2 Qs - 'yawning' frequently and not drinking

[LeopardTortLover]

So my first Q is about 'yawning'. Why do they do this? Is it for the same reasons we do it - to open our lungs to allow more air flow when we are tired? I've read on this forum it could be to do with basking and elevating their body temps? Mine does this several times a day.

My second Q is why is it my tort wont drink for herself? I very very rarely see her drinking. She gets a lot of water from her food, half hour soaks every other day, and humidity no less than 50% Whenever I stand/put her in her water bowl she will take a drink, but wont go in her dish by herself - she purposefully walks around it and i dont know why? This could be a problem when i go away for a week as i wont be there to put her in her water. Obviously somebody will be looking after her and providing clean water - but they wont do the things I do.

Any suggestions?

 

[wellington]

Make sure the water dish is level With the substrate, so she doesn't have to climb up to get down into it. Also, make sure she can get out of it on her own. Also, she probably is drinking, your just not seeing her do it. I thought the same thing about my leopard. Then I finally caught him on two occasions drinking his water.

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Oh, also make sure the water dish is large enough to get into.

 

[sibi]

Jacqui, again, I think you hit the nail on the head. The dish has to be large enough for your tort to get into in order to be able to drink. All things being equal, it's perfectly normal for torts to yawn.

 

[LeopardTortLover]

I saw the little sausage drinking by herself today. Its always the way! I held out making this thread until I saw her drink. And as soon as I make it she drinks! Oh well, I had to be sure she was okay.

 

[Greg T]

I'll catch my torts yawning in the mornings and sometimes in the afternoons after naps. I think they do it for the same reasons we do. I'd really like to grab a video of them yawning because it is pretty funny.

 

[GeoGpp1012]

Same here yawning but seems to be after waking as we do...but took mine a day or two and I caught him going for drinks on his own

 

[LeopardTortLover]

Yeah mine seems to yawn after naps (which is most of the day). She always tends to look at me before doing it - "look at my bright pink tongue mum!"