Water

[Kartik]

My turtle doesn't drink water .when he drinks water he drinks a good quantity of water..but then he doesn't drinks water for 2-3 days..I live in agra..very cold here..no star tortoise vet is there..my star tortoise is somewhat lazy..always sleeping.but he is very active in sunlight..I feed him spinich and cabbage and ladyfinger.and sometimes papaya also.1-2 days ago he suffered common cold(zukam)..the pet shop owner has given him medicine and he is fine now.his name is Daniel..particularly I don't know his gender.but the problem with water still goes..if I keep water in his tank he spills it all and that's dangerous for him.as the combo of wet and cold is fatal and while he is basking in sunlight he doesn't drink water ..the pet shop owner said that spinich will provide him all the water he needs..this happens in winter..please give me your suggestion and help me out guys.I can't provide him a lawn but I can take him to a park to graze if you say so.

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. Spinach in big quantities is not good to feed. Your tort needs to have a water dish 24/7. Soaking in it will give him some water intake by absorbtion. The enclosure should not be so cold that some spilled water would cause a problem.
Maybe @Tom can help with what temps, humidity and diet should be.

 

[W Shaw]

Hi Kartik!

Be careful of 2 things if you take him to a park -- it's very easy for them to slip away and get lost, so you would want to use some kind of open-bottomed enclosure. Also -- you shouldn't let him graze anywhere where they might use chemicals on the lawn, like pesticides or herbicides. Welcome to the forum!

 

[Tom]

Here is how I keep stars. The title says "Sulcatas and Leopards", but I house my stars identically :
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

You have been given all sorts of misinformation:
1. Tortoises don't get "colds" or the "flu". They can get respiratory infections if their environmental conditions are not correct. Usually they get too cold, and cold mixed with damp is even worse. Stars like it hot. Sounds like your tortoise needs a basking lamp for day time and a ceramic heating element set on a thermostat for night time.
2. Spinach should only be fed to them once in a while, not frequently. Same with cabbage.
3. They should never be fed fruit.
4. No tortoise species gets all the water it needs from its food. This is a myth.
5. Your tortoise does need a water bowl and it should not be a problem for it to spill if you are using the right substate and the temperatures are correct.
6. He doesn't need a lawn. Just a closed of area that can be dedicated to him. I would never go to park as you can't have any idea what chemicals or toxins have been sprayed on that grass or in that area.

Check this one out too:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

 

[Kartik]

Thank u.he is now drinking water..really plenty of water

 

[Kartik]

 

[Kartik]

There he is..