Sanitizing water bowl

Need to think a little more about wild tortoises when thinking about what you need to do for yours. There is no sanitizing of mud holes, rain puddles or enclosures/hides
There is no carpet in any forest, desert, etc.
Now somethings we should do opposite like get rid of the spines on cactus. Not that anyone is doing that in the wild but because if one were to get stuck we would need to take it to a vet, in the wild they would just suffer and possibly die.

Tom said:

If you let it all evaporate and dry out, then yes, you'll get mineral deposits, but that should never happen. It should be fresh water every day.

The algae is green or dark green and takes a long time to grow. The slime you feel is probably bacteria.

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I the bacteria something i should be concerned about? Also there being mineral deposits in his dish is that bad? The reason the mineral deposits got there is becuse that every once in a while it evaporates at the end of the day even though i fill everyday.

yay14 said:

I the bacteria something i should be concerned about? Also there being mineral deposits in his dish is that bad? The reason the mineral deposits got there is becuse that every once in a while it evaporates at the end of the day even though i fill everyday.

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Its not evaporating. You've got a seeper. About one in ten of the terra cotta saucers is a seeper. The water is slowly leaking out of it. I use those ones for food, and get a new one for water.

wellington said:

Need to think a little more about wild tortoises when thinking about what you need to do for yours. There is no sanitizing of mud holes, rain puddles or enclosures/hides
There is no carpet in any forest, desert, etc.
Now somethings we should do opposite like get rid of the spines on cactus. Not that anyone is doing that in the wild but because if one were to get stuck we would need to take it to a vet, in the wild they would just suffer and possibly die.

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Ouch!!

Tom said:

Its not evaporating. You've got a seeper. About one in ten of the terra cotta saucers is a seeper. The water is slowly leaking out of it. I use those ones for food, and get a new one for water.

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Ohh ok i will get a new one,. But so the bacteria and mineral deposits are harmless? Theres also this debree thing on top of the water that comes as soon as i fill it up is that also harmless?

yay14 said:

Ohh ok i will get a new one,. But so the bacteria and mineral deposits are harmless? Theres also this debree thing on top of the water that comes as soon as i fill it up is that also harmless?

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Try to find a saucer that is glazed on the inside. I have both, glazed and unglazed. The glazed is much better. Also I have thrown out an unglazed one because it leaked/soaked up the water and I felt it constantly was letting something seep into the water from the clay.

yay14 said:

Ohh ok i will get a new one,. But so the bacteria and mineral deposits are harmless? Theres also this debree thing on top of the water that comes as soon as i fill it up is that also harmless?

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The mineral deposits shouldn't be happening, but yes, those are harmless. Those minerals are already in the water.

As long as you are dumping, wiping out, rinsing, and refilling with clean water, the bacteria will be no problem.

I don't know what debris on top of the water you are referring to. When I refill my water dishes, there is no debris on top.

Holy crap! 2 pages of detail about water dishes. It is getting so newcomers are so babied they can't keep fresh water in a dish without being told how to do it.

Toddrickfl1 said:

My tortoise eats his own crap so I don't worry about sanitizing too much.

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I thought I just said that...

Sorry yah14, I was not trying to insult you, I was just making a comment about what I have seen happening here on TFO. So please don't take my comment personally. ? It was NOT pointed at you

Tom said:

The mineral deposits shouldn't be happening, but yes, those are harmless. Those minerals are already in the water.

As long as you are dumping, wiping out, rinsing, and refilling with clean water, the bacteria will be no problem.

I don't know what debris on top of the water you are referring to. When I refill my water dishes, there is no debris on top.

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OK the debree i mean is hard to describe it's kind like al layer of "dust" on top don't really think it's a problem tho you can only really se it when its dimmer in the room but as i said i don't think it's a problem.

I have not really been wiping the dish out and only rinsing it becuse i thought it looked clean but i will start doing that now when i refill his water.

yay14 said:

OK the debree i mean is hard to describe it's kind like al layer of "dust" on top don't really think it's a problem tho.

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You mean like dust floating on the top of the water? That probably means your substrate is too dry. It needs to be moist all the time, read that care sheet, it's very important to you

maggie3fan said:

You mean like dust floating on the top of the water? That probably means your substrate is too dry. It needs to be moist all the time, read that care sheet, it's very important to you

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It cant be that becuse it appears the seconfd i have filled up the water before i even put the dish in the enclosure. When it's in the enclosure you cant see anything it's completely clear but you see it when its a bit dimmed/dark in the room.

yay14 said:

It cant be that becuse it appears the seconfd i have filled up the water before i even put the dish in the enclosure. When it's in the enclosure you cant see anything it's completely clear but you see it when its a bit dimmed/dark in the room.

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So you fill his bowl and notice debris floating on the top? IDK, is Sweden's water bad?

maggie3fan said:

So you fill his bowl and notice debris floating on the top? IDK, is Sweden's water bad?

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I just took a cup of water filled it up and it's the same thing so no worries.

Would you let your dog or cats water bowl build up algae and slime in it? It's a matter of respect for the animal and taking the best care of it you can. Too many people who are animal enthusiasts have too many animals to properly take care of and become animal hoarders over time. I've seen this first hand working in the pet trade for 10 plus years. When they have too many animals the standards of proper care slip. It doesn't matter that it doesn't kill your animal it's just good animal husbandry to maintain basic cleanliness standards.

Diane Berner said:

Would you let your dog or cats water bowl build up algae and slime in it?

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Yes. I do. And I'll also take a drink from their water containers after I've dumped, rinsed, and refilled them with fresh clean water.

Algae is a plant. It purifies and oxygenates the water. Dirt, debris, and other organic matter is a different story. Free from algae doesn't necessarily mean clean, and the presence of algae doesn't mean its dirty or unsafe in any way. Same in my fish tanks. Living algae is a sign of a healthy eco system.

I'm not a hoarder, and my standard of care is far higher than most tortoise keepers in the entire world. If you wish to scrub, disinfect and sterilize your animals food and water dishes daily, you go right ahead. That doesn't mean the rest of us are doing something wrong.

ZEROPILOT said:

Definitely wipe off the slime and let the bowl air dry.
Slime isnt good.

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What is that slime?

KT1 said:

What is that slime?

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Proteins.
Either algae or something deposited by the tortoises or both.