Soak or not to?

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auhckw

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Mine drinks water from its bowl everyday, and poop / pee every other day.

So, should I soak the tortoise? Mine doesn't seem to enjoy that much when it is soaking, keeps trying to get out. It doesn't drink in it either.
 

samstar

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I soak mine 2 times a week. 1-2 times a week is enough for about 10 minutes to help is defecate if it is drinking water from it's bowl.
 

dmmj

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I would say if you are seeing it drink all the time then soaks are not really needed.
 

Yvonne G

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I think you have to go on an individual basis. I'll give you just one example.

I have 4 hatchling Texas tortoises. I don't soak them, but they have a waterer that they walk through (because it is on the side of the habitat next to the wall) daily. They also have a little dish of calcium powder. I also don't supplement their food.

I just discovered yesterday that these babies are soft. So I should have been soaking them in vitamin water and I should have been sprinkling calcium powder over their food.

This is all just a seat-of-your-pants hobby. Everyone has to do what works for you and your tortoises. You do your research, read up on everything you can, learn all you can, then apply it to your tortoises and finesse it until it works for you.
 

auhckw

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Thanks guys for the opinion. I guess mine should be ok not to soak (that often), since i see it is drinking off its bowl and poop fine without soaking. No signs of soft shells, etc.
 

DoctorCosmonaut

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I only do when mine are dirty or its hot and dry out (and it sucks the humidity out of their enclosure).
 

dae

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Hi,

I don't soak mine at all really (unlike my horsefields who I do once a week).

The breeder I got my Radiata from doesn't soak them, they live in a greenhouse with a 100watt lamp and he showers them each night in their enclosure, which then provides the humidity for the next day. He also advised me only to let them drink once per week.

This insn't what I would have done but I have kept up with it becuase the breeder really does do such a great job with them, their shells and health are just perfect and he is breeding them all the time with great results.

I have had mine for a good few months now and they are doing well too. He tries to mimic their natural habitat as close as he can.

Dae!
 

Missy

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I soak because I just don't want to take a chance. Lana 3 times a week and Tank I try to every day.
 
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