Watering outdoor enclosures

[thatrebecca]

We've had unseasonably cool, damp weather for the last two weeks here in the San Fernando Valley, and so I've been reluctant to water down my DTs' outdoor enclosure. Today is nice and sunny and hot, so I gave the whole thing a good soaking. Morticia, my littlest one, came out and plopped herself in a mud puddle under the hibiscus plants and fell asleep. She looked so content, it made me think I should be doing this more often. How often do those of you whose torts live outdoors in dry climates water down their enclosures?

 

[Jacqui]

When it's hot and dry, the mud wallow gets filled a couple of times a day (depending on how quickly it dries up). Then actual watering or misting depends who is in the enclosure. The sulcatas get different areas water each day, but not the whole thing. Hingebacks get the entire enclosure watered atleast once a day.

It has been cool and moist here for almost a week too. After a couple of days of not filling the mud wallow, I decided to go ahead and fill it one afternoon. The sulcatas came running and spent quite a bit of time in it. They did more that day, then I think I have saw them doing in the mud wallow all year long.

 

[ChiKat]

Pictures??

 

[thatrebecca]

Oh man, I love that you even have something called a "mud wallow" in your enclosure, Jacqui.

Katie, I didn't snap a photo cause I didn't want to wake Morticia up by walking outside. I was watching her from inside the house through a glass door. I can't seem to sneak up on these guys. They always wake up when I come poking around.

 

[kanalomele]

Mine also vary depending on the species. The Russians love their mud wallow. I keep it gull for them. But on really hot days I hook up the soaker hose and let it really saturate the ground. I also do this in a few of my girls favorite nesting areas so the ground is easier to dig into. We have really heavy clay soil here, so this helps.

 

[Jacqui]

Oh man, I love that you even have something called a "mud wallow" in your enclosure, Jacqui.

To me, it's a "must have" in a lot of the enclosures, especially the sulcata ones.

 

[Tom]

It random and variable for me. In early spring, after the rains have gone. I water nearly every day trying to keep the last remaining weeds and grass going for just a little longer... In summer I just fill up the mud hole every so often. Mine hardly use it. At most they will just drink from it.

I would do yours at least two or three times a week over summer.