Exo terra water bowl has weird residue?

[SassyKelz]

Waterbowl has a weird residue?

Hey everyone, I have a question about my water dish for my baby tortoise! I have a water dish, I believe it is the Exo Terra Feeding and Water Dish and I noticed after pouring water in it, the bottom has a weird slimy residue. I wipe it with a towel or cloth and the slimy residue comes off and it comes off as a slime with a brown tint to it.

Does anyone else have this issue? This seems unsafe, should I immediately switch his water bowl? Thanks! In the picture you can see the bowl that he drinks from.

-Worried tortoise mama.

 

[SassyKelz]

Hey, I noticed that my tortoises water bowl has a really weird brown tinted slimy residue on the water once filled with water. I can dump the water and wipe it out but is this bowl even safe for him? I'm thinking about purchasing something better for him but I don't know if this is common or not.

 

[wellington]

RE: Waterbowl has a weird residue?

I don't know about the slim, are you cleaning the dish every day or every couple days? It might just be the water sitting too long? Try giving it a good hot water wash and rinse and then check it the next day to see if it still does it. Not sure if I would use it after a good wash if it still slims. Might be a bad finish job on it? As for the dish placement, it would be better if you lowered his dish into the substrate so he didn't have to reach over like in the pic, which to me looks like a good way to accidently flip in onto his back, to get a drink.

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I merged your two threads together as only one is really needed.

 

[theelectraco]

I have the same dish, but I use it for feeding in my tortoises indoor enclosure. I notice too that the bottom gets kinda weird and slimy also.

 

[Newo13]

I had that kind for my snake and it got slimy. For my tortoise's water bowl I like to use a terra cotta saucer. It's easy for them to get in and out of and I've never had a slimy problem.

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

Yes, I second that. I bought a fancy pet store one but bleh! The terra cotta saucers are much better, hands down, I think.

 

[tyguy35]

It's the beginning of algae from the uv. Every dish will get it but only a few you can actually feel it due to the texture of the dish.

 

[luvpetz27]

The slime I am not sure but I had a bowl like that and mine did the same thing. It was the paint coming off!! Atleast thats what the pet store said.....it turned the water brown.

I get slime in my dog's water dish sometimes. Everytime I change water, I wipe the dish out now.....yuck

 

[SassyKelz]

RE: Waterbowl has a weird residue?

I don't know about the slim, are you cleaning the dish every day or every couple days? It might just be the water sitting too long? Try giving it a good hot water wash and rinse and then check it the next day to see if it still does it. Not sure if I would use it after a good wash if it still slims. Might be a bad finish job on it? As for the dish placement, it would be better if you lowered his dish into the substrate so he didn't have to reach over like in the pic, which to me looks like a good way to accidently flip in onto his back, to get a drink.

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I merged your two threads together as only one is really needed.

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Even when I scrub it and wash it with hot water it still becomes slimy. I do have the dish lowered into the substrate now that I have the picture is from awhile back. I think I might just buy a new one to be safe. Thanks! Sorry for the two threads, I posted one and it didn't appear to be posted so I made another one.

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I had that kind for my snake and it got slimy. For my tortoise's water bowl I like to use a terra cotta saucer. It's easy for them to get in and out of and I've never had a slimy problem.

I might try this. I hope my local greenhouse has them because Home Depot only has one in stock which normally means there are none that I can find.

 

[Newo13]

RE: Waterbowl has a weird residue?

I might try this. I hope my local greenhouse has them because Home Depot only has one in stock which normally means there are none that I can find.

They're usually pretty easy to find. I'm sure your local greenhouse will have it. I got mine at Walmart.

 

[SassyKelz]

RE: Waterbowl has a weird residue?

I might try this. I hope my local greenhouse has them because Home Depot only has one in stock which normally means there are none that I can find.

They're usually pretty easy to find. I'm sure your local greenhouse will have it. I got mine at Walmart.

Thanks they did! They were unfortunately a little to deep for my tortoise who is really tiny but I bought one for when he is bigger. I purchased a plastic one that looked the same and cut it to be more shallow and added a rubber rim which he liked but I cut into the side and even when I taped up the cut, it still leaked. I will go back and get another one and make sure to not mess it up! They were only $0.39 for the plastic ones

 

[Newo13]

RE: Waterbowl has a weird residue?

Thanks they did! They were unfortunately a little to deep for my tortoise who is really tiny but I bought one for when he is bigger. I purchased a plastic one that looked the same and cut it to be more shallow and added a rubber rim which he liked but I cut into the side and even when I taped up the cut, it still leaked. I will go back and get another one and make sure to not mess it up! They were only $0.39 for the plastic ones

That's good! Some people like to use the plastic ones. They must have been out of the really small terra cotta ones because my Hermanns have been using one since he was 2 months old. But if you find one that works that's all that matters!

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

LOL ... Mine did the same thing. I think it could be brown algae growing, like in an aquarium. If so, it might be unsightly, but it's harmless.

 

[Jd3]

It is biofilm. It happens in about 10 hours. Totally harmless. Just was daily.