Thoughts on soaking hatchlings

[AZRT]

I hear some say every day for the first several months, I hear every other day or 3 times a week for several months and there are the “I never soak my tortoise”

Thoughts?

 

[Melis]

For hatchlings, the general consensus on here is to soak daily. Did you see otherwise on this forum? Or in general from other resources?

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

I hear some say every day for the first several months, I hear every other day or 3 times a week for several months and there are the “I never soak my tortoise”

Thoughts?

~ We generally soak anything under one month of age twice a day.

 

[TechnoCheese]

Definitely soak every day for the first few months, until your tort reaches 100 grams or so. Then you can drop it to every other day, and lower it over time. You can never over soak a tortoise, and even soaking an adult daily is beneficial.

 

[Bambam1989]

I agree with @Melis
Everyone on this forum is VERY in favor of daily soaks for hatchlings.
If they are properly hydrated that will put less stress on their internals like kidneys.

 

[AZRT]

I’m soaking him daily but a few other groups say just a few days a week

 

[TechnoCheese]

I’m soaking him daily but a few other groups say just a few days a week

Yeah, that’s the problem with the internet. A lot of info there is completely outdated and incorrect, and a lot of other groups still go by it.

I would just stick with the TFO

 

[Maro2Bear]

Our Sully says “ Soak Daily” - thank you!

 

[Wolfpackin]

Our Sully says “ Soak Daily” - thank you!

Does Sully still get to soak or do you just spray him down with a garden hose?

 

[Maro2Bear]

Does Sully still get to soak or do you just spray him down with a garden hose?

Today was a sprinkler in his outdoor pen. We soaked him daily until he we could no longer easily lift him.

 

[Wolfpackin]

Today was a sprinkler in his outdoor pen. We soaked him daily until he we could no longer easily lift him.

Awesome!

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

just spray him down with a garden hose?

 

[wellington]

I’m soaking him daily but a few other groups say just a few days a week

There really is no other group out in internet land that has the knowledge and correct info like you have on this forum. If you want the correct info stop to this forum. Not every question will have just one answer. However, all the answers you get from the experienced members will be correct, not always from newer members. You also have to apply the correct answer that applies to your species and the area you live.

 

[Salspi]

The constant stable high humidity and slightly warmer temps in an enclosure for the first couple of years is more important than daily soaks, depending on the tort species. Picking them up daily Could cause a chronic stressful situation. So, lower the stress and increase the time in an adequate temp/humid enclosure.

In addition to this, you need a large surface area water dish where they can soak/drink anytime they feel like it. And, try to get them to use the humid hides. In my opinion, this considerably lowers the stress that your hatchling is going thru. And, is perfect for keeping hatchlings hydrated..Obviously, adults are different.

This is just what I think.... please don’t roast me.

 

[AZRT]

Here he is soaking in the bathtub. Curious do they sleep with eyes closed? When I go him out of the cage his eyes were closed

 

[AZRT]

Another one

 

[Tom]

The constant stable high humidity and slightly warmer temps in an enclosure for the first couple of years is more important than daily soaks, depending on the tort species. Picking them up daily Could cause a chronic stressful situation. So, lower the stress and increase the time in an adequate temp/humid enclosure.

In addition to this, you need a large surface area water dish where they can soak/drink anytime they feel like it. And, try to get them to use the humid hides. In my opinion, this considerably lowers the stress that your hatchling is going thru. And, is perfect for keeping hatchlings hydrated..Obviously, adults are different.

This is just what I think.... please don’t roast me.

I won't roast you, but I will politely and respectfully disagree. I know more than one keeper who gets good results that feels that the daily soaks are more important than the constant high humidity. I also think the daily handling desensitizes them and makes them much less stressed. This is one of the compliments I get from people who buy my babies. They are adaptable and not fearful. They will eat while dangling in the air between thumb and forefinger, and in a moving car. Most tortoises are highly stressed by a moving car. Mine eat while going down a bumpy dirt road. A tortoise that is eating is not a stressed tortoise.

Stress reduction and humidity are good, but I think daily handling and soaking are also very important and beneficial.

 

[Salspi]

ive Never heard of handling them when young desensitizes them. Obviously, you’ve raised plenty of them to know what works. So, in your experience, handling them young creates a more calm/ stable tortoise over time? Is this the case for more outgoing species like Sulcatas? Or do you think it’s all of them?

 

[TechnoCheese]

Aldabras are amazing! I would love to own one one day...

 

[Tom]

ive Never heard of handling them when young desensitizes them. Obviously, you’ve raised plenty of them to know what works. So, in your experience, handling them young creates a more calm/ stable tortoise over time? Is this the case for more outgoing species like Sulcatas? Or do you think it’s all of them?

It is true of all the species I have reproduced or started from hatchlings.
Sulcatas
Both types of leopards
Russians
CDTs-rescued hatchlings, not bred by me
Burmese Stars
Pancakes

I can't say this is universal for every species on earth, but from what I've seen and read, I can't think of any exceptions. I begin soaking literally the day they merge from their egg. Leaving them alone might initially cause less stress, but any captive animal will inevitably need to be handled. If they are not used to it, the experience can be extremely stressful, to the point of affecting their health. In contrast, an animal that is handled daily and is desensitized to it, will not be traumatized or overly stressed by the day to day stuff that goes on. A good way to illustrate this point would be to look at the differences between WC animals and CB animals of the same species. Night and day.