Soaking

[Jrperry]

Hello Today is day two of having Panda here at home. He is my new baby Sulcata. I've been reading and researching non-stop and I am worried I am not soaking right? I have a nice high sided opaque container, filled with 85 degree water, but I barely fill it because I'm so nervous about getting his little snout under! And it doesn't seem like he likes it very much? He just sits there and once in awhile he sticks his head out. Should he be walking around? Is he still anxious from his travels?

And second question is how do I keep the water at 85 degrees when it is so shallow? I know I should soak him about 20 minutes a day but the water gets cold in 5! I would love some suggestions or some stories of what you each do for soaking! My reading has me terrified he will dehydrate!!

 

[Jrperry]

This is Panda

 

[rearlpettway]

You are doing everything right.
We soak Kendall for over 30 minutes a day. We add warm water and just leave it at that. It gets cool but we have never worried about it.


Sent from Rodney Earl Pettway's iPad using TortForum

 

[Jodie]

Very cute! I have floated the soaking dish in my sink with hotter water to keep it warm.

 

[Tom]

You can soak him in his tub inside his enclosure, or outside partially in the sun. I put my tubs outside in such a way that as the sun moves they end up in full shade if I get distracted and forget them. You must watch them and monitor the water temps closely, but its a good way to get sunned and soaked all at once.

If he's just sitting there, it means he's comfortable. This is a good sign. If he sticks his snout all the way in the water, this is how they drink. Also a good sign.

It sounds like you've gotten the current info, but here it is again for review if you want it:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

 

[Dizisdalife]

When my sulcata was a little one I would use two dishes to soak him. While he was enjoying a warm soak in one, I would be getting the second one ready. When the water got a little cool I would move him over to the second dish. As he got larger the water didn't seem to cool as fast and I was able to use just one dish for the entire soak.

 

[Jrperry]

Thank you all for the info! Much less worried today

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Make the water a little deeper, right on the bridge, that's where the plastron meets the carapace, then hang a light over the whole thing and soak him for about 15 minutes. The light should keep it all warm. If he's going to drink, he'll do it in that time. Don't worry so much about "85" degrees. Just make it warm and not cold...easy enuf...

 

[Yvonne G]

I've never worried about the water getting cold. I DO position a light over one end of the soaking tub, however, my house is always in the 70's or 80's and the soaking water isn't going to get any colder than room temperature.