Shell spraying

[TortLaw]

I'm doing daily soaks on my new tort Sheldon, who is a three month old cherry head. I'm also spraying his shell several times during the soak. Do you guys spray your torts' shells more than once during the day? Would any of you recommend, or know from experience, if I should spray Sheldon at different times throughout the day?

 

[Tom]

An accomplished RF keeper from Tennessee recommend at least 3-4 shell sprays a day. I've done it 10+ times on sulcatas and was happy with the results.

 

[mikeh]

Misting shell few times a day is fine. Don't create a swamp in his enclosure doing so. In nature babys shell is wet certain time in a given day from having to crawl around/under wet forest litter, rain, dew, etc. But it needs to dry up, that includes the plastron. Cheery heads are prone to shell rot, so again his substrate can be moist but not wet/swampy.

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[Teodora'sDAD]

I mist 1-4 on my Sulcata.. shes to the point now that shes used to it. At first she would jump and bolt. New growth appears smooth

 

[Sulcata_Sandy]

And adults? What would you recommend for a 4 year old Sulcata?


Sandy
.......................................
Oregon Tortoise Rescue

 

[Tom]

Depends on the weather and climate, but generally by that age, shell sprays aren't necessary anymore. They still like to be house down and splash muddy water on themselves though. And it doesn't hurt to soak them once or twice a week when its hot out and not ever raining.

And adults? What would you recommend for a 4 year old Sulcata?


Sandy
.......................................
Oregon Tortoise Rescue

 

[Sulcata_Sandy]

Thank you, Tom. It's cold and rainy lately so Mo is inside. I'm still trying to figure out better indoor life for him. My house is pretty steady at 60% RH.

Mo is not impressed with his soaks, paces and even thrashes. So I don't do it often...maybe once a week


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[Tom]

Thank you, Tom. It's cold and rainy lately so Mo is inside. I'm still trying to figure out better indoor life for him. My house is pretty steady at 60% RH.

Mo is not impressed with his soaks, paces and even thrashes. So I don't do it often...maybe once a week.

Its okay when they do that. Its good exercise for a relative sedentary indoor tortoise in a relatively small indoor enclosure. Think of it like their 20-30 minute a day stairmaster work out. They also tend to get used to the soaks and calm down after a few months of doing it regularly. My Daisy was the worst thrasher I'd ever seen of any species, and now she just calmly sits in her soaks and contemplates life... (At least I imagine thats what she contemplating. Either that or plotting my demise...)

 

[Sulcata_Sandy]

Thank you for the reassurance on the soaking temper tantrums.
This guy is far from sedentary (except these past few days since the barometer dropped and we have a cold front), normally he's busy foraging in the yard and never stops from 7am until 4pm. He doesn't have an enclosure (unless you consider my house and moderate sized yard!!! LOL).

Spoiled.

I will continue the soaks and let him have his temper tantrums.
I'm still seriously considering a baby. I can't stop thinking about it. [GRINNING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]


Sandy
.......................................
Oregon Tortoise Rescue

 

[Jacqui]

Misting shell few times a day is fine. Don't create a swamp in his enclosure doing so. In nature babys shell is wet certain time in a given day from having to crawl around/under wet forest litter, rain, dew, etc. But it needs to dry up, that includes the plastron. Cheery heads are prone to shell rot, so again his substrate can be moist but not wet/swampy.

I think you said this well!