Ponds

[theguy67]

I have a pond for my redfoots,....its not very deep,6 inches at the most, then it slowly declines like a beach. The tortoises never use it or soak, and I wish there was a way that i could allow that if they will. Any suggestions? The bottom is rock and it may be unstable or uncomfortable to them.

Do redfoots soak regulary by themselves if a pond is provided? When i water the plants they will walk through the puddles like they arent there, and it can get 4 inches in some areas, but they just ignore the pond. My last option is to remove the pond all together and i would hate to do that, but if they dont use it i may. The pond is just taking up space if i cant get them to use it.

 

[Missy]

Don't no about redfoots but I get my sulcata to get in his water dish by floating his favorite greens in it.

 

[dmmj]

My RF loves to drink water but he rarely soaks.

 

[terryo]

I'm surprised because my Cherry Head will sit in the pond in the sun for a long time. He will walk through the deeper end, but sit in the shallow part. When the sun moves he will kind of follow it and get out of the pond. It it's really hot out, he'll just sit under a hosta in the shade. He also likes to sit under the waterfall and get rained on.

 

[dmmj]

Well I am sure if his pen looked like your guy's I imagine he would spend all day there.

 

[theguy67]

Terryo, are your cherry heads adults? and what is on the bottom of the pond? They are in the shade so it might help if i put a heater in the water. Ive seen them drink out of it, but never soak.

 

[terryo]

No, I only have two. That is Pio in the picture. He is was 3 yrs. in July, and then I have a new hatchling. He was never outside since I have him. It is a cement pond and one side slopes down coming from a stream...so the deep end is at the end of the pond. It's isn't that deep...just covers 3/4 of his shell now. I put some river rocks into the cement when we made it to give him some footing.

 

[theguy67]

Do you have any pics? I'd really like to see that, and i bet others would also.

 

[terryo]

I'm always posting pictures...I think everyone is sick of them. But here are a few anyway.
In the beginning of the summer, before everything grew in:

Summer

his hide

In the Spring he had to share his garden with some boxies, because I was making a boxie garden and it wasn't finished yet. So here are the boxies sharing with Pio for a few weeks. That's the little water fall.

 

[theguy67]

Ok, my computer is now showing the pic you posted up there. Awsome and i love the plants growing in it.

This is what i'm working with.

These were taking last spring so there is alot more foliage, and mulch along with a burrow.

 

[terryo]

That's a great pond. I would add some moss or creeping Jenny around the whole pond. It makes it easier for them to get in and out and also keeps the pond cleaner. A bunch of plants and you're all done. To me plants make the tortoise garden, and it also makes lots of humidity for them. Mine loves to sit under the hosta's. He even drags his food under there to eat.

 

[theguy67]

well its gonna have windows in soo humidity wont be an issue,...i might add small gravle so they will be more comfortable rather then climing on big rocks...will the creeping jenny grow in low lighting? and how do i keep them from eatting it all? I noticed that they dont bother the plants as much the more plants i have in there. I really like your ground cover plants, and would like to try it but only if they dont kill it all.

 

[Candy]

I just knew when I read this thread that you would get great ideas from Terry because Pio just loves to sit in his pond. Yours looks good maybe a little deep maybe that is it. Terry's doesn't look that deep and I think that the plants will help too. I'm thinking that you might have something there too about the heating of the water. Dale likes his water warm and when it gets cold he won't sit in it. Terry if Pio was 3 in July how long is he now?

 

[terryo]

Candy Pio is 7 in. now, and he was three years old July 6th. Solo, at the same age as Pio is 3/4 of an in. smaller than Pio was at that age. I'm starting to think Pio is a big boy.

I put some Creeping Jenny in Solo's vivarium, and that has low light and it's doing very well, and spreading too.

 

[Madkins007]

I think that the differences between soaking/swimming Red-foots and non-soaking/swimming Red-foots can be things like:

- Access. Can the torts EASILY get into and out of the pool? Red-foots are a bit clumsier than other species because their shells wrap so tightly around their limbs, especially their hind legs. (This is probably protection from jaguars, etc. in the wild.)

A lot of the pools and water dishes I see posted really are not easy to access- walls, steep sides, rough edges, etc. A drop from the edge to the water is tough as well- they may instinctively avoid water access if they cannot see an easy exit.

- Water temps. Our hose water here in Omaha in the summer is chilly, which really bugs me, especially in the mornings when I want to water the habitat but am afraid it will chill it too much. I suspect a lot of water dishes and pools are just too chilly to attract the torts.

- Air temp. You know the chill of getting out of the water when the air is cool? I bet that bugs our torts as well. I see my guys in the water most often when the air is nice and warm- even toasty.

- Interest. This is sort of anthromorphic on my part, but I wonder if some water features (dishes, etc.) just plain do not appeal to them? From what I have seen, they seem to like moving water more than stagnant pools, naturalistic settings more than sunken dishes or such, and fresh water better than 'old' water (maybe based on smell?)

- Need. I would bet that a well-hydrated RF in a spacious humid home would just not feel as much of a need to swim or soak. Not saying all soakers or swimmers are unhappy, though.


I wish my guys soaked more often, but they do occasioally and seem ok otherwise.

 

[Kristina]

Mine spend a lot of time in the pond and stream, and like Pio my little male loves to sit in the waterfall and let it rain down over him.

 

[theguy67]

and i just realized the pic i showd is very miss-leading since my issue is them not useing the pond and there one is soaking in the pond lol!!! Thanks for the help... And after seeing all of your awsome pics it has inspired me to go crazy with my babies vavarium as well as the adults of course.

 

[theguy67]

how big are those Kryah? It could be a size thing.

 

[Candy]

Candy Pio is 7 in. now, and he was three years old July 6th. Solo, at the same age as Pio is 3/4 of an in. smaller than Pio was at that age. I'm starting to think Pio is a big boy.

I put some Creeping Jenny in Solo's vivarium, and that has low light and it's doing very well, and spreading too.

Wow Terry 7 inches already? I just measured Dale this afternoon and he measures 7 3/4 inches and I thought that he was 5 or 6 years old but maybe not. I'm going to have to rethink this. How much does Pio weigh? Dale is now 3 pounds 3/8 oz.

Kristina I just love your water falling pond. Your Redfoots really seem to be enjoying it.

 

[Kristina]

My largest is 14" (wow they have really grown!!!) and the smallest is almost 5" (that is the one that was only 3" a couple of months ago) so they are a wide range of sizes. All seem to use the water features equally.