Water dish for large species

[Zach B]

Hello,
Wondering if anyone has suggestions for water dishes for large species. Just wondering if anyone has come across any particular brands or designs that work best. Or if they have come up with good solutions to an inground water dish/soaking pond. Specifically talking about large Sullys, Aldabra, leopards, etc. Over the years I’ve used many different store-bought, dishes, water, heater, trays, etc. They seem to only last a few weeks before they crush them under their weight, or bend them beyond repair.

 

[Tim Carlisle]

Hello,
Wondering if anyone has suggestions for water dishes for large species. Just wondering if anyone has come across any particular brands or designs that work best. Or if they have come up with good solutions to an inground water dish/soaking pond. Specifically talking about large Sullys, Aldabra, leopards, etc. Over the years I’ve used many different store-bought, dishes, water, heater, trays, etc. They seem to only last a few weeks before they crush them under their weight, or bend them beyond repair.

I bought this for my sucata at RuralKing. I have it mounted in the corner of his house so that it doesn't get tipped or dragged. Working out perfectly so far, and he has no problem drinking from it.

 

[TammyJ]

Looks great for drinking water for large torts.

 

[EppsDynasty]

You can look at the home store for "washing machine pan" I have had mine outside for 1 year now without the sun cracking them. There is also hot water heater pans as well. The big torts just twist the metal ones but the plastic black ones do well in the sun too.

 

[Yvonne G]

I used the lid off a garbage toter for Dudley's waterer. I dug out the ground a bit so it sits even with the ground.

 

[Len B]

Hello,
Wondering if anyone has suggestions for water dishes for large species. Just wondering if anyone has come across any particular brands or designs that work best. Or if they have come up with good solutions to an inground water dish/soaking pond. Specifically talking about large Sullys, Aldabra, leopards, etc. Over the years I’ve used many different store-bought, dishes, water, heater, trays, etc. They seem to only last a few weeks before they crush them under their weight, or bend them beyond repair.

I use this type of water bowl for my sulcatas

 

[Len B]

They have never turned one over. The ones in the pic hold about 3/4 gallons of water each. Walker the big one just walks over them when they are in his path and sometimes he does it without sticking a foot in it.

 

[Len B]

Here's another idea for a watering hole that I tried back in 2012 for some young sulcatas. It worked great. It's a piece of shower pan liner about 3x6ft in size. To clean it I would pick the liner up on one end and lift it and the water would run out. Then I would lay in the grass and clean it with a broom and spray it with the hose. Then lay it back into the divit and fill it back. Only took a couple minutes. The shower pan liner is sold by the linier foot at Lowe's, home Depot or a plumbing supply company.

 

[Maggie3fan]

I had a 100+pound Sulcata who drank from the silver water dish that Len showed, he never spilled his either...But he did enjoy pooping in it...Mary Knobbins has never drunk from a dish...this is her preferred way of drinking, it gets a little harder in winter...
her second favorite drink way

 

[EppsDynasty]

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I used the lid off a garbage toter for Dudley's waterer. I dug out the ground a bit so it sits even with the ground.

I remember this water dish like it was yesterday. Weed eating around it, filling it for Dudley and just sitting down next to it and spend a little time with him. I also remember (very well) the days he was not interested in any part of his yard but THAT water dish. I would give him a little talk and move over to the Desert Tort pens to mow, and give him a chance to move on his own. There were though some days he just wouldn't budge and at the end of mowing and weeding I would have to move him, he let me know how he felt about it to.
When I see plastic-ish materials that can withstand the sun for years without degrading to the point of crumbling. It makes me wonder why in the heck don't they make other things with that same level of UVB resistance.

 

[Markw84]

I use this water dish. As you can see, the last time I purchased one on Amazon was 2017 and it is still like new. I used it for very large sulcatas, and now use many for my Galapagos. They cannot tip over and this 30" one is big enough for a tortoise up to about 120 lbs to self soak in.

Kapidolo Farms now sells these where I got the last several ones I have.

 

[Sarah2020]

What a lovely post to read, all different water ideas and the tortoise adjust and work out what they like and how to to get water.