Adult Hermann's Not Drinking

[Rhiannon]

I got a 12-year-old, female Hermann's tortoise as a rescue last year. I just built her a large, oak, indoor enclosure with a peat moss and organic soil substrate and a large mercury vapor bulb. Ever since I got her, I've been soaking her a few times a week (as opposed to putting water in her enclosure), based on suggestions on this forum.

I'm getting very concerned that she's not drinking. In the past, she has always lowered her head and guzzled water during her soaks, but I have not seen her do it for the last handful of soaks. She usually produces a big cloud of smooth urates and solid stool, too, but there's only been a little bit of each, and not even every time. She didn't eat as much for her first week or two in her new enclosure, I assumed because she was adjusting to the change, but now her appetite is good. Her energy level is great, her eyes, nose, and mouth look good, and she's basking like usual. She's alert and curious; I really don't find anything wrong but her disinterest in drinking.

I'm new to keeping reptiles, although I've been reading all I can about Hermann's. I can't tell if this is as alarming as I think it is. I've read that tortoises take in water through their skin. I have to spray her substrate to keep it from getting dusty, and since I was just using those alfalfa pellets from the pet store before, I know she's being exposed to higher humidity. Would that cause a drop in thirst? If my cat gets sick and doesn't feel like getting up to drink, I use a syringe to essentially force her to hydrate. Dehydration is a life-threatening concern for us mammals, but is it less of an emergency for a tortoise? Is there some health issue I don't know about that this suggests? Is there anything I can do to get her hydrated? Sorry for the long post and thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Tom]

1. If you are soaking several times a week, then your tortoises hydration needs are being met. They don't drink when they are not thirsty, and they can go a long time with no water at all.
2. No one on this site recommends not having water in the enclosure. Not that I ave seen, anyway. We all recommend having a water bowl in there in addition to soaks.
3. If your substrate is getting dusty then it is not damp enough. Spraying the surface does very little. You need to dump some water into the substrate and maintain the correct level of dampness. Covering the top will help prevent some of the evaporation.
4. Breathing humid air does help reduce the rate of dehydration.

 

[Moozillion]

I have had my Hermann's for 2 years, and I have NEVER seen her drink- not even during her soaks. I have seen watermark on her face once: it was clear she had dunked most of her face into the water! I empty, clean and refill her water dish every morning, but by evening there are leaves and dirt in it (she lives in an indoor enclosure right now), so i KNOW she was at least IN the water dish. I'm sure she's drinking, because she's healthy and heavy; she just doesn't seem to like being watched while she drinks!

 

[Rhiannon]

Thanks for your speedy replies. I must have read to not include a water dish elsewhere online. It said that tortoises rarely drink from water that's just sitting around. If she needs water in her enclosure, I'm glad to know it. Also, spraying her substrate hasn't been keeping the dust down, to the point where I started to feel like I made a mistake in my choice of peat moss, so thanks for the suggestion to wet it deeper. Now that you say it, it sounds so obvious. I'm glad I asked!

I've also noticed that she doesn't like to eat in front of me anymore. It's like she's behaving more like a wild animal now that she has a more natural living space. Could that be another possible explanation for why she used to drink when I soaked her, but now she doesn't? Because I definitely stand there and stare at her!

 

[Rhiannon]

Also, what level of humidity is best for a Hermann's? I know it's different for the young ones, but Henrietta is 12 (according to the person I adopted her from). I've gotten very conflicting information about humidity online, from it doesn't matter much to it has to be like 70%. I've tried to stay middle-of-the-road, but I'd like it to be perfect for her.

 

[Tom]

Terra cotta plant saucers sunk into the substrate are the best thing I've found for food and water bowls.

Here is the best hermanns tortoise care sheet I've seen to date. It lists humidity parameters and explains all sorts of good info.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/sticky-hermanns-tortoise-care-sheet-updated.101410/

 

[Pokeymeg]

Here's a bit of an unconventional method you could try to encourage your tortoise to drink...Not sure if your set up allows for a water fountain, but it's a nice idea if you have the room.

I have a 12yo Hermanns that I've had for a couple years now....I realized that he will not drink stagnant water. I tried many different water bowls and never once saw him drink.

I decided to place one of those dog water fountain bowls in his enclosure and he loves it. I see him drink water from it, and it seems to encourage him to poo, too. (Much like putting someone's hand in warm water, he likes to stick a leg in the water and then go poo) All his poo is around or in his fountain.

 

[Rhiannon]

A fountain is an interesting idea! I'll start with a terra cotta plate, and if Henrietta doesn't seem to like it, I'll try a fountain. It does say on the care sheet above that 70% humidity is correct for a Hermann's, although elsewhere I've read that high humidity can cause respiratory illness. Has anyone had this issue?

 

[Moozillion]

We live in Louisiana- hot and humid. My 6-year old Hermann's lives outside about 7 months of the year, in and out for 2 months and strictly indoors for 3 months. She's had humidity ranging from 35% to 90% outside, and 45-75% inside. She seems to be pretty resilient, and is doing well in each situation.

All I know for sure is:
Cold + wet = BAD
Warm + wet = Good (...or at least good enough!)

 

[Rhiannon]

Okay, great, thanks for your reply! It sounds like I shouldn't wet her bedding close to bedtime.