Tortoise Doesn't like Soaks?

[Oplais]

Today is only the third day I've had Pearl, and eight month old leopard, so all of this could easily be due to stress and I'm just paranoid and anxious. However, it's better to be safe than sorry, and I'd get some peace of mind from some answers!

I've soaked Pearl 3 times since I've gotten her, and it's always in the same tub. However, she seems to really dislike it. She spends the whole time trying to crawl up the sides of the pan, and she hasn't drank or used the restroom. I thought soaks were supposed to relax them? She also has a shallow dish in her enclosure, but she hasn't gone into it from what I've seen.

She also hasn't ate much, if anything. It looks as if she took a small bite out of a plant inside her enclosure, and maybe tried a weed from the food pile I gave her, but even that could be a stretch.

Is there something wrong? Is there anything I can do to help her out? Or is this all pretty common for a new tortoise? When should I worry/go to a vet if she hasn't ate or drank? Thanks for all your help!

 

[Gillian M]

Firstly, a very warm welcome to the forum!

Don't panic, don't worry, I'm sure you'll get the help you need here, but please post pics of your tort as well as its enclosure.

- What's the weather like where you live? It could be too cold/too hot.
- Torts take a real lot of time to adapt to a new environment, owner, country, climate, and so on. Here, you need patience.
- Please read the 'Beginners Thread' as well as different care sheets. These too, could help you deal with your tortoise.

And good luck!

 

[dmmj]

fac of tortoise life some like then come down nothing unusual. Or wrong just your tortoise being a tourist

 

[Lexiii]

My little guy hates his soaks, always climbing the walls. I try to give him a little treat to distract him. Sometimes it works, sometimes not.

 

[Oplais]

I live in Eugene, Oregon, and the weather does fluctuate a good amount but her enclosure is indoors, where the house temperature is kept at 75F. Her pen is heated with a MVB and the basking spot is 96, with the warm end being 91, the cool end being 78, and the humidity is typically at 65, but goes up to 75 after I freshly moisten the dirt and moss.

I've included some pics of her enclosure, which is a very large storage bin that I've modified a lid for. The first two are inside views, then one from the outside (not showing the light because the camera couldn't pick up anything else with it in), and then a couple pictures of her. thank you for your help!!!

She is fairly active, and has already made a mess of her enclosure though! She loves to dig and track the moss around. Lol

 

[Gillian M]

My little guy hates his soaks, always climbing the walls. I try to give him a little treat to distract him. Sometimes it works, sometimes not.

A treat might change things. Not a bad idea. Please keep us updated.

 

[Gillian M]

I live in Eugene, Oregon, and the weather does fluctuate a good amount but her enclosure is indoors, where the house temperature is kept at 75F. Her pen is heated with a MVB and the basking spot is 96, with the warm end being 91, the cool end being 78, and the humidity is typically at 65, but goes up to 75 after I freshly moisten the dirt and moss.

I've included some pics of her enclosure, which is a very large storage bin that I've modified a lid for. The first two are inside views, then one from the outside (not showing the light because the camera couldn't pick up anything else with it in), and then a couple pictures of her. thank you for your help!!!View attachment 144653View attachment 144654View attachment 144655View attachment 144656View attachment 144657

She is fairly active, and has already made a mess of her enclosure though! She loves to dig and track the moss around. Lol

A wonderful little tort - GOD bless.

 

[Oplais]

My little guy hates his soaks, always climbing the walls. I try to give him a little treat to distract him. Sometimes it works, sometimes not.

A treat might change things. Not a bad idea. Please keep us updated.

Thank you both! I'll see if I can find something she likes and I'll offer it to her with her bath. It would be nice if I could get her to eat and soak!

Do you think I should be soaking her more than once a day? I don't want to stress her out even more with extra movement, but since I haven't seen her drink I'm worried she isn't hydrated enough.

 

[Jodie]

My little ones are not fans either. I soak in water about 95F or a bit warmer. Try different temps. Your enclosure and temps seem alright. How are you measuring temps. Not eating is often the result of too cold. My minimum temp is 80F and basking 100F or a little over.
He is a cutie!

 

[Gillian M]

Thank you both! I'll see if I can find something she likes and I'll offer it to her with her bath. It would be nice if I could get her to eat and soak!

Do you think I should be soaking her more than once a day? I don't want to stress her out even more with extra movement, but since I haven't seen her drink I'm worried she isn't hydrated enough.

I think that the number of soaks depends on the weather. Also, please make sure that the temp of the water is warm i.e.: not too cold and not too hot, as this too may stress any tort.

 

[Oplais]

My little ones are not fans either. I soak in water about 95F or a bit warmer. Try different temps. Your enclosure and temps seem alright. How are you measuring temps. Not eating is often the result of too cold. My minimum temp is 80F and basking 100F or a little over.
He is a cutie!

