and refresh their water bowls again. There is rarely and poo in there, but its no big deal if there is. Twice a day cleaning is enough to keep it relatively sanitary. I think most people do it once a day or as needed if they see some poo.

On the tubs I like Vision and Waterland. They are both good and similarly priced for their size.