Carrot and water soaking

dmmj

The member formerly known as captain awesome
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 15, 2008
Messages
19,698
Location (City and/or State)
CA
It is used for sick tortoises. A sick tortoise may not eat but they still usually drink even if they're not drinking they still asorb small amounts through the cloaca
 

rearlpettway

Active Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2014
Messages
254
It is used for sick tortoises. A sick tortoise may not eat but they still usually drink even if they're not drinking they still asorb small amounts through the cloaca

Ah, cloaca. That makes a lot of sense. Thank you very much.
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,405
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Actually the nutrients are absorbed through the thin skin on the underside of the neck and the skin around the cloaca. There is a species of water turtle (I think in Australia) that actually "drinks" through the cloaca, but that's the only species that does. I got this information many, many years ago from Dr. Jartchow in Arizona.

I only use the strained carrot/water soaks on babies whose eyes are swollen shut and are not eating. It does no good at all to use it on a healthy baby.
 

Katashia

New Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2017
Messages
23
Location (City and/or State)
North TX
Hello all! I have searched the forum and have read several threads concerning theses baths, but I still have questions.

I am mostly curious as to whether or not these baths are for sick tortoises only, or if healthy tortoises can enjoy them as well?

What are their main purposes necessarily? And, are there any other types of baby foods good for Marla?

Thanks in advance for any info. I take notes quite often off things I read on here & keep them in a notebook for easy finding!

-K.
 

Maro2Bear

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
May 29, 2014
Messages
14,712
Location (City and/or State)
Glenn Dale, Maryland, USA
Greetings Katashia

From all the postings i have read here on the Forum, soaking in carrot baby food, etc. is almost always one of many last ditch efforts to provide nutrition to a turtle/tortoise that is failing and not eating, or eating very little on their own. When soaked, these reptiles naturally absorb water, nutrients, sugars, etc that often times gets them in a position to eat and drink on their own.

A healthy animal that is eating and drinking on their own, and getting all their nutritional requirements met, wouldnt need a carrot infusion.

If you do some searches here in the Forum, you will see where these soakings were utilized.
 

Katashia

New Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2017
Messages
23
Location (City and/or State)
North TX
Yes I saw that it was mainly utilized for sick tortoises but just wasn't sure if it was also used as, say a special treat from time to time. I will hold on to the baby food carrots that my daughter didn't use since they don't expire for another year or 2. That way I have some if I ever need it.
Thank you for the clarification. As I've said before, I'm not knew to turtles but I am new to tortoises and am always looking for new ways to treat my little tort. My aquatics loved strawberries but I see that Sulcatas cannot have those, so I try to keep my eye open for new ways to treat herself.
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,935
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
I'm not sure if it helped or not, but when I had a tortoise that would not eat....But would drink, I used the carrot baby food mixed with water and also mixed with unflavored Pedialite on alternating days. With and without added Oxbow Critical care.
I was unaware about the absorbtion.
Interesting.
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,935
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
Yes I saw that it was mainly utilized for sick tortoises but just wasn't sure if it was also used as, say a special treat from time to time. I will hold on to the baby food carrots that my daughter didn't use since they don't expire for another year or 2. That way I have some if I ever need it.
Thank you for the clarification. As I've said before, I'm not knew to turtles but I am new to tortoises and am always looking for new ways to treat my little tort. My aquatics loved strawberries but I see that Sulcatas cannot have those, so I try to keep my eye open for new ways to treat herself.
A treat with little sugar as a rare thing. How about cactus pears?
 

rearlpettway

Active Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2014
Messages
254
Hello all! I have searched the forum and have read several threads concerning theses baths, but I still have questions.

I am mostly curious as to whether or not these baths are for sick tortoises only, or if healthy tortoises can enjoy them as well?

What are their main purposes necessarily? And, are there any other types of baby foods good for Marla?

Thanks in advance for any info. I take notes quite often off things I read on here & keep them in a notebook for easy finding!

-K.

The baths are only for sick tortoises. The sugar content is to high for healthy tortoise and that high sugar content will kill all the beneficial Bactria in the health tortoises gut.
The purpose for the baths are to replenish needed vitamins and minerals to the sick tortoise. The sugar gives them energy and stimulates them to eat.
I have never heard of anyone giving baby food to a tortoise.
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,935
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
I have never heard of anyone giving baby food to a tortoise.
I used both carrot and sweet potato puree baby food.
Mine was a Redfoot and I wasn't concerned about the sugar. I keep taking that for granted and forget that most species can't handle it.
 

TammyJ

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2016
Messages
7,119
Location (City and/or State)
Jamaica
She did not like the cactus, which was so sad cos I was so excited! Lol.
You should try her another time, and another time of day, and another day again, with the cactus. They may not always eat a food item immediately, so we should not just abandon trying it, especially if it is a really good food item for them. There are also other ways of presenting it, like finely diced or crushed and mixed with their other food that is being offered.
 

Katashia

New Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2017
Messages
23
Location (City and/or State)
North TX
You should try her another time, and another time of day, and another day again, with the cactus. They may not always eat a food item immediately, so we should not just abandon trying it, especially if it is a really good food item for them. There are also other ways of presenting it, like finely diced or crushed and mixed with their other food that is being offered.
Yea I agree. I'm treating her (since she is a baby) just like I do my toddler & am still trying to reintroduce her to certain things repeatedly, just to be sure.
I did have questions though... I see cactus blooms, so do they eat the cactus pad & the flower from it too? Also, I saw rose leaves, hibiscus leaves & other flower leaves - that means specifically the leaves of the plant/flower but not the petals themselves, correct?
 

TammyJ

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2016
Messages
7,119
Location (City and/or State)
Jamaica
Yea I agree. I'm treating her (since she is a baby) just like I do my toddler & am still trying to reintroduce her to certain things repeatedly, just to be sure.
I did have questions though... I see cactus blooms, so do they eat the cactus pad & the flower from it too? Also, I saw rose leaves, hibiscus leaves & other flower leaves - that means specifically the leaves of the plant/flower but not the petals themselves, correct?
Others here will be more knowledgeable about the various plants and leaves, than I am! I know that some tortoises like hibiscus leaves. And the opuntia cactus pads, don't really know much re the various flowers except hibiscus flowers and pumpkin flowers, which they like. They also love pumpkin leaves and chocho vine leaves.
 
Top