Thank you! I've been measuring my temps and humidity with three thermometers stuck on the walls on the inside of her pen. One on the cool side, one on the warm side, and one right in the basking area. I also have a hygrometer stuck on a wall right in the middle area. I've ordered a temp gun but it hasn't come yet.

I haven't been taking the temps of her soaks, I've just been going with a 'lukewarm' or baby bath warmth. I'll see if I can find a thermometer for that too! It makes me feel better to know that others have babies who don't particularly enjoy soaks.

 

[teresaf]

fac of tortoise life some like then come down nothing unusual. Or wrong just your tortoise being a tourist

what? That didn't come through very clearly...

 

[teresaf]

78 seems too cool and humidity would be easier to keep up if you covered at least half the screen with plexi glass or foil. Also those button type thermometers are next to useless especially in high humidity aplications. I had several I was testing in same local and they all read different so i went with the store bought (amazon) digital ones that have the 3 ft wire probe. Really though your settup is the best first attemp ive seen so far....kudos

 

[Oplais]

78 seems too cool and humidity would be easier to keep up if you covered at least half the screen with plexi glass or foil. Also those button type thermometers are next to useless especially in high humidity aplications. I had several I was testing in same local and they all read different so i went with the store bought (amazon) digital ones that have the 3 ft wire probe. Really though your settup is the best first attemp ive seen so far....kudos

Thank you so much! I do use some foil to cover most of the top in order to keep in humidity, she also seems to enjoy the privacy. And after I bought and set up my enclosure I did notice that not many use the thermometers that I have, and that must mean they aren't great, so that's why I ordered a temp gun! I'll look for a better thing to measure humidity with too. What do you suggest the cool end should be? Should I try and get it to the eighties?

I spent a lot of time getting the right stuff to go inside and followed some care guides on here to a T, so I'm glad it looks okay!

 

[teresaf]

Thank you so much! I do use some foil to cover most of the top in order to keep in humidity, she also seems to enjoy the privacy. And after I bought and set up my enclosure I did notice that not many use the thermometers that I have, and that must mean they aren't great, so that's why I ordered a temp gun! I'll look for a better thing to measure humidity with too. What do you suggest the cool end should be? Should I try and get it to the eighties?

I spent a lot of time getting the right stuff to go inside and followed some care guides on here to a T, so I'm glad it looks okay!

Well, you are one of the few who actually sunk the terracotta dish in the dirt...High climbable areas are a serious flipping hazard. No coil bulbs, right?
I would keep the cool end at no less than 82 because if you read around on here about 'Failure to thrive' and 'RI' you'll see a trend of people (usually first timers) keeping the humidity high but letting lows get under 80. Sometimes people are playing with the cute little buggers on the freakin floor....where it's the coldest...several times a day and having photo shoots and stuff. Paaaleeease, just don't...
Leopards are one of the torts that don't like change and, sometimes, it can take a couple weeks to acclimatise to their surroundings and THEN they will eat , eat, eat. If you change their home around too often you introduce more change and the stress can cause them to be susseptibe to sickness...I hate to say it but try not to hold him alot until he starts eating regularly. Still soak him daily, check him for injuries, weigh him weekly but refrain from watching tv with him...lol
Here's a pic of mine...I wish I had gotten him as a baby. Maybe he wouldn't be so pyramided...

 

[Oplais]

View attachment 144684
Well, you are one of the few who actually sunk the terracotta dish in the dirt...High climbable areas are a serious flipping hazard. No coil bulbs, right?
I would keep the cool end at no less than 82 because if you read around on here about 'Failure to thrive' and 'RI' you'll see a trend of people (usually first timers) keeping the humidity high but letting lows get under 80. Sometimes people are playing with the cute little buggers on the freakin floor....where it's the coldest...several times a day and having photo shoots and stuff. Paaaleeease, just don't...
Leopards are one of the torts that don't like change and, sometimes, it can take a couple weeks to acclimatise to their surroundings and THEN they will eat , eat, eat. If you change their home around too often you introduce more change and the stress can cause them to be susseptibe to sickness...I hate to say it but try not to hold him alot until he starts eating regularly. Still soak him daily, check him for injuries, weigh him weekly but refrain from watching tv with him...lol
Here's a pic of mine...I wish I had gotten him as a baby. Maybe he wouldn't be so pyramided...

He is beautiful! I love all the white on him! And I'm so scared of stressing her out or dehydrating her that I've only taken her out of her pen for her soaks. I don't plan on even letting her on a floor for a minute until she's bigger, older, more confident, and established. So for now her photo shoots have to to be in the soak!

For the daytime I use a powersun MVB and at nighttime I use a ceramic heat emitter! I'll see what I can do to get the cool end to the low 80s!