Water

[BorisTort]

I've noticed that my russian doesn't drink much. I always have a small dish of water in his enclosure for him, but when it disappears, it's usually from evaporation!

I soak him regularly, but don't see him drink much there either. I've recently been making sure his food is soaked with water so I know he's getting something.

Should I be concerned?

 

[wellington]

Is his water dish sunken to be level with the top of the substrate? Also, as long as you soak him and with the additional water on his food, you don't need to worry. Try adjusting his dish as mentioned if it isn't and be sure it's big enough, without being too deep. Maybe he will drink then. Just nice if they will drink on their own. But you don't need to worry with what your doing.

 

[BorisTort]

Is his water dish sunken to be level with the top of the substrate? Also, as long as you soak him and with the additional water on his food, you don't need to worry. Try adjusting his dish as mentioned if it isn't and be sure it's big enough, without being too deep. Maybe he will drink then. Just nice if they will drink on their own. But you don't need to worry with what your doing.

Yes, it is level with the substrate. Its one of the small "saucers" you get for plants. But I guess if I don't have to worry, that's good!! Thank you!

 

[cemmons12]

I have the same issue with my female Russian. But might I suggest changing the water every couple of days, that way it is nice and fresh. This is what I do just to make sure if she does decide to drink, the water is fresh and has to taste better then days old water.

 

[Dannikabd]

my Russians love swimming in this pool I got for them at petsmart! They're always soaking, maybe try and get one for yours! I catch them drinking the water sometimes too.


Sean Lee, and Big mama my Russian Tortoises[TURTLE][TWO HEARTS]

 

[hunterk997]

my Russians love swimming in this pool I got for them at petsmart! They're always soaking, maybe try and get one for yours! I catch them drinking the water sometimes too.


Sean Lee, and Big mama my Russian Tortoises[TURTLE][TWO HEARTS]

That's the water dish that isn't recommended. The walls are too high and the slope is too steep. And it looks like your tortoise is getting a little too big for it.


Sent from my iPod touch using TortForum mobile app

 

[Yvonne G]

One thing I've noticed with full grown Russian tortoises is that they really don't like to be soaked...at least all the ones I've had experience with. So I just provide a waterer in the habitat filled with fresh water daily. I also spray water over their food daily.

 

[Dannikabd]

my Russians love swimming in this pool I got for them at petsmart! They're always soaking, maybe try and get one for yours! I catch them drinking the water sometimes too.


Sean Lee, and Big mama my Russian Tortoises[TURTLE][TWO HEARTS]

That's the water dish that isn't recommended. The walls are too high and the slope is too steep. And it looks like your tortoise is getting a little too big for it.


Sent from my iPod touch using TortForum mobile app

I usually have the dirt at the same level as the walls, I had just cleaned the bath out. As long as the dirt level is the same as the walls, it's fine. My tortoises love it


Sean Lee, and Big mama my Russian Tortoises[TURTLE][TWO HEARTS]

 

[fOrKyAnDpRoUd]

One thing I've noticed with full grown Russian tortoises is that they really don't like to be soaked...at least all the ones I've had experience with.

could this be like older or stray cats hating being bathed but if you give kittens baths they will grow to love it?

Also how much is too much? Is there a certain point where you should just STOP offering baths? My russian just seems to scramble to get out and i feel like im traumatizing him

 

[BorisTort]

my Russians love swimming in this pool I got for them at petsmart! They're always soaking, maybe try and get one for yours! I catch them drinking the water sometimes too.


Sean Lee, and Big mama my Russian Tortoises[TURTLE][TWO HEARTS]

I had one of those and my tortoise couldn't get in and out of it and it terrified him!! So I'm jealous that yours enjoys it!

 

[Tom]

my Russians love swimming in this pool I got for them at petsmart! They're always soaking, maybe try and get one for yours! I catch them drinking the water sometimes too.

Just a few months ago we had a member whose tortoise somehow managed to flip upside down in one of those water bowls and they came home and found their pet dead. There have been several other threads over the years of tortoises finding themselves upside down and unable to escape in those bowls. I recommend you change it out for something more suited for tortoises, BEFORE there is an accident.

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Also how much is too much? Is there a certain point where you should just STOP offering baths? My russian just seems to scramble to get out and i feel like im traumatizing him

If you are 100% sure that your tortoise is drinking regularly on their own and maintaining their own hydration, and your enclosure has the right temps, humidity and microclimates available, you might not need to soak. If you are wrong about any of the above, it could eventually cost your tortoise its life due to dehydration complications.

Soaking is cheap insurance. It harms nothing if the tortoise doesn't need it. Many tortoises scramble to get out, especially if they aren't used to it. ALL of them eventually desensitize to it, and the exercise is good for them. You are not traumatizing your tortoise. Does he still eat after a soak? Appetite is one of the first things to go in a stressed or traumatized animal. Some people suggest lukewarm water early in the morning, before the tortoise is fully charged and up to speed, as a way to get them more relaxed about it. In almost 30 years of soaking all species of tortoises, I have never once seen one harmed by the practice, regardless of how they initially react to it. By contrast I have seen MANY harmed by dehydration, especially in the drier areas of the country.

