How deep should the water be when I soak my tortoise?

[Tortoisesarecool]

Hello everybody! I soak my Russian tortoise every week but I wanted to make sure that I was doing it right. I hear some people say deep enough to cover the plastron but whenever I fill it up to that depth I feel like it is too deep for her. I usually fill it up a bit less than enough to cover the plastron, probably enough to cover a part of the tail. How deep should the water be? I am worried about not soaking her properly, but I am also worried about drowning her.

 

[TammyJ]

Should be up to where the top and bottom shells meet, so I understand here.

 

[Tortoisesarecool]

Ok. There's no risk of drowning if she keeps her head up right? Also, how long could a tortoise hold their breath? Just curious.

 

[wellington]

Tammy J is correct, except I personally make it just a tad deeper.
Have no idea how long they can hold their breath.

 

[Tortoisesarecool]

Thank you! Ill make it deeper next time I soak her.

 

[Tom]

Ok. There's no risk of drowning if she keeps her head up right? Also, how long could a tortoise hold their breath? Just curious.

I go about one third to half way up their body, which is pretty much where the plastron meets the carapace.

With this depth, they can flip upside down and they will not drown.

There are many factors that would determine how long a tortoise can hold its breath: Temperature, activity level, size of tortoise, species, circumstances under which it went under water, etc... There isn't any one word, one number of minutes, answer. In some cases probably more than an hour. In other cases, maybe just a couple of minutes.

 

[Sarah2020]

Ok. There's no risk of drowning if she keeps her head up right? Also, how long could a tortoise hold their breath? Just curious.

Head will not go / should not go under. I normally lower speedy into the water, all four legs are going mad and head out and then place him in prepared shallow water, he keeps his head high and out and can drink. If the tortoise head is in and water will cover then lower the water and increase as soaks progress over weeks. The key is warm shallow soaks. Once they get used to it then they walk and twist around and drink. Change to fresh warm water when water is dirty, soak can be 10 to 40 mins.