Hydrated torts

katsbabey

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I'm in NE Ohio,I have a 12 yr old sully...it is freezing here afraid to soak my babey, I live in a drafty old house afraid she'll get sick and chilled..what are some other methods to hydrate her?and what.can I use to keep her skin moist? Can I use baby oil in her soak or vitamin e on her skin?also a friend takes hydrated sterile chia seeds and sprinkles it on food for his torts..? Is this safe?? I've researched chia seed online great reviews for hydration in humans..couldnt find anything on animals...she also has two sores on her legs that won't close from her shell ..what would be.safe to use on those ????
 

Arizona Sulcata

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Are you receding to your 12 year old Sulcata as your baby? If so, a 12 year old tortoise doesn't need to be soaked. Just have access to water to drink.
 

ascott

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he also has two sores on her legs that won't close from her shell ..what would be.safe to use on those ????

Are the open sores generated from the edge of the shell? Are the legs rubbing on the shell edges? Are the edges sharp or is she just not able to pull herself up away from the shell while walking?

If the shell is sharp then you may want to "GENTLY" buff the edge down with very fine "very fine" sand paper or one of the foot buffers...again, ever so gentle until the sharpness is now smooth..

You can be sure to keep the sores clean daily by flushing them with a warm water flush (get a squeeze bottle and gently, but appropriately flush the spots) then you can spray bactine ;

http://www.bactine.com/spray.htm

If you are worried about keeping warm "during" the soak then perhaps use your bathtub, and stuff a towel under the door crack and let the bathroom steam up/warm up (kinda like when you have a little one going to bath, you warm up the bathroom first) then let the tort do a soak in the tub....when you are done you can wrap the tort in a towel and then allow the tort to come out of it on their own....
 

katsbabey

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Yes the sores are from her shell the shell cuts into her back legs when she climbs, also small spot in her neck,not from walking...I can warm the bathroom she is finally not fighting her bath ,I don't think she was ever soaked before,she would scream putting her in water and she won't drink water whenever I put it out she will dump it immediately..I soak her greens before feeding.I was worried about her getting chilled after her bath...how long to contain warmth afterwards...can I add baby oil to her soak water for her skin???and has anyone used the sterile hydrated chia seeds???
 

Barista5261

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I've never heard of feeding the torts the chia seeds, but I grow them on a chia pet and pull some off and feed them to my sulcatas.

As far as oil goes, I believe extra virgin cold pressed coconut oil seems to be a favorite around the forum. It's awesome stuff and is about $6 for about a mason jar size amount [SMILING FACE WITH OPEN MOUTH]

Since you don't think she's ever been soaked before, maybe start with shorter baths, then gradually increase the lengths of the baths to ease her into it.
 
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