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I've noticed that my russian doesn't drink much. I always have a small dish of water in his enclosure for him, but when it disappears, it's usually from evaporation!

I soak him regularly, but don't see him drink much there either. I've recently been making sure his food is soaked with water so I know he's getting something.

Should I be concerned?

Can we see a pic? If the tortoise never touches the dish, then something is amiss and needs to be corrected. For some reason your tortoise is not comfortable with its water source, and this could be a problem over the long term. Regular soaks will help maintain hydration until you get the issue resolved.

 

[BorisTort]

Can we see a pic? If the tortoise never touches the dish, then something is amiss and needs to be corrected. For some reason your tortoise is not comfortable with its water source, and this could be a problem over the long term. Regular soaks will help maintain hydration until you get the issue resolved.
[/quote]

Sure!

 

[laney]

my Russians love swimming in this pool I got for them at petsmart! They're always soaking, maybe try and get one for yours! I catch them drinking the water sometimes too.


Sean Lee, and Big mama my Russian Tortoises[TURTLE][TWO HEARTS]

That second pic is adorable!

 

[biochemnerd808]

I really like pyrex pie dishes (I get them at Goodwill) for water dishes for my tortoises. They are the right size and shape, they aren't too deep, and they are SO easy to clean (I just run them through the dishwasher every now and then).

Those heavy water baths with steps from the pet store are good for iguanas and other longer-legged creatures, or no-legged creatures like snakes. Tortoises easily get high-centered on the edge, and flip. One of my rescued tortoises came with one of those, and I personally watched her scrambling with her legs, trying to get in and out while high-centered on the edge. With all the creases and crannies, they are also harder to clean. I wouldn't risk it, since there are safer and cheaper options.

You might also consider the location of your water dish. I put my dish somewhere in the middle of the enclosure, near to the heat lamp, but not under it. I choose a location where the tortoises kind of *have* to walk through it on a regular basis, to get from one side to the other. It took a few years for some, but most of mine drink on a regular basis now.

 

[jaizei]

One thing I've noticed with full grown Russian tortoises is that they really don't like to be soaked...at least all the ones I've had experience with.

could this be like older or stray cats hating being bathed but if you give kittens baths they will grow to love it?

Also how much is too much? Is there a certain point where you should just STOP offering baths? My russian just seems to scramble to get out and i feel like im traumatizing him

You are not alone in feeling this way. I think it's more about what you are comfortable with. I don't soak unless I have a reason to soak, e.g., a sick or newly acquired animal.

 

[thatrebecca]

My water averse DT eventually mellowed out about his soaks. A few things that help are doing it in the morning when he's still cool and sleepy, and covering the soaking dish halfway with a lid, which seems to calm his 'A hawk is gonna swoop down and grab me in this stupid tub!' instinct.

 

[Yvonne G]

We're talking about Russian tortoises here. I don't think they have access to water in the wild until it rains. They seem to have gotten along just fine for eons without daily access to water. That's why they have evolved to store their urine until they find a puddle and are able to drink.

I know nothing about baby russian tortoises in the wild, however, judging from the number of imported russian tortoises I have to assume that the babies get by from rain storm to rain storm without daily soaks too. But those wild tortoises are NOT sitting under a heat lamp or a strong UVB light either.

I happen to think that my captive tortoises need more water than just waiting for the next rain storm, and I provide waterers in each pen, and I give baby tortoises a daily soak. It is my opinion that a tortoise that is living in the house under lights, essentially on 'slow cook,' should have water daily to keep from drying out his insides.

 

[tortadise]

I've noticed that my russian doesn't drink much. I always have a small dish of water in his enclosure for him, but when it disappears, it's usually from evaporation!

I soak him regularly, but don't see him drink much there either. I've recently been making sure his food is soaked with water so I know he's getting something.

Should I be concerned?

Hello,
I see two questions here that you can remedy. If you are seeing a lot of evaporation of water from the bowl. Perhaps upgrading the size up will suffice for that. The second would be the "concern" with a question mark. If you have any doubt about something like this. Just take your measures and go with, better safe than sorry routine. You can eliminate your concern but upgrading to a slightly larger Terra cotta saucer that holds more water. Also I have noticed sometimes those saucers are porous and will suck the water into itself through tiny unsealed holes. You could try an experiment and use the larger size placed next to the one your using now and see what happens.

Russians tend to come from dry areas indeed. However they are hibernating most time of the year(pending sub species and location of said SSP) but during their active seasons it is springish summer and will receive rainfall. So they do have access to water during their active stages in the wild.

In captivity I always apply a rule. Offer until it is refused. Since we can talk tortoise or read tortoise minds I always offer anything that will benefit them and aid in exemplary husbandry methods.

 

[SpdTrtl]

I don't bathe/soak my russians very often, maybe once every 2-3 weeks unless it's really hot outside. That's right people I have dirty torts!
I have never really seen my russians drink water from the dish but I know they do, they must...
I do spritz water on their food before I give it to them and that seems to work well.

 

[Yvonne G]

I don't see anything wrong with soaking a tortoise. Personally, I'm hard-hearted, and I don't care one whit if he doesn't like it or scrambles to get out. I'm the boss in my house.