Crazy Question - Water Fountain near (not in) DT Enclolsure.

[TigsMom]

We just refinished and reworked my Grandma's Fountain (it hasn't run in many years). It is just a few feet from one of the Desert Tortoise Enclosures. This morning, I noticed my DT at his water dish taking a long drink of water. Wondering if it's just a coincidence or if the sound of running water made him thirsty. I know the sound is causing me to have an empty bladder before sitting down to enjoy the calming sound. LOL Anyone ever observed your tortoise more prone to drinking water when the sound of running water is nearby??

 

[Yvonne G]

Most tortoises prefer to drink from running water.

 

[TigsMom]

Thank You Yvonne! Thought it was probably just my creative imagination and coincidence. Glad to know I haven't gone completely crazy. LOL

 

[Levi the Leopard]

That's a neat observation!

In the past I have noticed my various tortoises come out of hiding to drink from a sprinkler but to drink from a still dish based on the fountain sounds, that's cool.

 

[leigti]

I have never, ever seen my Russian tortoise drink from her water dish. I was thinking about doing some sort of fountain in the indoor enclosure to see if she would drink out of that.

 

[Ariza]

This morning I saw my tortie napping in a corner of the yard. I decided to run the hose there where I built a dirt berm to keep the water from running off. I don't know if it was the sound of running water or the smell of water, she came over to the water hose spout and started drinking. She drank for SO LONG that I got alarmed that she had fallen asleep while drinking. LOL They're amazing creatures. And she also got her soaking without me having to force her to stay in her plastic tub. Win, win for the tortie, myself, and the Wolfberry and other plants growing in that corner.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I have solar powered air bubblers in my two large outdoors tortoise ponds.
It seems that they are indeed favored over the other water sources.
For me, it is true.

 

[Kenno]

I use a water dish and I put it near a tort, then pour water in it to overflowing. They seem to respond to the loud splashing sounds and take a drink . They also drink from sprinkler puddles and from dishes of water I leave out for them.

 

[Kenno]

Oh yes, I also put them into a shallow soaking pool sometimes. They may or may not drink when they're being soaked - sometimes they just crawl out.

 

[Kenno]

One of my three desert torts emerged from hibernation with sunken eyes, looking dehydrated. None of my tricks worked for about a week, but now he drinks from the water dish.

 

[leigti]

Well, in the wild they may drink from flowing water. I know cats and dogs prefer flowing water. So why not a tortoise? By tortoise also really likes it when I sprayed down his outdoor enclosure in the summer. He seems to liven up. And the only time I have ever seen her in the water dish I provide is outdoors, although it was only wants. I'm definitely going to look into this for next winter indoor enclosure.

 

[Millerlite]

I have a fountain pump in my water dish foru tortoises. The water did is big though so the pump helps keep it moving, also I noticed with a pump making noise does attract them
More to water. Idk I aways just guessed in the te Wild they learned to find running water for sanitary reason. But who knows. Great observation tho

I wanna make a small stream that connects two "water dishes" for my mt tortoises. Maybe next year always though it would be fun .

Kyle

 

[Arnold_rules]

Another explaination for DT is that they associate the sound of rain with available water and will come running when they hear it. I know mine will rush out of his burrow at the start of a rain here in AZ.